LondonMix

There is a lot of controversy about OFSTED but the idea is that on the academic measure individual pupil progress (which takes into account children's starting point) is the basis for assessment. Some schools for example get criticised for not pushing able students enough. I have to say, I'm not sure why you think its odd that the area would have more good schools than the home counties or or Cumbria. Both in relative and absolute terms London schools now out perform the rest of the country and this part of London is no exception to that general pattern.

Anyone know when they will be opening?

You can't know for certain as the LA has to negotiate with the schools to discuss when bulging is feasible for them. However, the local councillors (Renata in particular) usually knows which schools the LA is in discussions with. I'd advise asking Renata and speaking to the schools and make a call based on that.

It's a terrible situation. I hope it all works out for. Good luck!

Okay, I understand Fuschia finds the funding arrangements for creation of new schools unfair (and I don't entirely disagree). However, I'm intereseted to know if Kamath was saying the way places are being allocated locally is unfair in someway that I'm not aware of. Besides the faith schools, I think all of our local primaries allocate places according to chidlren in care / with special needs, followed by siblings and then distance for all applicants.

There is a shortage of local places but what do you find unfair exactly?

In Southwark's Guide to Primary Schools the mention furthest place granted on the distance criteria in the previous year. A school that is undersubscribed will state that all applicants were successful. Looking at these schools as well as those with a large catchment as potential saftey choices is I think what Fuschia was suggesting. http://www.southwark.gov.uk/downloads/download/2483/primary_school_admissions j-mo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How do you find out which are the under-subscribed > schools?

Yes, you are right of course. There clearly seemed to be the hope though... the-e-dealer Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > A separate planning permission wouldn't stop > something else.

Exactly Jeremy. Most people don't want to live next to anything but other families-- shops, warehouses, hostels are all things that cause concern. Attacking Girl82 like some sort of bigot is ludicrous. Jeremy Wrote: But then the transient nature of the > occupants means that the situation could change > very quickly. I think Girl82 is being very > sensible. > > As for t.e.d's accusation of "council house hating > bigot", I think the OP implied that she wouldn't > be bothered if it's a regular council house... so > the comment was out of order.

Renata has mentioned in the past I think that Bessemer might permanently expand. Lacey Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Simone > Yes that's right. are you looking at the figures > for 2012 entry in the southwark admissions guide? > I think in the doc James posted on the other > thread it gave a last offered distance of about > 1500m for Bessemer for this round of application. > Worth noting too that it has bulged the last 3 > years now. > more generally, as others have said, the bulging > strategy of the various councils and how it is > communicated is a big issue.

It seems like a group including James B and (who?) tried to get a separate planning permission in place in an attempt to stop the retail unit. Who else is in that we James? Also, there are shops opening up in Lordship Lane all the time so I really am not sure that they are struggling as much as they might not want additional competition which of course is good for consumers but less great for businesses (small or otherwise). What I find galling is that you support a supermarket in the new residential development of the garden centre (on other threads) so your opposition here seems hypocritical...

Agree with most posts. First, nothing really unusual about Americans celebrating the capture / death of someone they believe is trying to kill them. Americans are not reserved. Americans are largely ignorant of countries outside of the US for a host of reasons. They don't get enough vacation time to travel, they don't feel events in other parts of the world have an immediate or direct impact on their daily lives. An average American knows much more about South America than Asia / Europe etc due to geographical proximity and immigration. I'd dare say the avg American know more about North and South America than Europeans. Having lived here for almost a decade I don't think the avg. American really is that much more ignorant than a Brit in similar circumstances.

Agree 100%. Louisa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Face facts Sue, no one who owns a property wants > it to be next to any institution such as a hostel. > That's not snobbery, it's just a fact of life. > Denying it just comes across as fashionably > politically correct - just for the sake of it. > > Louisa.

It would be nice if the same regeneration money that certain ED shops received to smarten up were provided to the shops under the arches.

It does vary but its possible to find out what the furthest distance offer (i.e. non-sibling) was in the last year without a bulge at a particular school. Similarly, as you mentioned, getting information about likely future buldges would help in making a choice. It's not a criticism and no matter how much information we have nothing is guaranteed. However, the more information parents are provided with that they can assess, the better shot at getting the best alternative one choosing which 6 to put down. That's all. Good luck with your waiting lists and sorry you didn't get one of your preferred choices.

Exactly- that your safest choice might counter-intuitively not be your closest school is something that needs to be discussed more openly. To Southwark?s credit they do provide the furthest distance information on their website but I am not sure if they highlight the importance of really looking and analyzing it to make informed choices.

I agree. It's not one of the your closest 6 in that location so in that sense there is a black hole. However its considerably closer than the undersubcribed school many have been assigned and I think if Southwark better prepared parents, many would have added it to their list as a back-up. My only point is that I hope Southwark underline how important it is to look at previous catchments when selecting your 6 choices so parents can make stragic selections. Just telling parents to put down their closest six isn't good enough for the reasons you've pointed out.

There really aren't that many blackholes... As badly as I feel for those parents living near the plough who didn't get any of there 6 choices, there was a school whose catchment they would have fallen into if they applied to it (Bessemer which is a good school as well). Some parents didn't know how tight the catchments are, probably because they don't have friends with older children who've been through it, and Southwark should make more of a point about educating parents about all of this so the put down at least one realistic choice amongst the six.

Are you waiting to have your own flat on the market / under offer before approaching them? It can never hurt to put in an offer- any offer. I have friends who put in offers they never thought would be accepted so its always worth a shot. You can always increase your offer from 90% to 95% as part of the negotiations. Apparently on average houses across the country only sell at 93% of asking (I think I read that somewhere) so you might be surprised. Your offer might not be accepted officially (ie taken off the market) until your flat is under offer but the vendor is unlikely to accept another offer that's much lower than what you have put forward as most people would prefer to hold out unless they are in a rush! Good luck.

Sorry, am I missing something? What does this application have to do with a mega-nursery?

GinaG3, see if there are other schools who's waiting lists you might be able to join even if they weren't originally one of your 6 choices. I don't know if that's possible-- Renata? My guess is you might be higher up the wait list based on the distance criteria at schools with a broader catchment. For instance if you had applied to Bessemer originally you would have gotten in (based on the figures James B provided) so you'd probably have a very good position on their wait list. It's a very good school but may still be less than ideal for you from an access point of view. Best of luck.

Okay, maybe I'm wrong. I assumed that was asking what to you think about the specific questions and dilema I have layed out in my post above rather than, what do you think about private schools in general. This felt like an advice thread IMO

She was asking how people thought her children might fit in and about bullying rather than opening up a discourse on the morality of where she carries out her profession IMO but I am not going to fight the OPs battles. I just wouldn't have expressed that view on this thread. Some bursaries aren't 100% and I am not particularly pro-private schools as such. My point was that working class people taking advantage of opportunities that they would not ordinarily have access to isn't the same dilemma as middle class people deciding whether to buy privilege. Again, don't want to hijack this thread so if someone wants to debate the merits of private school as such, I'd suggest starting a new thread.

Well given that the OP works for a private school.... Either way, I think paying for private school is a very different political dilemma than accepting a bursary. Bursaries open up opportunities to children and break down class-privilege.

Thanks, you guys have turned me! I know which one we want :)