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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

So where are the Surrey Mums stressing about school place allocations.....

72 replies

CarGirl · 27/02/2009 19:42

midnight tonight we can log on and find out.......

We should have a forgone sibling place conclusion but there is always that deep fear that the processing went wrong!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Babbity · 28/02/2009 20:45

CarGirl I think you must be close to me - I'm Runnymede.

Original poster

CarGirl · 28/02/2009 20:56

yep, me too - have you got one going to school in Sept?

I've very close to DD but my younger ones go to OP - long story but it's easy walking distance still.

OP posts:

Babbity · 28/02/2009 21:19

Yes, DS1 is off to reception in September. He's got a place at L&L infants. It's the senior schools we have to worry about - our local is JH, next closest is MC - we are still thinking about going private, depending on how things pan out personally and how the schools change over the years. Our closest secondary is SS but we're not RC so that's not a possibility.

We had friends over today who are from Essex and her girl goes to one of the Essex girls' grammars - basically an independent education for free. So unfair!

Original poster

CarGirl · 28/02/2009 21:22

dd1 was offered JH but eventually got HS by going on the waiting list, we are borderline for there.

I know many parents with dc at JH and is really is improving rapidly (not hard I know) so I'm not concerned about that tbh.

S aren't taking really taking nonRC anymore they've demoted to nonRC sibings so low that they don't get in anymore!

OP posts:

Babbity · 28/02/2009 21:27

Yes I'd heard that since S stopped taking non RC siblings and RC pupils are now coming from miles around (Slough??), that the other schools in the area are improving because S aren't creaming off the middle class on RC pupils. Mad how it works, really.

I'd love my two to get into HS but we're too far I think. Might be worth a try though, you never know. Plus there's plenty time and things do change very quickly. I'm pleased that we have happy parents with children at JH - reassuring, really, after they've had such a bad press.

Original poster

CarGirl · 28/02/2009 21:30

The new head is fab, this is his 3rd year there at least so he's committed to staying and sorted out the staff so he's got staff committed to moving it forward.

I was when I looked around 18 months ago they'd had 4 pupils sit French in the summer, 5 Geography that type of thing! Still a couple of years until the results start coming through.

OP posts:

Babbity · 01/03/2009 09:43

4 pupils sitting French. Gosh that is worrying.

Dophus · 01/03/2009 09:57

We got our second choice - which is still a good school. I thought if there were more applicatns than places then we wouldn't hear until May.

What happens now wrt to waiting lists etc?

scienceteacher · 01/03/2009 09:59

I'm in Runnymede too, Bobbity

Dophus · 01/03/2009 10:03

Me too - but got into one in Surrey Heath

Itsjustafleshwound · 01/03/2009 12:12

Dophus - The sentence 'on the waiting list' has to rank as the most useless statement ever writen on an acceptance letter ...

We also got our second choice - better than nothing, but it was our 2nd chice for a reason! I know I sound ungrateful, but there must be a fairer system than this post code lottery every parent with a school starter faces ...

There was an item on the neews recently, some report had some scary figures about how many new schools and places would have to be created in the South East just to cater for the demand of the existing residents, let alone all these demands the govt has made on new housing in the area ...

The sad thing was that our 1st choice was a traditionally failing sink school that has turned the corner becasue of the squeeze on good, gov schooling in the area ... grrr

CaptainUnderpants · 01/03/2009 16:25

We applied for Junior school this year and as expected got our choice ( would hope so too as DS has sibling there), but for the first time in ( this is our fourth school application 2 X infants 2 x junior ) we have been asked for a copy of our council tax bill to send along with our acceptance.

Why the sudden change ? we are in Surrey BTW .

Eshermummy - if you are talking about Esher Church school I have known so many Mums who have sweated over that school its not worth even applying for it unless you go to church then you have to go to the right church and be on first names terms with the vicar !

eshermummy · 01/03/2009 19:14

Captain Underpants - yes it's ECS. Am just very cross as last year 5 or 6 children got in under Category 4 (proximity). We are EXTREMELY near the school gates but didn't get in. Apparently this year even some siblings didn't get in although I haven't had that confirmed officially yet.
I guess I will just have to find out what number we are on the waiting list and take it from there.
If anyone else in our category got in can I ask them to tell me the address and will they tell me? It's just I am having trouble imagining anyone who could be closer than us.

CaptainUnderpants · 01/03/2009 19:52

I have known it to happen that siblings dont get in there, depends how the vicar words your application or how much money is given to the church ( alledgely )

I know of one set of siblings who one was at EC , younger sibling didn't get it and was eventually offer a place at a local Catholic school in the totally opposite direction , so the poor Mum had to do two school runs for a year at opposite ends ! The younger sibling eveutally got a place at ECS.

Original poster

CarGirl · 01/03/2009 21:26

CaptainUnderpants I am assuming the council tax bill thing is a way of cutting down on people that cheat the system by using rental/family/friend addresses.

OP posts:

ShrinkingViolet · 02/03/2009 14:23

poo- I can't find last year's council tax statement - any idea when this years's one will be coming out, so I cna use that instead?

Dophus · 02/03/2009 15:58

I have no idea where mine is either! It never mentions that you may need this in the future!

Tigerlion · 02/03/2009 19:46

Couldn't find our council tax bill either but phoned up my local council office and they popped a copy of the most recent one in the post this morning. They said that I was not the first to phone up with that request today. Wonder why? Hmmmmmm??!!

ReigateMum · 02/03/2009 21:43

If anyone is waiting to see if they might get a waiting list place for Reigate Priory Year 3 then all I'd say is 'don't panic'.... on Saturday I spoke to three parents who had all applied last year in the middle of the financial crisis, have now all been offered places, but are keeping their DCs in independent school after all, so I bet they will not be the only ones, and there will be a lot of 'shuffling' over the coming weeks.

CaptainUnderpants · 02/03/2009 21:50

I sent last year council tax bill, I hope they dont query it , haven't received this years as yet , any way he has a sibling at the school !

nayarani · 02/03/2009 23:28

School gate news, many (15+) siblings did not get in to ECS we were lucky Dd got in, number 4 and last of mine to go through the school. This year 170 families put it as first choice, with 60 places there are going to be many unhappy people about.
N

CaptainUnderpants · 03/03/2009 07:16

I did hear that the Head of ECS went ona course a few weeks ago about the Appeals process , perhasp they knew what was coming !

What a logistical nightmare for those parents!

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