local secondary schools

[boleto]

We'll be moving to Crystal Palace Road/Goose Green area shortly with our two girls who are fast approaching secondary school age. Which secondary schools are most popular with families in that area?

[Carbonara]

Charter, Harris Boys, Kingsdale, Sydenham Girls. If you want Charter as a co-ed, you will need to be very careful indeed where you move to as the catchment seems to shrink every year and many ED applicants were disappointed this year. Kingsdale admission is by random allocation (ballot) unless your child gets one of the top sports or music scholarships.

[Curmudgeon]

Although even with a scholarship it's still a lottery

Agree with the list although I think Harris girls might be more appropriate

[Scruffy Mummy]

Not anymore - if you check out the lastest admission policy, it explicitly states that 15% of applicants will be those who are awarded music/sports scholarships. Applicable to the next lot of entrants for 2013.

[boleto]

Thanks for the replies. If kids aren't offered their first choice such as Charter, where do they end up? Do they still stand a chance of getting into their second choice if it was another popular school like Harris Academy?

[Curmudgeon]

Scruffy Mummy Wrote:

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> Not anymore - if you check out the lastest

> admission policy, it explicitly states that 15% of

> applicants will be those who are awarded

> music/sports scholarships. Applicable to the next

> lot of entrants for 2013.

Yes its been like that for a number of years, but they give out more scholarships than 15% places so there's still a lottery element. Their admissions policy seriously needs clarity

[Curmudgeon]

boleto Wrote:

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> Thanks for the replies. If kids aren't offered

> their first choice such as Charter, where do they

> end up? Do they still stand a chance of getting

> into their second choice if it was another popular

> school like Harris Academy?

The way it works is that you rank your orders in preference, schools don't know the order. If you are offered a place at say your 3rd choice, then you automatically go on the waiting list for choices 1 and 2, there is a lot of movement as people refuse places, some may be moving area, or choosing private, this movement continues through the first term. You will not automatically be placed on the waiting list of choices below your ranking but you can call them and ask to be placed on their waiting list.