Horniman - no bulge class

[LauraCR]

Hi, does anybody have any information on why Lewisham has withdrawn the bulge class at Horniman Primary School for Sept 2014? Myself, and I'm sure lots of others were hoping that their children would go there and had put it as first choice. It's so unlikely to be a possibility now that the additional class is no longer happening as the catchment will be tiny and the places extremely limited....

Thanks very much

[Mariamadeit]

Oh no, how disappointing! We were hoping for there too :( where did you hear this?

[Mellors]

I have children at the school. We were told last Friday that there would be no bulge for 2014, no reason given.

[James Barber]

I've pinged an email to the local councillors in case they've been told.

[James Barber]

Forest hill councillors havent been told anyting yet. But they observe that Horniman is a one form entry school curreently. That its had a number of bulge classes and it may be about how hard it owuld be to digest another year of bulge clasess on such a small site with harming all the other childrens experiences.

[acb2013]

This is disappointing - as you say LauraCR, many of us will have put the school down as a choice having been told that there would be extra places via a bulge. When I went to one of the open day tours we were told that the school's governors and the council had approved the bulge, that they were planning a permanent expansion and that they were going to build an extension to the school building. I've just looked on the school's website and here's what it says: "The school has just been informed that the proposed bulge class will not be going ahead for September 2014. We expect to hear more details in the near future and will keep you updated. In the meantime, if you have any specific admission questions, please contact Lewisham Admissions team on 020 8314 8282. However, they will not be able to answer any questions regarding the withdrawal of the bulge class." How councils make their decisions on 'bulges' seems somewhat baffling. Great James if you can post anything you hear back.

[kittysailing]

Thats really bad. Schoolss shouldnt tell parents they are going to bulge and then change their mind. I've just wasted a slot on my form.

[LauraCR]

Thanks very much for the replies, thank you James for contacting the local councillors, much appreciated. Indeed, all perspective parents were told that there would be a bulge class and building works were confirmed to take place to accomodate this. As a consequence, and because it's a great school, it was our first choice - not least because we were so often told to not only put down the school we'd ideally like our child to go to BUT also one that we had the most chance of getting in to. It's likely that our list would have looked differently had Lewisham not confirmed there would be an additional class. I only hope the reason is that something else exciting and plausible is happening instead.

[Renata Hamvas]

It's on their website and I've spoken to the school, but no reason for the change of plans have been given.

Renata

[Cora]

Maybe having reviewed all the Lewisham applications Lewisham council have decided they don't need one and are looking to save money?...

[ronron]

I went to one of the open days too (the last open day before applications deadline, I believe). There was lots of talk about a planned bulge, but I noticed the staff were very careful not to infer to it as a done deal. I left with the impression there probably would be a bulge this year, but there were still a good number of hoops to go through.

As Cora states, it is likely the council have other, more cost-effective, plans for meeting this year's expected in take.

[loncdl]

As a lawyer and an interested party here, I'd say this decision by Lewisham Council is highly susceptible to judicial review (i.e., being overturned by the High Court). By openly advertising that there would be a bulge class at the time we all made our six selections, influencing the way many of us made our choices, the Council created a legitimate expectation that a particular process would be followed. This is a breach of natural justice. If anyone might be interested in exploring the ground for a group challenge to this, PM me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judicial_review_in_English_law

[sarahew]

I'm interested In a group challenge. I am furious to the point of disbelief. We were told on two separate open days, a couple of months apart, that it was happening, and so made some fairly major life decisions around it. We probably wouldn't be living in London now if we had been told before the admissions deadline.

[adriana]

I'm also furious. I went to the school twice, first on my own on a open day and then with my husband. I discussed my chances of getting in openly with a member of staff, who instructed me to call Lewisham Council to check the distance - in a straight line - from my house to the school and with that information I called them back and was told that my chances to get my son in were high based on the last time they had a bulge year. On my second visit, the new head had just started (her fourth day) and my husband and I did the tour with her. We put a lot of thinking into our decision making process and Horniman was/is our first choice. There is no way we will get in if there is no bulge class and our application would have looked very different if we knew it was going to be single entry for reception year. I'm interested in a group challenge.

[selbe]

Hi - I was also baffled by the Council decision not to open a bulge class, despite promoting it openly. Is this even legal? Aren't they forced to deliver on their promise? We live between Fairlawn and Horniman, but looks like we might not get either of the two now! Had I known, I would not have put Horniman as second choice on my list! Kelvin grove bulging is of no use to us, as we live too far from it! I really don't know what to do. Has anyone heard anything about the East Dulwich harris academy? this could marginally help in the western part of Lewisham, maybe?

[Growlybear]

Kelvin Grove and Eliot Bank really aren't very far if you live between Fairlawn and Horniman, and are both excellent schools.

[inthewoods]

Instead of attacking Lewisham I think you need to put pressure on Southwark council because they historically underfunded on the edges of the borough which created black spots on the border with Lewisham and Lambeth. Both Of those councils do their best, their good school regular bulge, and it's time Southwark started doing the same. The former head teacher did say that to accommodate the bulge they would have to have extensive building works done on the slopes which would be a very expensive exercise.

[Mellors]

Not much use to this years disappointe parents, but we were told last Friday that there may be a 2016 bulge class at Horniman now.

[simonethebeaver]

2016 or 2015?

[Mellors]

Sorry - 2015 (was thinking next year is 2016, but of course that is, in fact, 2015!)

Yours,

Frazzled Mother of 3

[Lue Lue]

I asked a teacher there what happened with the bulge class.. and he answered it proved to be a bigger project than people initially expected. I think he mentioned a new kitchen is due to be built and because of the location and construction of the school, it would be a massive project to add new classroom(s). It would be no way to finish all the work until September and it would be extremely disrupting to relocate the affected children in the meantime the work proceeds. I don't blame them for having second thoughts but they could've thought of this from the start?

[Hillstop]

Have a look at this thread for a more detailed update.

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1300123,1300123#msg-1300123

Presume the school wouldn't have known the full extent of the work needed until the detailed scoping work had been carried out. They're not building experts.