Anyone had any problems with Kingsdale's scholarship/admissions Sept 2010?

[mothergoose]

Still not sure how they work out admissions with a pan london catchment area when it is oversubscribed.

Surely it will be extra hard for local kids to get into their improving neighbourhood school.

I got so excited about the school, but by the time my 6 year old is doing secondary applications it might well be impossible!

[Ann]

Out of interest, where are local children getting into if not The Charter, Kingsdale or a faith school?

I have to admit when I applied for my daughter (now year 11), no-one wanted Kingsdale due to previously bad reputation but I'm delighted that the standard has been raised to the point that it's now over-subscribed. Clearly parents have been disappointed.

Conscious of the problems local families are having with primary school allocation now, wht's in store for those families in 6 or 7 years?

[wilbur1970]

mothergoose Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Still not sure how they work out admissions with a

> pan london catchment area when it is

> oversubscribed.

>

> Surely it will be extra hard for local kids to get

> into their improving neighbourhood school.

>

> I got so excited about the school, but by the time

> my 6 year old is doing secondary applications it

> might well be impossible!

Sadly you may well be right.

This year they have received 150 appeals in the admission process.

[Alec John Moore]

Would be the fast-track appeals process that opened a couple of weeks ago? Has anyone heard the outcome of that yet? Alec

[MGolden]

Alec John Moore Wrote:

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> Would be the fast-track appeals process that

> opened a couple of weeks ago? Has anyone heard the

> outcome of that yet? Alec

We received a call yesterday saying we could expect a letter from Southwark offering our son a place. I'm not sure whether he reached the top of one of the waiting lists; he was on the sports scholarship waiting list as well as the banding one or if our fast track appeal had worked (we had not received anything regarding the fast track appeal other than a sheet telling us how likely to be unsuccessful we were!).

Whilst I think the administrative process at Kingsdale leaves a huge ammount to be desired I have to say the people we have spoken to have been sympathetic and helpful. Kingsdale was not our first choice for our son but the attitude of Kingsdale staff in the whole waiting list/appeal process has been exemplary and we will be delighted to accept the place when we receive the formal offer.

We live in Upper Norwood so not in Southwark but an easy walk for our son so, for us anyway, the Pan London system seems to work. Croydon's provision of secondary school places for boys is woefully inadequate.

[BB100]

MGolden Wrote:

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> Whilst I think the administrative process at

> Kingsdale leaves a huge ammount to be desired I

> have to say the people we have spoken to have been

> sympathetic and helpful.

This month they had a mock Ofsted and then last week a real Ofsted inspection so they have had their hands full! Gosh, if they had 150 appeals I wonder how many applications they had?

[crescent]

mothergoose Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Still not sure how they work out admissions with a

> pan london catchment area when it is

> oversubscribed.

>

> Surely it will be extra hard for local kids to get

> into their improving neighbourhood school.

>

> I got so excited about the school, but by the time

> my 6 year old is doing secondary applications it

> might well be impossible!

Exactly my fear! I have 6 year old boy and 4 year old girl, and we're 0.5 miles as crow flies from Kingsdale. As friends start to talk about moving to Kent for grammar schools, Kumon to pass entry exams, etc etc, I have smugly (serves me right!) been saying "we have a lovely state co-ed comp on our doorstep" - but after following various threads on this board, I have a growing sense of dread they wouldn't necessarily get in. The other option are Lewisham single-sex schools - good, but I really would like them to have a co-ed education.

Does distance really make no distance at all? Am I going to have to groom my son in basketball/ cello lessons?:o)

[BB100]

I remember when my children were small like yours and I looked at the entry requirements for local schools and thought about what I would need to do to get them in. I sent them to music and sport lessons for just this reason. However by the time they were old enough to go, the schools had changed their entry requirements, changed their catchment area, reputation had changed/gone down hill/results dropped, etc, or changed their intake.

On reflection I should have just sent them to Kumon maths (that's definately worth it for any selective/independent/grammar school if you start about Year 4) and saved my money and the time and effort.

I expect that by the time yours are ready to go the reputations and entry requirements will have changed again. Or you will have moved or they will open yet another new school.

[markgowen]

Realise this is an old thread, but currently going through secondary school applications and interested in the music scholarships offered at Kingsdale.

I've read the thread above but still puzzled - if, as I understand it, an offer of a scholarship does not guarantee a place at the school, why are the aptitude tests/auditions etc carried out when pupils are in year 6? Why not simply conduct internal auditions and tests at the start of the autumn term in year 7? Does anyone know what bearing the tests /auditions have on school places and why they conduct these pre - year 7?

[lorraineliyanage]

The tests are all carried out before the school application process so that you know whether to list the school on the CAF based on the music scholarship place or not.