LBHF/Pan London reception admissions query - can anyone help?!

[irisblue]

Hello,

I know the obvious thing is to call the admissions people (which I will do!) but just wondering if anyone had had experience with Hammersmith & Fulham/Pan London admissions?

My query is that on our street the postcode stretches from one end of the street to another. This is about 300 metres long. The schools in the borough are crazily oversubscribed often with catchment areas of only 200metres! What I'm wondering is that when the admissions board work out distance on their calculator system, do they work out exactly number to number/door to door or do they do a rough estimate based on postcode?

When I look at maps on the internet, they always plot our address further away (ie halfway down the street when it is at one end) from one school than it actually is - which with such tight catchments makes a difference.

Also, if they did just do a rough estimate and you didn't get in due to the difference in real-life distance, is this something you can appeal on?

Thanks in advance!

They do it on real-life distance using specialist software. Soneone who knows more will hopefully be along with a fuller answer soon though

Thank you! That's a relief to know. Think I'm just panicking due to imminent filing of forms!

I'm in Richmond so same system. They measure from a "seed point". This is usually explained in the admission notes. They then use software from Ordinance survey to calculate the exact distance. It is accurate to within less than one metre. They then measure the shortest walking distance on pedestrian only areas using the footpath if there is one, and down the centre of roads.

It is very accurate and the admissions team can send you your map if you need to check. It is more accurate than walking and using GPS. I actually had two maps from mine because we queried if another route was shorter with a view to appeal. It wasn't!

Southwark is a point from the centre of the property to the school gate measured as the crow flies. If there is a dead-heat, then the lower number wins. (ie. Flat 25 loses to Flat 2).

I've just Googled and looked up H&Fs calculations. It's different to Richmond last year so ignore what I posted.

This is what they say from www.lbhf.gov.uk/Images/Determined%20-%20COMMUNITY%20PRIMARY%20SCHOOLS%202014%202015%20(2)_tcm21-180379.pdf

1. To children who live nearest the school. Nearness to the school will be calculated using a straight line (as the crow flies) measurement from the child’s home ‘address point’ determined by Ordnance Survey Data to the centre of the school grounds as determined by the Hammersmith and Fulham using its computerised measuring system. The child living closest to the school will receive the highest priority. Accessibility by car or public transport will be disregarded.

If applicants share the same address point (for example, those who live in the same block of flats or shared house) priority will be given to those who live closest to the ground floor and then by ascending flat number order. Routes will be measured to four decimal places (if necessary). If, in the unlikely event that two or more applicants live at exactly the same distance from the school; the offer of a place will be decided by random allocation.