Secondary school allocation

[nunheadmum]

Kristymac1 - yes you go on the waiting list of the school regardless of borough. Happened to us last year - we're in Southwark and Sydenham was our no 1. Still on the waiting list a year on! (But v happy with no2.)

[nunners85]

Hi, anecdotally, is anybody able to say what sorts of numbers get in to kingsdale on the scholarship waiting list? We're number 50 something ... is it ridiculous to think we might still get a place?!

Realise it's anything but an exact science.

[Houseoflego]

We were 65th on kingsdale list on offer day last year and got offered a place on the last day of the summer hols.

[nunners85]

Crickey, so it goes right up to the wire! Well, I'll wait and see in that case ... thanks!

[lolasid]

We are 315 on the kingsdale waiting list and live 0.3 miles from it- gutted doesn?t cover it!

[flocker spotter]

Please be assured, the waiting lists do move. Some people choose to go private, and so reject the state school place offered. Some people know they are moving away, but go through the school admission process because they don't have an exact moving date, and some decide to stick with their second or third choice (or lower), because friends are going there/kids they really don't like are going to the preferred school, they have bought the uniform already (later rejections) or they visit again and decide they do really like it.

I know of kids joining Kingsdale at the time of the August Bank Holiday, and also kids changing school up until Christmas of Year 7. You will get a school you will be happy with, you just have to stay positive (hard I know).

[redjam]

This is true. In addition, the people who've chosen to go private may well be on the waiting list for more than one state school (if they didn't get their first state choice). So the maths is weird - one kid moving from state to private can free up several places. I know one family who didn't get any of their state choices - they don't care because they are going private, but once they've accepted that private place then they will come off at least three state waiting lists.

When you think of the number of kids who go private round here, it can make a dramatic difference to waiting lists once those kids are taken out of the system.

One thing I would say that if you are reading this and planning to go private, do turn down your state place quickly so that those poor people who are desperate for that place can move up the waiting list ASAP! Huge sympathies to those of you in that position.

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi all (I am Renata :) )

Sorry, I was tied up in meetings yesterday. I did manage to speak to a couple of you who contacted me, let me know if you have any more questions.

I will now try and answer all your questions.

Hi Kristy, yes you automatically go on all waiting lists and will remain there until the 1st of September unless you accept a place at a higher ranked school. On the 1st of September, waiting lists get transferred to the individual schools who will then be administrating them. They make ask you if you wish to remain on the waiting list at this point.

Sydenham Girls last place distance this year was 1.75km.

Hi Sol, contact Southwark admissions, give details of your admission number, child's name and address and DOB and which schools you are interested in. You can also ask to be added to the waiting lists of other schools. Southwark will do this quickly for Southwark schools, but from previous experience Lewisham won't release information on their schools waiting lists or add children to lists for 3-4 weeks.

Hi HPSaucy, there is always data released by Southwark on the primaries under Southwark's control, however all the secondaries are free schools/academies/voluntary aided/faith so such centralised secondary data doesn't exist, unfortunately. You would need to get this information from the individual schools. I know that after waiting lists etc the final place for Charter last year was 1km.

Hi Nunners, Kingsdale can take up to 15% of their intake from their Scholarship list. The Scholarship list is score ranked rather than the lottery of general admission. From what I have gathered of their system, you could gain a place from either the scholarship waiting list or from the relevant banding, random allocation waiting list for your child. Due to the other music linked entry opportunities for both private and state schools, I would expect there to be more movement on music than the sport list. Kingsdale has a huge 390 entry this year, it means, however, that 59 children will have been offered places under music and sports scholarships in total.

There is usually little movement on waiting lists until later March, once all the initial allocations can be dealt with. If you are unhappy with your allocated school, do look at other schools you could apply to. You can have your child's name to schools you didn't initially apply to, contact Southwark admissions to do this. This won't affect your current waiting lists/preferred schools. Think for example about Harris Girls/Boys or Forest Hill Boys and Deptford Green. I don't think there will be entry onto the Lewisham lists for about 3 weeks. Thomas the Apostle is oversubscribed this year.

Hi Lola,

I'm sorry to hear this, I'm not surprised you are gutted when you live so close to a school with 390 intake! Keep in mind that they may re-rank their waiting list at a later point if, for example, they have in year applicants who have good reason for not having sat their banding test eg moved to the area, but have equivalent banding information from elsewhere.

If you want any help/advise please contact me, the best is to email me with your address and the schools you applied to.

I will also check on here.

Renata

[lolasid]

Renata- you are an excellent councillor. Thank you for your help and advice to everyone. We got second choice, so I shouldn?t really be moaning.

[hazelnunhead]

With regard to waiting lists - Does anyone know if you get offered a school, say that was 4th on your original list and accept it, Can you then still stay on the waiting list for your first and second choice?

