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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Catchment & distance! Help!

4 replies

number1miss · 13/09/2022 20:53

My DD will be going sec school in 2023 I have started to look! How far are children expected to travel? Alone?
How far does your child travel?

anyone near or on pathfield road (streatham) I can’t work out the catchment for this area?

it’s so overwhelming, and scary this new journey to come.

any help will be greatly received. 😚

OP posts:
Jenn3112 · 13/09/2022 21:28

My child walks nearly 2 miles to secondary school, but along safe roads. Its a big sprawling catchment and a lot of kids live more than 3 miles away but are still in catchment so get a free bus service. He walks alone but loads of kids he knows walk as well so sometimes he meets up with others on the way. He actually really likes walking to school independently and always arrives early!

For help with school admissions policies and statistics look on your local authority website.

Sazzlesw2 · 13/09/2022 21:33

Hi,

I would look at the Lambeth/Wandsworth websites under admissions and there is a list of the further distances that got into the various schools. There are no set catchment areas

In terms of distance I'm expecting my Dc to will have to walk about 30 mins or a bus for that distance. I know some children who do travel further than that.

BettySundaes · 13/09/2022 21:41

Its really a case of how far you think is acceptable based on journey times not distance - in London children are criss-crossing all over and hopping on tubes, buses, trains. Catchment isn't really a thing, but the local authority (Lambeth?) will have details of the last distance places were offered this year to guide you. Many schools will also have places for children based on aptitude in things like art/sport or languages.

Decide what you think is a reasonable cut off point for commuting and then within that start looking at the admission criteria for each school, shortlist and then go and visit them. They will all be holding open events in the next month or so.

meditrina · 13/09/2022 21:49

Most of London doesn't have catchments, and there's only one or two schools in Wandsworth (like Beatrix Potter in Earlsfield) and it's pretty obvious from the website. Maps are published and the road boundaries of the area described, so you will know if you are in it or not.

(Also the entrance criteria will read something like: LAC/SEN, Siblings in catchment, other catchment, other siblings, others)

Chances are, you'll just be on distance

Here is the list of greatest distances offered for Wandsworth

www.wandsworth.gov.uk/media/5813/how_places_were_allocated_for_primary_schools.pdf

there will be a similar parallel document if you're in the Lambeth bit of Streatham

Primary school age DC are entitled to free transport to school if the journey (by safe walking route) exceeds 2 miles.

The greatest distance offered varies each year, depending on how many DC are living nearby. Keep your eyes peeled at school run o'clock and see what uniform your neighbours' DC are in - that might show you which schools have offered places to your area in recent years.

And above all, don't panic! People move in and out of London all the time, and places do come up even if you don't get the offer you hoped for on Offers Day

You apply via the council of the area you live in. All London boroughs have 6 slots on the form. You can put down schools in any borough, so if you live close to the Wandsworth/Lambeth border, don't rule out schools from the other side

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