Another Primary School one - Crouch End

[Lumboo]

We went to see Coleridge School this week and really liked it but found that the entry radius for this school is 0.326 miles. If we live 0.6 miles away does anyone know if there is even any point in applying to this school?

We live closer to Rokesley, but we really didn't like it when we went to the open morning there.

What I am asking is does anyone know what Haringey do if you apply to one school but are closer to the other? I have heard of people moving/renting to get closer to Coleridge, but quite frankly think that is a pathetic option to take, and I do not want to start any schooling with that level of conniving. (No offence to anyone who was forced to take this option)

Thanks for your help

You'll have to look at the admission criteria to see how they admit children - it's normally looked after children, SEN, siblings, then distance from school, but some differ. If the furthest they offered a place to last year was .326 miles last year and you don't have any reason to be in a higher criteria - no siblings, SEN, etc - then tbh it would be surprising if you got in at 0.6 miles, but you never know, and you could go on the waiting list anyway even if you didn't. Haringey don't care which schools you put, but admissions will be determined via the criteria.

sounds like you'll get into rokesley and if you are dead against it then I'd move, catchments in london seem to be getting smaller. i've met lots of parents who wished they had moved they've been given the worst of worst schools. other option is going private.

You will be able to state multiple preferences when you apply. All LAs follow the same process. They use the admission criteria for each school to determine whether or not you will get a place at that school. If you get a place at more than one school you will be offered the one at your highest preference. If you don't get a place at any of your preferences you will be offered a place at the nearest school with places available.

The LA can't refuse to admit you to a school just because it isn't the closest one to you.

The entry radius isn't set in stone. That's just what happened this year (or last depending where you got your information). It may be more or less next year depending on how many people apply. However, as PatriciaHolm says, when you are so far outside the most recent entry radius it is unlikely you will get in.

My friend put coleridge first and then rokesley and got in to rokesley (although she was in fact nearer to coleridge, it was back when it only had two forms). Rokesley is over subscribed so the fact that she put it second didn't count against her at all - her dd got in above some who'd put it first as she was nearer.
She thinks it's great and was later offered a coleridge place and decided to stay put. Coleridge more glammy tho parentwise.

My choices would be Coleridge and Weston Park. LA told me that my nearest two are Rokesley and Campsbourne, but I am closer to Weston Park than Campsbourne, which is actually totally out of our way, even though mapwise we may be closer. I wouldn't be able to get to work on time or be on time to collect my son from any afterschool club. It would be a nightmare (and probably for me only, as my husband works out of London)

If for example we were given Campsbourne, despite the fact I wouldn't be listing it as a choice, if I refused the place, (and went Private) would I still be allowed to be on the waiting list for Coleridge, or would the fact that I had refused a state school count against us?

Is it worth requesting to go on a waiting list even though nothing may come of it?

The usual 'catchment' for Weston Park is tiny (it's one-form entry and there are usually lots of siblings) so be aware that may be a long shot depending on how far you actually are (distance is measured as the crow flies).

You can be on the waiting list for whatever school you like for as long as you like - nothing lost by having your name down.

I think the 0.326 radius for Coleridge was this years ie for applications to start this autumn. It is my understanding is that one of the reasons the radius was lower than last year is that out of the 120 places offered - Coleridge is a four form entry primary school - about 60 were allocated to siblings.

If this is the case, then next year there will probably be fewer siblings so the radius may be bigger. I would recommend that you apply to all the schools you feel like applying to; so by the sounds of it this would be a first preference for Coleridge, and a second preference for Rokesely, and just see what happens. You should also have a look at Highgate Primary and (in Islington) Ashmount School. (Not forgetting Weston Park as suggested above.)

By the way there is nothing unethical about moving closer to a school you favour. What is doubtful is renting close to the school and then, once you have a place reverting to your original address!

These days you usually have to declare that the address you are applying from is your sole residence. Of course if it IS your sole residence it can be rented.

Just wanted to add that I went for a school visit (for applying for a job) to Ashmount - it looks grim from the outside BUT inside seemed a great school with a fantastic head. it is also moving to a new building set in parkland soon.

Thanks CC - I have booked an open morning visit at Ashmount ot see what it is like, even though we are strictly speaking further from there than Coleridge.

I don't think I can face moving to be closer to the school, so will put it down and then go on the waiting list and hope for the best. We are not that much out of the usual catchment (0.33 miles out of last years, but in usual cases 0.11 miles), so if people don't want their places or move, we may not be too far down the list. In the meantime I think we will go with our original plan and send him to his current school.

Also, found out catchment is based upon first offering of places, so have asked LA what the furthest distance offered to waiting list people was.

Lumboo,
You are quite correct that the information that is available in the written documentation for school admissions is based on the initial allocation of places. There can be a significant difference between the quoted figure and the actual real distance of the last allocated place after all the changes that take place.
Whilst it would be better for everybody if the information was absolutely current the problem is that the admission booklets will be being printed now or very shortly so they are available for September 1st when the whole admission round starts again. They therefore only use the data from the initial allocations for the booklets but for any appeal the real data is available.
It might be worth phoning up and asking what the actual last distance was for admission to the school as this might influence your thoughts on schools to express a preference for.

Yes I have emailed LBH to ask them what the final distance was from people off the waiting list, and also how many people were on the waiting list and how many of those were offered a place (over the past three years).

It is really just to get a guideline as I know every year is different. The tourble is they are REALLY slow at getting back to you, and the only way they give this info is through email.

Did you ever get this information? We are thinking of buying a house that is between 0.3 and 0.4 miles from Crouch End and this is possibly the clincher. Any help would be very much appreciated from a stressed out mum! Thanks