Lotery?

[fedda]

Do you think there will be lotery system for schools in UK? How do you feel about this idea?

you might do better if you post this with lottery spelt correctly

can only work in the cities or very large towns, where I lived as a child in London there are six secondary schools within the three mile limit that an eleven year old would be expected to walk to (local authorities limits not mine) - where I am now there is one with another two just on the limit so in effect there would still be a sort of catchment area.

i know, spelling is my weak point + my keyboard doesn't always work properly. Anyway, i'm very interested what people think of the idea.

Not likely in my country area but could well happen in towns where schools are closer together.

I see, nobody is bothered so far.

i'm not sure what you mean

can you explain a bit more?

Popular schools in some areas are going to have a lottery system so people from the area near to school don't necesserary get a place but whoever wins does. The places for children will be allocated by a computer and parents wouldn't have any decision making in this. At least this is my understanding.

I agree with 'Ungratefuldaughter' that this idea could only really work in cities. It would cause incredible problems in small towns and rural areas. However, I still think it is a bad idea anyway because if people are not allocated their nearest school there will even more cars on the roads. The environmental impact of these decisions must be considered.

The lottery idea is hard to disagree with in principle. Why should a parent living in a council estate, who pays her taxes etc, only have the chance of sending her child to the nearby failing school, just because she lives on a certain estate. Why should middle class people who have bought houses clustered around a good school have more right than that mother to attend it?

What it will mean, however, is a rush to private education from anyone who can afford it who won't let their children's education be decided by lottery.

And many parents aren t just bothered about school standards. They want their child to mix with other "nice" ie non-chav children. So will be horrified to find them sent to a school with a less middle class intake.

I do think that it is better if children go to their local primary, not one five miles away, so they have local friends and can walk easily to school. Also think it is better if siblings can go to the same school. How on earth are families supposed to cope if their seven year old and five year old are at schools several miles apart but with the same start time?
It is difficult.

No one is talking about lotteries for primary schools. Just secondary.

Yes, they do. Anyway, I don't think it's just to make sure the middle class parents don't go to a school of their choice. people will a lot of money can always move or go privately so it will effect the majority of people. They will have no choice in their child's education and just wait for a computer to decide. It so happens that I live in London so it is a big city and i'd like my child to go to a school of his choice, not computer's. But may be I'm in minority.