Best part of ED school wise

[EDmummy]

Not a shame Sillywoman. I'd give my eye teeth to get a place there and know (through personal family experience) how good the school is. My child has offered to be adopted by a friend to be sure of getting a place there. I just happen to think that there are one or two minor things I like better about Kingsdale and they are mostly social rather than academic concerns.

So, if we do get a place we will be very appreciative and grateful to get one of my top two schools!

[Otta]

This thread makes me chuckle. Everyone thinks their bit is best. What a surprise.

[sillywoman]

Gotta defend your own Otta.;-)

[snowboarder]

This 'getting into the right school' trauma manages to scare me every time I read these threads. It's usually been the primary school issues that I've worried about but following this I announced to my husband last night in a panicky voice that we could stay in our current house for now as we *may* get into Heber, and that would be ok. But we will have to move to Red Post Hill in 8 years time so we can get the boys into Charter. My eldest child is 2. Husband looked at me as if I were mad.

[Grotty]

I know the feeling snowboarder. My daughter is only 14 months and i've had similar conversations with Mr Grotty with a similar response!

[Curly]

I wouldn't worry so much about Kingsdale admissions being a lottery. A government review of school admissions proposes to ban school lotteries - so things may have changed by the time your friensds children are ready to apply.

[Sol]

I don't know how the allocation of places is for secondary schools, but I see lots of kids that seem to come from the Brixton area and goes to the Charter school, in fact I know someone who lives in Brixton and her child goes to the Charter school. So, I wouldn't think you really need to live that close to the school, nor necessarily in Dulwich Village

[Fuschia]

Curly Wrote:

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

> I wouldn't worry so much about Kingsdale

> admissions being a lottery. A government review of

> school admissions proposes to ban school lotteries

> - so things may have changed by the time your

> friensds children are ready to apply.

That's not the case as far as I know

Local authority lotteries will be disallowed

But not school ones

[Fuschia]

Yes

School lOtteries will still be allowed

http://www4.education.co.uk/news/2011/6/6/schools-admissions--a-new-code/

[Curly]

what is a LA lottery then?

[Fuschia]

Where the authority allocates all places using a lottery

I believe that's wHat they do in Brighton

[Fuschia]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11162313

[Curly]

Thanks for that Fuschia

[malumbu]

Now the various postings on Kingsdale and cheating have been locked I am unsure where to post. Personally I found the debate interesting, and I cannot see how that could have prejudiced an investigation because at the end of the day I assume that this and other commmunity sites have disclaimers. I can't see it being like the tabloids covering the Jo Yeates' murder.

I admit that I am quick to jump on the anti-Kingsdale wagon. Not for jealousy I hasten to add, but their agressive marketing tactics leave me feeling rather uncomfortable. I also see some 'Stepford Wives' (not my original thought I am sad to say). I suppose I will be able to judge in a few years time.

And apologies for not posting for such a long time - some nasty virus poohed over my browsers.

[prickle]

I found the Kingsdale debate interesting too and was surprised that it was taken off. I am not sure how the discussion on this forum will affect the investigating officers. The fact that the story was picked up by the Standard and the Mirror was almost certainly due to the fact that David Cameron had visited the school recently.

I am interested in following this story as like many, I have a child who will be transfering to secondary soon. Surely we can debate this issue without accusations of malicious intent? It is in the interest of the community that these matters are out in the open.

As for Kingsdale, it is certainly a curiosity. On the one hand, it is undoubtedly a successful school. A school does not get outstanding ofsted without reason. I have many friends who have sent their children there and on the whole, they are happy with the school.

On the other hand, its admissions procedure and the aggressive marketing tactics are offputting. There have also been instances of less than transparent information put out by the school, eg the way that it announced last year's exam results on their web site.

I hope that whatever the outcome of the investigation, the school will use this experience to really clean up their act. Then it will be a fantastic school.

[intexasatthe moment]

The posts on The Evening Standard article were taken down as well - wonder when we'll hear the outcome of the exam board investigation ?

I can't believe that malpractice will be confirmed - surely too great an impact on the students who have sat exams ? I mean would they have to resit ?

Which is not to say of course that there was no malpractice ,just that I can't believe that it'll be confirmed .

[BB100]

there's a discussion going on in the Voice with the race card being held up

http://www.the-voice.co.uk/article/black-headteachers-school-facing-exam-cheat-allegations

[betterinthesun]

I have just come back from holiday to see all of the press coverage and have done a little more research online. I am not surprised that the race card is being held up, desperate times and all that! Unfortunately it implies that the whistleblowers were of a certain other colour which is surely not acceptable to be implying?

More importantly, it is clear that Kingsdale has improved but my friends and I have questioned for the last 18 months or perhaps since the Ofsted inspection results, how honest this is. The government piles pressure on institutions to be a certain way and get grades, so perhaps this school has fallen victim to this as some of us have expected. I am not a jealous parent, in fact my children are past the secondary school age but I am just a bit concerned about the state of our education at the moment...oh I do sound old now.

[Queenie23]

No you've got it wrong - The Voice has picked up on the story I believe because the head teacher is black. It makes no comment about the whistleblowers, or is this what you mean? . Personally I'm not surprised that these allegations have arisen. I think that the middle class contingent has contributed to the desperation for the school to get better and better results. I've said it before but the hysteria that surrounds Kingsdale is quite breathtaking and maybe everybody will start looking at all the other decent schools that are around.

[BB100]

I think betterinthesun is referring to the comments posted under the Voice article rather than the article itself

[Alec John Moore]

I wish I had known about all those other decent schools when my son was in year 7. Are they within reasonable travelling distance of the east sied of East Dulwich, co-ed, have a good Ofsted report, where my son's friends are going to etc, etc? Can you name any so that I can be thinking about them for my daughter when she is old enough just in case the sibling policy is no longer?

Alec

[betterinthesun]

Yes I was referring to the comments beneath the article. However, I also take a slight issue with the way in which the 'black headmaster' is being used as this should not be about colour, age, gender etc... it is about an entirely different issue which should nut be blurred by any talk of race!

[BB100]

Judging by some of the other comments on other articles in the Voice it seems to be an open platform for racist attitudes and beliefs.

[Queenie23]

You are asking about other schools for your child? How about prendergast, Harris Girls,charter, forest Hill,Harris Boys, Harris Crystal Palace, Askes - How's that? Or is Kingsdale still the only school?

[Townleygreen]

Well said Queenie!!