So who got into CVMS or London oratory ?

[MANT]

Congratulations to those who got in. Share your stories with us. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Apologies for being such a nosy parker?

Not us, we were in the 300s rank despite being regular churchgoers, under 6 months baptism and active in church. Currently on waiting list, but unlikely.

This is really second hand because I'm neither Catholic nor from the area, but apparently Oratory and Sacred Heart were under pressure to prioritise pupils from local Catholic primaries, even to the extent of accepting reasons for late baptism. Apparently the pressure came from the local authority. I think historically there were some H&F Catholic primaries that never got anyone in and locals were (rightly) fed up with seeing people come in from Twickenham etc over them.

It would be strange if Oratory started caving in to pressure from the LA when it will not even cave in to pressure from the diocese blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100087049/london-oratory-school-restores-traditional-criteria-for-admissions-will-the-left-wing-diocese-try-to-punish-it/ Hearing of DCs from Twickenham with places. Indeed it seems doubly strange that the diocese are still offering places at distant out of borough schools to the Catholics in Richmond, since they have just given them a school, but they are, and it is undersubscribed by Catholics. Be careful of Chinese whispers, they tend to put wishful thinking over actual knowledge when it comes to school admissions.

Hmm possibly but I do know of three children from a local school who got into Sacred Heart who never would have in previous years (re. criteria). This story came via a governor who'd been talking to a LA person, but maybe it was wishful thinking on part of LA...

Yes the Oratory does have an unbelievable list of requirements and I too doubt they would cave in to alternative instructions/advice.
The Chinese whispers are also so confusing if not ridiculous: I have heard stories from drama school attendance, Scouts through to checking how Catholic grandparents are!! None of these are questions are on any admissions form unless of course parents are submitting them in a very desperate attempt to their children in. As a foreigner from a very Catholic country and family I am astonished with so many requirements but then again maybe I am just a naive Catholic.

MANT, by Catholic grandparents you probably are referring for the need for parents to be baptised, which usually means their parents were Catholic too
Drama school and Scouts sounds odd but it is often because those activities are run within the parish, and/or parent helpers of applicants have contributed to running of those groups, and this is classed as contribution to parish community.

In our school there were two CVMS places, and three Oratory places, I would say all went to people who helped in the parish, AND were within 6month baptism, and weekly Sunday attendance. Also children attended one parish activity and weekly attendance. This meant priest gave very warm reference. It is essentially the priest who gives the reference that makes the difference, as well as the fact of 6 month baptism. I know three people with extenuating reasons for late baptism who got places at Oratory over last few years, and that was because the priest recognised the extenuating circs and wrote letter explaining.

Would be interesting if that story is true. I read that Hammersmith and Fulham was generally trying to increase numbers of first choice preferences because in comparison with other London boroughs it's really obvious they are way down the list for their own residents who mostly go to other boroughs (about 55-60% first when the London average is around 70%). Same for Kensington and Chelsea where Cardinal Vaughan is. It reflects badly on their academies and free schools. See here.

Is CVMS really a lottery and of the 6 boys that are turned awayapprox how many satisfy weekly mass attendance baptism under 6 months.