Is Hertfordshire primary admissions going to be a lottery soon?

[shergar]

I've heard rumours that Hertfordshire primary admissions are going over to the lottery system soon - does anyone know when this starts? It shouldn't affect me as DD is already into the local school for 2007 (and I assume DS will get a sibling place in a couple of years) but one of my neighbours is worried about whether her DD will get a place for 2008. Can anyone shed some light?

No idea, fortunately ds has already got his place. Dunno how lottery would work anyway, would it mean kids from St Albans being sent to Hemel while Hemel kids have to go to St Albans?

Looks like it's for single sex schools only. And the headmaster seems to think it is already happening although story implies it is new. here

I think the general idea is that Herts is grouped into 'areas' and instead of getting a place at your closest school, you apply to several in your 'area' and are allocated a place by lottery. I think it's madness personally......it's going to mean loads more children being driven to school than at present, for starters. Our local primary is five minutes' walk away, but there are practically no others that we can walk to from here.

edam, I believe it's due to extend to primary school admissions in the years to come (certainly the head of our local primary school thought so).

Balls, I'd better crack on with no. 2 then or ds will already have left primary and we won't get in on sibling rules!

oh i better not leave too big a gapo then between dd3 and #4 then.

dd2 has already got a palce at dd1 school, and we decided yesterday that we arent moving from here as its ideal for our family and kids are settled.

LOL at you ladies!

i think it is only for secondary? i dont think it is happening yet but is being trialled for the future?

the local papers (im in st a) seemed to imply that it was to help the situation with single sex schools and that there would be catchment areas, then further areas that would each have an allocation, then lottery. Pretty sure its not for primary yet.

I think that introducing a lottery in Hemel would be fanastic. The house prices near Hemel School are ridiculous. I think this policy will help to get rid of sink schools.

Some schools have an unfairly high number of special need children.