Proving walking distance to school

[topsi]

We are just outside the catchment area for our favorite primary school.
Between us and the school is a golf course and it has been sugested to us that if we can prove that walking accross the golf course would bring us nearer the school than driving around then we will have a better chance of getting in.
Has anyone had any experience of doing this and if so how did you do it.
I have ordered a map of the area and I guess we will take a walk up there next weekend to check it out.
I was thinking of using the map to work out the distance and then just putting this information into the space for supporting evidence.
Any experiences would be a great help
thankyou

Is there a public footpath through the golf course?

Isn't a golf course private land?
Might prove hazardous when the season starts again.

You need to check out what the school's rules are. If you are outside catchment, distance may not be a factor.

depends on whether council measures as the crow flies or safest walking route

If it's crow flying, 'map my run' is good.

Google Earth has a very good path measuring facility. You can track along the pavements if you go in close enough. And it's free!

Most schools have a specific catchment, which I think you can view on line.
So I am not sure the actual distance you live, will factor.
You are either in catchment or not.

This will only be relevant surely if the school has distance as a factor in deciding out-of-catchment applications.

If it does, you also need to find out how it is measured - eg shortest walkable route, as the crow flies, shortest route by road etc.

Also does the school often taken children out of catchment? You should be able to find out the furthest distance of any child admitted last year (you can with our LA) which will give you a guide. also find out if poss whether others from yr streets have got in.

Obv that is no guarantee for this year but it wil give you an indication. There will of course be variance from yr to yr depending on how big the year is (sounds a bit nutty but DS2 is in a year of about 55, poss intake in the school of 80 - so obv no applications refused that year! but the year below him I believe there were six appeals to get in)

mollymax plenty of schools take children from out of catchment and distance from the school is often used as a deciding factor.

Yes they take children out of catchment and it worked out by road or path distance, I am not sure if there is a footpath through the golf course but I wouldn't be supprised. I guess the map will show me.
I know they have taken children from our road in the past but I just want to incease our chances.

I know schools take out of catchment, but that is after all the statement, looked after children and catchment children are in.
So I suppose it depends on how many spaces are left.

well quite. As I said, plenty of schools do it; my DCs' school is lovely but certainly has children who live 3 miles away (in an area of town with few local schools) attending.

The most highly rated (ahem) secondary in the area took children out of catchment in the current year 7 - I know because some of them are DS1's mates. It's certainly worth trying if you want to go to the school OP.

Tho I agree I would find out about rights pf way etc. Is it a public or private golf course?

topsi you need to find out exactly how your LA define "road or path distance" as there are differences from LA to LA on this. (Many LAs now use a straight line measurement using a GIS to save all the arguments about routes etc)

For example in some LAs "safe walking route" means that there must be street lights etc, which I doubt the golf course will have.

As has already been said there must be a public right of way across the golf course for it to stand any chance of counting.

Agree with Betsy. If your LA use straight line distance it makes no difference whether or not you can walk across the golf course. If they use shortest walking route using roads only, or roads and approved footpaths only, a route across the golf course won't help you.

Your first stop is the LA's admissions booklet. That will tell you how they measure distance.

thanks every one I will double chech with the LA rules and try the google earth idea. The school has a very small catchment area but is very popular and has taken up to 60% of children out of catchment in recent years.

I don't know where you are but when I was a child we used to walk to school via a public footpath across a golf course. This was only a problem when there was a major championship on and the footpath was closed.
Most LEAs measure distance from school as the crow flies though and it is possible to check distance from schools through a website such as www.upmystreet.co.uk put in your postcode and it will tell you your nearest schools.

If you go here you can download a KMl file which you can then import into Google Earth. It uts an overlay of the Ordnance Survey map for the area you're looking at on Google Earth. depending on your zoom level, it will display public footpaths.

thanks soupdragon I will give it a try