Camden Secondary School Admissions distances 2019

[BHStowel]

@BananaDaiquiri
@JC4PMPLZ
@Zinnia

Camden’s website has been recently revamped and it’s now almost impossible to find information on it. Most of this information was available. I only have information about Parliament Hill and Acland Burghley. I will add what I know about Camden School for girls too, although that is readily available on their website already.

Please add other distances you have found out from Camden Admissions. Having all the information available here n one place will hopefully save the Camden admissions team some time and help local parents. I’m sure eventually Camden will sort out it’s website too!

Acland Burghley-miles

2019 0.71
2018 0.99
2017 2.66
2016 all applicants accepted
2015 all applicants accepted
2014 all applicants accepted
2013 1.44
2012 1.09
2011 0.72
2010 0.86
2009 0.76
2008 0.72

Not living in the borough of Camden isn't really the issue though, is it, since vast swathes of Islington are closer to the school than bits of Camden because it's so far to the east of the borough. Schools have to go on distance rather than borough boundaries otherwise it would be completely unfair for those living on borders.

But how far you live away is important. To put your 15 kids living five minutes walk away not getting a place at CSG, my band A daughter lives (by Google maps) 30 minutes walk.

YY huff. And it’s not an issue for individual children and their families. Everyone knows it’s not a local school for local children. I wish the school would stop pretending otherwise.

@Huffthemagicdragon
I agree not living in the borough of Camden isn't the issue at all. Of course schools have to offer on distance and not borough boundaries. The point is Band A children who live a 30 minute walk away (and further) from CSG, in any direction living in any borough, should not be offered a place over local children who live 5 minutes away from the school, solely on the basis that they were placed in Band A - this is completely unfair.

Band A year after year has the most movement this is because these are the children with the most opportunities.

The Banding assessment is not a measure of aptitude, it’s a measure of privilege.

The Admissions Code is clear "all school places should be allocated in a fair and transparent way”.

Totally agree with you rev. It's madness that our dd has been offered a place.

They definitely need to get rid of sibling places for sixth formers and possibly the whole banding thing if it turns out that the A band stretches so much further than other bands. It would be interesting to know (FOI request?) what the last distance before September was for each band. Fair banding is supposed to be just that, fair. If it turns into a selection test (i.e. if you get into the top band you massively increase your chances of a place), then it's something else entirely.

I think music aptitude places are a bit dodgy too.

You shouldn't need an FOI, huff, Camden gave me that information quite freely for another school when I asked by email.

So Haverstock has a new Ofsted apparently, back to a solid "good". Should be published this week I'm told.

Really happy to hear that @Zinnia. My instincts are on the right track. Maybe the new head will have an Acland Burghley effect. They will be banging the doors down soon!

Applications have shot back up again too apparently so you're in good company JC!

Following with interest.

The SATs are out. The CSG band B children I know about scored very highly in these, 117-120 figures.

Moverofpaper that’s because they are testing very different things. CSG only test non verbal reasoning which is very specific. Kids are either good at it or not and those who’ve been prepped may get a little better at it but it doesn’t improve greatly. SATS test what they’ve learnt over the years in primary school, so maths, grammar and comprehension. It’s a completely different test. I imagine some band A kids from CSG didn’t do well in sats if they aren’t good at comprehension for example.

On another note, does anyone know if the Camden admissions team are away for the summer now? No one answering the phone there today so wondered if the rounds of offers will stop for a while now?

I've been trying them today as well - had been hoping for one last waiting list update before the holidays! They told me the other week that the lists would be handed back to schools at the end of term, which is technically next week although of course many will be finishing tomorrow in practice.

Admissions don’t close for the summer. I’ve spoken to them all through the summer when I was waiting for a reception place.

Maybe they were busy today with people trying to get in touch before schools close?

I’m not convinced about CSG being a comp if their band B girls get too marks on the Y7 SAYS.CSG do a maths test too, as well as the NVR.

The fact CSG had 2/3 high and 1/3 middle (and precisely 0 low) prior attainers in the last GCSE cohort rather speaks for itself.

I think the poster who said that VR is different from SATs is rather missing the point. There are girls with SATs in the range of 117-120 who are apparently not in the top 25% at CSG. I think it's only about 10% nationally who get greater depth across all subjects so those sort of scores must be in the top 5% or less surely? If banding is supposed to be getting a comprehensive range of abilities then it's not working at CSG evidently.

[FWIW my band A daughter got less good SATs results than that].

@huffthemagicdragon that was exactly my point - they are very different tests testing very different things - even the CSG website says that their tests which are based on non verbal and numerical reasoning, aren’t an indication of how well a child will do in school - so what I said is exactly what you said, that’s why a child can totally do well in sats but be band b at CSG or not do well in sats while being band a - in any case they will be reassessed once they are in the school so won’t matter much going forward.

Also agree that it’s not really a good way of getting a comprehensive intake

FYI - When thinking of choosing Camden School for Girls be mindful that if your daughter does not meet the high bar at GCSE they will be be turfed out without a second thought and their place filled by a child from the private sector. Other state options in the area work hard to support their pupils all the way through their education. Perhaps because they are real community schools with an ethos that reflects that.

I have heard a few things recently that have put me off CSG.
Chances of DD getting a place are low but we may go and have a look around before ruling it out completely....

I’d be interested in hearing anything about CSG. We are in same position as Vin. DD unlikely to get a place but it’s worth a look and a space on the form.

One of the things that puts me off is the boys in the 6th form bring so much part of the life of the school. If I want a single sex school, I don’t want it with a huge dose of over privileged boys at the top of the hierarchy.

I know they ask girls to leave for 6th form, which is why I’ve not taken much notice of the 6 form results.

I’m also aware that children are managed out very quickly within the first few terms. The children aren’t fitting in very well and another school would be a better match. Tends to happen to families who can’t advocate for themselves. Another reason, apart from the banding, why I suppose there are no low achievers.

Is this right?no. Do I care? Yes. Would I want my DD there anyway? Maybe.

I am intrigued. How do you manage children out of a school they are attending, beyond exclusions.

You’re child isn’t happy here-there’s a place at X which would suit them more.

Your child has needs that would be better met at x as they have y provision. Shall we see if there is a place?

And I should say I don’t know that for certain. I don’t know anyone it’s happened to personally. I’ve been told by two separate sources whom I consider to be reliable. Maybe it’s not true or there is more behind what these people consider to be the truth.

I'm intrigued - if you have reservations about CSG, surely Parli is the obvious alternative? I live too far from either to get a place, but it does seem that if you're in NW1 or NW5 your are essentially spoiled for choice (certainly for girls). GSG might be socially engineered, but clearly the teaching is top-notch.

I only have reservations about CSG in that it socially and academically engineers and that’s not “fair” or equal oh, and I’m not sure about single sex!
DD isn’t likely to get managed out but that doesn’t make it right.
I’ve looked round Parli a few times but I didn’t feel the love. Others rave about it.
But yes you’re right-we have great schools and some choice-nice problem to have.