post secondary school allocation help and advice

[Renata Hamvas]

The secondary school your child has been allocated should be available to view on-line by parents who applied on-line. Letters have been posted today and all parents who applied by post will receive a letter. Good luck to everyone at this stressful time.

Every Southwark child who applied on-time for a place this year has been allocated a place at a school. Around 91% percent will receive an offer of a place of choice. (2% more than last year)

56% will receive an offer at their first choice school, 3% more than last year.

Be aware that you can at this stage be added to the waiting list of any secondary school and there is usually quite a bit of shuffling going on in the first few weeks after offer day. If you are unhappy with the school you have been offered, until you have received an alternative place, please accept the one you have,you can turn it down later.

Liam White, the School Preference Advisor plus other members of the Parent Partnership will be at Cator Street in Peckham from drop in surgeries for parents next week and the week after Mon-Friday, 9.30-12.30 and 13.15-15.30pm on a first come first served basis. Alternatively, you can contact Liam on 02075255211 or schoolpref@southwark.gov.uk

You can also contact me or other local councillors. My next surgery is on Saturday 10th March at 10-11am at East Dulwich Community Centre on Darrell Rd SE22.

Good Luck

Renata

[emilydrab]

Thanks for this info Renata. Can you tell me how I get on waiting lists for the schools I wanted? Can I be on multiple waiting lists? Do I have to accept the school I was offered to stay in the system even if I know I won't send my son there? Very upset about what's happened to me, didn't get my local school Harris ED even though live a ten min walk away.

[Renata Hamvas]

Sorry for not replying earlier Emily, and for the stressful time you are experiencing at the moment. You will be automatically on the waiting list for schools you applied for and were above any offer you received. One thing re Harris Boy's, did your son sit the banding test? I'm asking this as any boy who didn't sit their test automatically goes below those who have on the waiting list. You can be on several waiting lists, even for schools you didn't apply to. You don't have to accept a place at the school you have been offered, but it is the suggested move until you know whether you have been successful in securing a place elsewhere. There will be movement in the waiting lists over the next few weeks.

My computer decided to die last night, so it is best to contact me via email on Renata.Hamvas@southwark.gov.uk rather than via pm as it's hard to read the ED forum from my Blackberry! Please let me know which schools you applied to, your son's name and address and DOB.

Renata

[emilydrab]

Just wanted to share the next stage of my story. Thanks for your reply to me Renata. Now I've managed to calm down a bit I want to take stock of the situation (I got my sixth choice of school, Deptford Green - missing out on Harris ED and Kingsdale - even though live a couple of minutes from Harris). This morning I got a letter from Deptford Green and a DVD about the school. After you emailed last night Renata, I thought I must give the school proper chance. From the letter etc, It actually looks amazing (remember I never actually visited it before, just bunged it down on my form for really no reason.) could it be a Kingsdale in the making? What do people think? - looks like a lovely school, the headmaster seems so switched on - the curriculum looks great, the building looks futuristic and really quite incredible, the website is buzzy and busy. So, need to check it out properly - put all prejudice and the hype about "good" schools and "bad" schools to one side. Worked out the journey is only as bad as the one to Kingsdale for me. Maybe this is fate, maybe, weirdly, this will be the perfect school for my son - just by a weird stroke of fate. So I'll report back what happens.

[deborah.bruce]

I visited it when we were doing the rounds and yes I thought it had lots going for it. The deputy head showed us round and she was really impressive and lovely.

[fapl]

They had Bill Gates visit only a few weeks ago...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16726193

[Halleb36]

Appealing Against Admissions

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Admissions and appeals are surely the educational challenge to beat all others. They test a parent?s strength to the limit. To borrow from Ruyard Kipling ? If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs ?then yours should be the school place!?

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If you have received the devastating news that your child has not been offered a place at their preferred school ? don?t panic. Whether its at primary or secondary level, we know this is a time of terrible trial and tribulation. You are facing a bleak schooling prospect, and the very real possibility of an uncertain Appeal. Whichever way you look at it, this Appeals process feels and sounds like a serious ordeal.

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To explain, the educational powers that be acknowledge that all pupils deserve a genuine schooling preference in their area. If this cannot be met, then parents or carers have the right to challenge the decision not to offer their preferred school and for their challenge to be judged impartially. The Appeals Panel hearing is the official channel providing this opportunity and your appeal will need to be heard by early July 2012. This deadline leaves you little time to prepare your case.

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In essence the Panel is tasked to listen to your case, review your evidence and speak to your witnesses. They will also need to evaluate the admission evidence from the other side of the classroom fence. This is why it is so crucial that your case is presented in the best possible way. There can be no definite outcomes or easy cheats through this particular minefield.

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There?s no getting away from it, the whole process will seem intimidating and confusing. You may be worried about what to expect, where to find information, how to prepare your case, and indeed what is a good case! The only thing that is for sure, is that you will be the only person in that room who hasn?t had any training for their role and yet no one has as much to lose as you.

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We know you will need a very big helping hand to win your case. Our organisation ?Making Experiences Count? is one of a new generation of parent training organisations based solely on the Admissions Appeal process. Our core objective is to steer you through the stormy waters of hearings. We do this in our uniquely parent-friendly way, incorporating knowledge and understanding from specialists who are also parents.

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Currently our highly skilled team consists of chairs and members of Schools Admission Appeals panels. ?Between them they hold a veritable treasure trove of invaluable insights into the decision-making. To fully maximise your potential, we can give you the best inside intelligence available, and do so in easy-to-understand language.

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Whilst it?s never going to be child?s play, we should help put you right at the top of Appeal?s class.

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http://www.schoolsappeal.com/

[Renata Hamvas]

Thanks Emily

To remind parents who are unhappy about their allocated school, Liam White and the Team are at Cator Street from today onwards (see details above).

Renata