[Cora]

You will already be on the waiting list for your 1st,2nd and 3rd choice....

[Renata Hamvas]

hi Hazel, to confirm you would remain on the waiting list for 1,2,3. If then offered no 3, you can choose between school 3 and 4 and you would still remain on the lists for 1 and 2.

Renata

[tulip]

Anyone idea how long the scholarship waiting list is for Kingsdale?

I had a letter from Kingsdale saying my son was at number 151 and email from Southwark saying number 15. Not sure who has the typo, having a sinking feeling it?s the council...

[lolasid]

Fingers crossed it?s a typo. I?d be over the moon if the one for my daughter was a typo!

[lolasid]

Meant I hope it?s a typo from the school

[Sol]

Thank you Renata

I will email Southwark admissions. Sydenham School distance was shorter this year. I think the school is gaining more popularity; It is a very good school and the new facilities also help. I think last year it was 2200 meters in the first round and went up to 2743 by beginning of September.

Do you know the distances for Charter ED and North Dulwich?

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi tulip, these figures may be for two different waiting lists. One for the scholarship waiting list and one for the random allocation waiting list. From what I understand of the complex Kingsdale system, those who have reached scholarship standard, but are not highly enough ranked can be allocated a place from the lottery system, if they do, they will get the scholarship once at the school. They are limited to 58 entrants directly from the music/sports selection(15% of intake).

Hi Sol, I don't know about the Charter Schools. Charter ND was almost exactly 1km last year.

Renata

[tulip]

Thanks Renata, random allocation number was 379!!! Son got a full sports scholarship and I suppose I was just hoping that they hasn?t offered 59 (15% of places) plus another 150+ full scholarships and that 15 would be our magic number . I?m assuming 1/2 scholarships would be even further down the scholarship waiting list?? Is so complicated! I guess I will ring them on Monday...

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Tulip, the Kingsdale Scholarship list is in score Order, so yes full scholarships would be above the half.Good luck for Monday.

Renata

[Sol]

Thank you Renata. I will ask Southwark admissions to add my daughter to the waiting lists of other schools.

It is a bit crazy, even with 60 more places in Charter East Dulwich and we didn't get a place; we are 1100 meters away.

Does this mean we are still short of secondary school places in Dulwich or is this a difficult year? I guess the 390 places in Kingsdale do not count with the complicated admission criteria and kids applaying from all over London. I must admit the person who set that admission policy is a very clever one. Nobody fully understands it.

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Sol, yes this was a year with a high number of applicants, 141 more than than last year and the highest number since records were kept in Southwark, 2009. As everyone has been offered a place, there are enough places to go round in Southwark, but some schools are very popular and oversubscribed and others far less popular.

I've had a couple of enquiries in relation to the Kingsdale scholarship scheme. In order for a scholarship award to count in terms of admissions, your child needs to have one of the top scores. There is no limit to the number of scholorship awards the school could make, just a limit of the number that can be used for selection purposes. Unfortunately, I don't think that when parents get informed that their child has been successful in their scholarship application that they are told their position in the ranking list. Other schools such as Prendergast Hilly Fields and Haberdashers do tell parents their child's rank for the music scholarships, so parents know how likely it is for their child to be admitted through the scholarship scheme. The only thing I would suggest, that parents who wish to know their child's ranked position for music/sport prior to submiting the CAF, ask the school for it under a FOI request.

Renata

[Monkey]

Renata, is Harrie Girls ED undersubscribed?

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Monkey,

I've made enquiries and it's not this year. It has a split selection of distance/lottery. Harris Academy, Peckham and Ark Globe Academy (has reasonably good results and good Ofsted) close to Elephant and Castle have vacancies. Lewisham Schools Deptford Green and Forest Hill Boys were undersubscribed this year. You get slotted in to waiting lists at the appropriate place according to the admissions criteria of the school.

Renata

[Scruffy Mummy]

Harris Girls has been rated outstanding and I know a few people who have sent their girls there who are extremely happy with the school. I also had a good look around Deptford Green a few years ago and I was very impressed with this school. It's interesting the St. Thomas Apostle (another outstanding school on our doorstep), after years of being overlooked by East Dulwich parents is now oversubscribed this year. The reality is that there are many more good schools in the area that many people realise!

This admissions year is the first year of the primary school 'Bulge' classes hitting secondary school age so it's true that fewer people will get into those traditionally popular schools. However, this may mean that schools that are good and even outstanding may be finally recognised as such by parents in the area.

[Monkey]

Thanks, Renata. We have two years to go until secondary and seriously considering Harris Girls as our preferred school.Slightly bemused though by the fact that a lot of people we know don't even go for a visit.