little_carmine

Hi there -- does anyone have an up-to-date number for Richard? I tried the one quoted above from March 2014 but it's out of service. Thanks!

@newgirl - I think you're right, feels like that's why we were offered a place. Our first choice was Horniman which turned out to be a non-starter because they didn't do a bulge class this year in the end and 20/30 places were given to siblings. Fairlawn was our second choice. I've got to say the system is ridiculous and misleads parents into thinking they have some choice in where their child goes to school. And whilst there are 1000s of kids to allocate, it's massively frustrating that positions on the list 'can go up as well as down' (like bloody repayments!) and it's all a mystery how it really works. @anna_r - I phoned Fairlawn this morning to see whether it'd be possible to visit the school before the end of term but they said there's no chance because they're so busy with Year 6 leavers and getting the extra classroom ready for the Reception bulge class.

You should accept the place and then take a few days to mull it over, and try and visit the school again so you feel you can make an informed decision. We're in exactly the same position -- having got none of our six choices and been allocated a Catholic school (which is a non-starter for us as atheists...) we'd gone for a place at a private primary. At 5.30pm today we got a call to say we've got a place at Fairlawn, despite being 29th on the list. Does anyone know why so many places might suddenly have come free? I've heard that the superhead who made Fairlawn outstanding has been poached to the Harris Foundation and is taking a large number of staff with him. Has this influenced anyone's decision whether to send their child to the school or not? Whilst I figure it takes a couple of years for the full effect of a great headteacher's departure to be felt, I can't help wondering if this staff exodus is changing people's minds about the school? Does anyone know any more about it?