The Archer Academy East Finchley

[upthegardenpath]

Thinking of moving in about a year or so, possibly to EF.

I've read the first Ofsted (June 2015) which sounds pretty impressive and I've heard a couple of rave review ps from current parents p, in passing, but it wanted to know what people think of this school, as it's impossible to judge a book by its cover. Views much appreciated!

Have also heard that year 7 from September will be at a new site, in Stanley Rd, so that will become the new address for admissions.

Many thanks.

HLCLeslie - you seem to be portraying a very over simplistic landscape of 'Community' Schools Good, 'Faith' Schools Bad. Many Children with no faith go to faith schools - few have that much choice in the matter. As you have said Barnet had a terrible under supply of primary school places and existing schools were asked to expand if they possibly could. However you fail to acknowledge that Holy Trinity, which is tiny single form entry school opened its door to a bulge year despite not actually having enough space for their existing pupils. This is the same school that, I believe actually shares a boundary with the Archer Academy and yet is not included as a feeder school on grounds of 'ethos'. It would appear that the current proposals dismiss other schools on the basis of their 'selective' admissions policy by introducing a new form of selection based around 'ethos'. How can they critisise selection on the one had whilst giving the impression to children who don't go to the 'preferred' school the distinct impression that they're 'not one of us' - it's just wrong.

Thank you Agnostic7. Where did you get that 18% figure from? Is this something the Archer Academy has been made aware of?

Agreed Ontheotherhand! Proof that Free schools are never the solution to the 'black hole' as they can't resist the freedom to set their own admissions. The real solution is to have changed the status of BD and made Christ College co-ed but having seen so many influential people and so much public pressure fail to achieve this so recently, it's extraordinary that it's been suggested that we try to reopen this debate now.

Suca1 Yes the stats are from their own website. They seem to have a problem with understanding supply and demand. Hope it wasn't the maths coordinator helping them with figures.

Pressure should still be brought to bear on all schools with restrictive admissions, to be honest. But it is a seperate issue to the Archer's proposals and should not be used to justify their actions. I just don't understand how a school that claims to be standing proudly against selection is just introducing their own form of selection. They gave the impression that they would rise above this and open their doors to the local community without preference. Proximity is the simplest, most widely accepted and understood method of dealing with over subscription. It is quite possible to control the siblings admissions if they are being abused. If you have moved more than a certain distance away from the school you loose the sibling advantage. If it's a good school people will stay and add to the local community rather than using the resources and heading for the hills.

Hang on. Has anyone else seen this month's Archer? It has a whole page dedicated to the story but most of the readers responses are from NW11 who are pro the feeder system. This is very disappointing. That is supposed to be the voice of East Finchley not HGS.

Or are we just not making enough of a noise or do we not have the same amount of influence as the residents of HGS?

Yes. I have seen it - very disappointing. The Archer newspaper will probably defend this by claiming that their previous months edition was supposedly critisise for bias in the other direction. Whilst they might have an obligation to present a balance of views to have the number of comments from outside of N2 seems inappropriate.

I find it particularly unsettling that the very reason for the school ie a local school for local children, has now been twisted as many children in the future will not be local. Within a few years as the feeder school siblings fill up places, I suspect the AA will actually have quite a wide area from which it draws its students. This was not what was proposed when the school was set up.

One day when all the governors of the archer have moved on and all the original children have left the archer, we will look at that school full of children from temple fortune sat in the middle of East Finchley that local children are unable to get in to and people will say: "how was that ever allowed to happen".

I have a feeling you are correct Suca1. And then the feeder system will be dropped. The only way to keep a school for local children is 1) Allocate places purely on distance and 2) Have a sibling policy which only gives priority to those still in the catchment area.

Exactly no feeder schools if they had said they were going to do it at the start they would never have got the funding. It's incredibly unfair. I have read up a lot on feeder schools in the last few days and the net outcome is: they never work.

What does the catchment area look like this year? Is it smaller than last year?

thearcheracademy.org.uk/admissions-consultation-report

This has just been released.

God smacked! What happened to a "local school for local children"!?!?

The founders have shown their true colours. It's all about a school for their mates in the garden suburbs. Hypocrites! They are why the whole free school system is completely disastrous for this country and history with reflect on it being the worst time in our education system. Local authorities need to be put back in charge.

Thank god my husband made me move to AP no why I would send my kids to that school with them in charge.

Wow I've just seen that despite being told by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator the feeder school policy does not comply with the Schools Admissions Code they are still going ahead with it. This makes a mockery of the OSA and whole secondary school system in this country. Every parent who lives in those priority postcodes will be able to appeal and probably win.

They are an absolute disgrace. All they care about is getting NW11 in.

They have clearly been told by OSA to consult on a fair policy for NW11, N3 and N2. Both the OSA and the council have told postcode split would be fairer but the trustees think they are above everyone. Disgraceful!
They are toxic to the community.

I hear you.. I met a parent who lives on the same road as the school but whose (no religion) daughter goes to the local CofE school which was the only school they got aged 4. Apparently they won't get in!

But some kids in Hampstead Garden Suburb will get in and pass her as she sets off on a long commute. Hmmmmmm

Only the children who live in spitting distance will get in. The HGS in their 4x4's will pass the rest going in the opposite direction on the bus.

The OSA and the council have told them to look at fairer postcode splits. Even lottery allocation. But the AA are ignoring them because they know that the sibling numbers for the next 4 years are higher than their modeling figure of 50, they also receive more applications from SEN and LOC than other secondary schools in the area. They don't want these to reduce the number of places for NW11.

I am so angry about this. I feel kicked in the teeth. I had not appreciated that they had been taken to an adjudicator. Reading the report you are right. They weren't told they could go ahead with it at all. That is an out and out lie! Can we protest? I am calling the adjudicator office tomorrow to ask what has happened?

I've already spoken to OSA. They told me they could not of given the school the "go ahead" they don't have the authority to.

So they have just decided to push ahead with it? Surely someone gave them the go ahead?

It's wasn't the OSA or the D of E. They think they're above everyone. There should be a petition to have the trustees removed. What they have done to the community is disgraceful.

I think you should start a petition. Promote it here and on Facebook.
The arrogance here is a disgrace.

Given they ignored a public consultation, they are pretty likely to ignore a petition. Nasty business this.

we have been following this thread with great interest as we have a child currently in Year 5. Some comments have been quite alarming so we took time to read all the documentation both on the school's website, other schools websites and the outcome from the OSA. We also attended the public meeting and received various leaflets through our door. Whilst it is worrying when you have a child locally the inaccuracy of some of the posts and the anger is incredibly upsetting. Please take time to read the OSA report and the school website which states "Having analysed the report, we sought further clarification about September 2017 admissions and have had it confirmed that our determined arrangements can go ahead. We will consult on a fair mechanism of serving N3 and NW11 as well as N2 for September 2018 admissions, as required by the report. So after this year there will no longer be feeder schools but will be inclusive of NW11 AND N3.......... please correct me if you think inaccurate but think that's the status?