Primary School applications stress

[Mellors]

Is it just me, or is anyone else completely stressing about it and have no idea in what order to put schools?

Also, should you write something in the supperting statement box, or do they not really take that into account?

Aaargh!

I now have complete sympathy for everyone who has been through this in previous years....

[dollydaydream]

If you think primary school applications is stressfull wait until yr6 when you have to go through the whole process again with secondary school?? Good luck!

[womanofdulwich]

and sixth forms and ucas and then looking for jobs, bring it on...........................................

[clux]

It is awful!! My eldest is now in Year 1 at our first choice school but we initially didn't get any of our choices, were offered a school I would NEVER have sent my kids to, and had to start at our 4th choice for 2 weeks before getting in to our favourite. Very very stressful.

How close do you live to your favourite school? Is your nearest school one you would be happy for you children to go to?

[Mellors]

Nearest school (Heber) would be great, but we are 600m away, so am sweating about not getting in (or anywhere close!).

I wonder if I could sell the children in the Family Room Classifieds?

[Fuschia]

I think I would put the closest community school first then others in distance order, and use the box to say what criteria you have chosen under (sibling, closest community school, blah blah)

Thing is you have by far the best chance at the closest community school than any other, so silly not to put it first.

[Mellors]

Fuschia - are you not in labour yet?! Go away and get that baby out, lady!! :)

[Fuschia]

Nope. 3 lots of gel and 4x sweeps have had no effect and I don't want to have my waters broken so just waiting now...

[prdarling]

Mellors I would definitely put your closest school first but I must say that 600m is quite far away, especially as there has been a bulge class in Heber this year so could potentially be a higher sibling intake.

We were 465m from Goodrich and didn't get in at first, but got a place 8 weeks later after many tears and much hand wringing and spleen venting on here.

All I can say is that if you don't get in at first, don't despair as things do change a lot in the first few months after the places are allocated.

Wouldn't wish it in anyone though - good luck

[The Nappy Lady]

Mellors, I agree, put closest school as first choice and take it from there. Good luck, and do try not to worry as it does tend to all work out after the initial allocations, during the shake down process.

Molly

xx

[craigy]

does anyone have a link to work out your nearest schools?

[ryedalema]

Also - I'm confused about the Faith school non -demoninational spaces. Our nearest is arguably the Catholic school at the top of Forest Hill Road. Do they do non-denom places or is it just C of E places that do that? And how do you know whether you are in with a chance of getting a space in a Faith school, based on location and so should put that first?

Head aching now!

[craigy]

i was of the understanding that St Anthony's was catholic only whereas the CofE have non faith places.. Plus I think the rumour is that St As is expecting a huge sibling intake this year with only about 18 places left after that..

[bjm]

We are just starting the application process too. We are also quite far from our closest school Fairlawn and it will not have a bulge class this year .. so we will have to keep everything crossed. I remember reading the thread about this last year- it is hard not to get stressed about it all!

[prdarling]

Ryedalema

Faith schools do in theory offer non faith places but i've yet to see it work in practice as non faith come way down on the list of criteria below looked after children, special needs, siblings, practising catholics in the diocese, practising catholic in other diocese, etc etc

With your local community school (Goodrich for you) the admissions crieria are looked after children, special needs, siblings, distance (closest community school), distance (not closest community school

Don't know if that explains the situation a bit but you will only have a shot at getting into your closest community (ie non faith school). If i were you i'd put Goodrich, Horniman, Heber and Fairlawn.

Unless that is you are happy to give a shot to a less popular school...which is a whole different conversation :)

[mrs.lotte]

As I understand it you are able to put down 6 schools this year cross borough. It may be worth waiting to see if the local councils can confirm the siting of bulge classes before the deadline for applications which may give a better idea of where you are likely to be allocated.

Have to confess we are on a sibling place at Goose Green where we are very happy so not stressed at all but I do remember the nightmare of 2 years ago. All worked out though.

[Zo?]

I went to Horniman today - they have offered to take a bulge class but will not know if it's going ahead until February, I think - at any rate, after the application deadline.

Talking of which & going a bit off topic, I'm a bit frustrated at the mo as I seem to have missed most of the dates for looking around schools and am being told that I can't go and have a look around until the 2nd week of Jan, minutes before the application deadline. Another thing to add to the ever-growing list of proof of my inadequate parenting...

[bjm]

What did you think of Horniman Zoe? I missed the tour today- its hard to fit them all in so you are not the only one who has missed some!

[Pickle]

It's a nightmare isn't it?! I did mine quickly before I flew to NZ, as knew once I was here it would slip my mind. Ended up putting the closest schools (with Goodrich first as it's our closest community school) and a variety of random local schools that I haven't even looked round. This is one of those times where I don't feel old or responsible enough to be handed this responsibility.

I'm firmly in denial of the fact that my baby is even old enough for school :(

[Zo?]

bjm - both me & hubby really, really liked Horniman. All the children have a philosophy lesson once a week, which really appeals to the old hippy in me, and it's apparently had quite an impact on how the children think about problems in other subjects.

There seems to be a lot of classroom space (although lots of children were out on a school trip) and they have lovely outdoor areas, an allotment and some very chilly bunnies. Sadly, though, going by furthest distance published by Lewisham from last year, we stand not a snowball's chance of getting in.

[toast]

Sorry your all having to go through this. I was wee bit obsessed by this last year. From my long conversations with the council last year I gathered the excellent Ivydale and the also fabulous Horniman school may get bulged this year, also a less confirmed rumour about the newly popular Goose Green also being expanded. Things may have changed under the new council but the funding is there and it still all makes sense. An enormous amount of the bulge money went on St Anthony's but these places are unlikely to help locally. Grrrr

Goose Greens catchment was about a mile last year and although it is much more popular now it is still probably a good idea to have it on your list as a back up if its not your top choice. If you don't get into any on your list you have no choice but to take what your given, the council do do this by the book and I did not hear of any que jumping.

Good Luck

[clux]

Re: the distances of last allocated place printed in the Southwark/Lewisham brochures

From what I can work out these distances seem to be the distance of the last place allocated during the FIRST round of results. We got into a school via the waiting list but the following year Lewisham still showed the distance as being under 300m whereas I know I live nearly 500m away. They don't seem to update their figures so I think in some cases catchment area is not as small as the info says it is. Obviously as a guide its incredibly useful but don't be put off if you live a bit further away than the distance given for last years applicants.

[Mellors]

Goose Green is definitely going to bulge this year. I think thats probably my best chance of a local place if Heber is full, so its going on the list. Next open day is Monday, 11th January (just before the deadline!).

[mrs.lotte]

Goose Green's next open day is, going to be on Monday 6th December and there will be another one in January before the deadline - I believe that will be on Monday 10th January.

[Mellors]

Ah, I hadn't realised that it was next Monday. I'll be there (with both children in tow) :)) thanks for that.