Catchment areas - Fairlawn and Horniman

[Malcolmd]

Hi all,

We are moving to Forest Hill (from Peckham Rye) and we're worried about school admissions. We will be 0.3 miles from both Horniman and Fairlawn and we would love to get our daughter in either of those. We have to apply from September for the following year.

I've heard horror stories about being 0.2 miles from either and still not getting a place. Is this common? Does anyone have any idea as to whether I might be likely to get one or the other due to closeness to the school, or is the catchment area even smaller?

Thanks for the advice.

Malcolm

[Hillstop]

You might be close enough for Horniman as it is supposed to bulge in 2014-15. This year it was about 290 metres on distance and had 10 non sibling places. This year Fairlawn was around 350-390 metres pre-bulge - the exact figure should be in the long thread about this year's admissions. It is bulging this year so next year might have additional siblings which will skew the distance.

[alieh]

I think 0.3 miles will be very tight for either of those schools, though you may luck in with the Horniman bulge class that year (not for sure yet I don't think). Depending on where you are in Forest Hill there seem to be loads of good schools that people are very happy with? It may be worth looking at distances for others in the area. I would also recommend booking very early for tours in the autumn to view schools as it can be very difficult even to get a space on a tour!

[LondonMix]

Unfortunately, .3 miles is about 480m so probably a bit far unless one of them buldges as has already been said. There might be other local options though that while further away might have wider catchments for any number of reasons (3 form entry etc) so it might be worth looking at few others.

Good luck.

[selbe]

Hi! where did you end up in the end? We live exactly between the 2 schools, and I am just fearing we might not get any because Horniman is no longer bulging and we might be just off limit for Fairlawn (300m, so not a done deal at all)! Would love to hear from similar situations, as I am really puzzled and don't know what to do! Best, Selbe

[alieh]

I think Fairlawn was more than 300 m this year even in first round and then got bigger after people turned down places (even before they announced a last minute bulge class). I would have thought you'd be fine! Even if on the waiting list for a couple of months worst case. Obviously just my opinion! St Francesca Cabrini is very near and I think they take a number of non-Catholics each year too, as a back up?

[prm]

If you look at the published data (google for "Lewisham primary school admissions" leaflets which each year have a table for distance of last place offered) you will see that 300 metres would have got you into Fairlawn all of the past 5 years. And that is even before the bulges and does not include the waiting list movement.

Even though it's impossible to guarantee what will happen each year I think considering the situation in London overall you are in a pretty good position.

If u want to know where u stand you definitively need to check this official data and if u call Lewisham Admissions Team they can tell u exactly your distance from each school. BEWARE of a map that someone created for primary catchment areas in another thread a few months back - very kind of them and I am sure was done with the best intentions but for Fairlawn most definitively innacurate! We are shown as a blind spot but once I checked the official data we would have actually got in on first offers (even pre-bulge) plus some other of our preferred schools.

Bear in mind as well that in the Fairlawn-Horniman vicinity there are lots of other good and outstanding schools, and every year one or another seems to bulge, so I think you have a good chance of getting into a good school one way or the other.

Good luck to you all, I will be watching this space as we'll be applying next year!

[GinaG3]

We didn't get in to Horniman last year at 399m and didn't get in to Fairlawn at 700m odd. After all this, we ended up at a school that wasn't originally on our list and are really happy about it. Its much further for us to travel but the school outweighs the travel distance over and over.

[edanna]

That's lovely to hear Gina - I remember what a difficult period it was for you. I hope others feeling nervous about offer day will take hope from your experience!

[prm]

How did you all get on in the Fairlawn - Horniman area? I hope everyone got one of their 6 choices!

[Ruth Campbell]

Nope!

Distances this year are

Horniman 315.78m

Fairlawn 345.11m

[prm]

Bubblebob how far are u? Fingers crossed for waiting list movement, although I can understand how stressful this is, we are not even applying until nect year and I've hardly slept thinking about u all! Best of luck!

Ps. Selbe I take it you are in then?

[Ruth Campbell]

We are 378 from horn imam and 432 from fairlawn.

Fingers crossed for second round.

[Fmm]

Is it best to talk to the schools themselves or the admissions people about getting on waiting lists and where you are on waiting lists? And are waiting list places allocated by distance like school places, or time of being put on the list? Thank you in advance.

[Growlybear]

Lewisham maintain the waiting lists for their schools centrally - individual schools have no say in who is offered a place. The normal admissions criteria are used when allocating places from the waiting list - ie looked after children, siblings, distance etc. and the length of time you have been waiting is not taken into account.

[alimc]

just curious how people measure the distance? Do you use this tool or another? http://www.freemaptools.com/distance-between-uk-postcodes.htm

The above is obviously as the crow flies between postcodes....

[prm]

alimc I believe the council use their own software so to know your official distance to any school you can call the Lewisham Admissions number and they will tell you

[Renata Hamvas]

Yes to confirm LAs use their software, but the freemaptools gives a general idea of distances. A specific point is used on school grounds as start point. Growlybear is correct. To emphasis time on waiting list has no impact, eg a new resident moving to the area and applying late will go above you on the waiting list if they live closer than you, so you can move down waiting lists as well as up.

Renata