School places offers day tomorrow

[Mariamadeit]

Bonacara when we went to visit horniman (before the bulge class was pulled) they said that they had something like 22 siblings of children already at the school, which leaves 8 places on distance so I very much doubt that a waiting list would be of any use in this case.

[mrs.lotte]

Sounds like Harris primary is going to be a blessing for lots of people, well done to those who pressed for it (James Barber i think!)

It is hard for a new school to compete for parents attention with more established schools so the noises in this thread from those who are keen to get behind it is brilliant news.

Is it anticipated to be a feeder school for the local Harris secondaries?

When the dust has settled and parents have accepted offers that they are happy with (this will happen!) can I encourager them to think about the need to get a new secondary school up and running (see separate thread in family room)

[Caroline_S]

mrs.lotte Wrote:

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> Sounds like Harris primary is going to be a

> blessing for lots of people, well done to those

> who pressed for it (James Barber i think!)

I completely agree, Mrs Lotte! Having not been offered any of our 6, we are very very relieved and grateful that there is the Harris option - and the more I think about it, the more positive I feel about it. I was always seriously considering it as one of my top two or three schools, but in some ways, now that the dilemma of choosing between Harris and our first choice school has been taken out of my hands, the more pleased I am! Brand new facilities, staff who will inevitability get to know our children really well, and hopefully a great community of families who all have a shared interest in making the school a success - I think there is a lot to feel excited about.

[peggoula]

Hello

We didn't get anywhere on out choices either, but have been to all the Harris meetings and I was impressed by the professionalism of everyone involved, plus I feel that they will be well looked after as the school will want to do well on ofsted etc.

My only issue is that if everyone gets offered a place eventually as waiting lists move, will the school actually open if it has, say, 30 instead of the intended 60 kids?

This is something that really concerns me.

[Caroline_S]

Peggoula, I've been worried about this too (see James Barber's schools admissions thread). But Harris have said that when they were costing the school in their business plan, they costed out their "worst case scenario" and demonstrated that it would be financially viable with a minimum of 30 children. Given that Southwark are taking into account the 60 places that Harris are offering, there will be fewer bulge classes opening in the area this year and so I reckon that they surely must be able to fill it. I would also think that the fact they have just apent ?5million on the police station, appointed a head and are recruiting class teachers will mean that they are committed to opening. Those people will be leaving their current posts ready to start in September so I would have thought that this would put Harris in a very tricky position if they decided they needed to defer. This is what I telling myself anyway!

[DenmotherSmith]

My eldest son started at the Harris Boys school when it was just starting out. The experience of being one of the first in a brand new environment was brilliant and has given him a closeness with the staff, his peers and the building that was so good for his confidence. I also find Harris very good for listening to parents much better then the senior leadership at my other kids LA Primary school. I would really encourage any prospective parents to take this opportunity.

[peggoula]

Thank you DenmotherSmith, this is very good to hear.

I do think that it is an exciting opportunity, it is hit there is the fear of the unknown and the fear of it actually not happening. I have emailed James McFarland to ask for assurance and if he emails back I will post here, as I am sure other people are on the same boat as us.

[Mariamadeit]

I emailed Jamie McFarland and he did assure me that it would be going ahead. I have already declined the la place and my acceptance is in the post.

[Renata Hamvas]

Hello all,

Peggoula, a few houses can make alot of difference in waiting list position as people will be on the waiting list in all directions from the school. The further from the school you are, the greater the area that is covered by each metre of distance from the school, as you are dealing with increasing sized circles (I hope that makes sense!).

Buggie, none of Southwark's community primaries opperate a catchemnt but I know of at least one school (VA) in the north of the Borough that does. Last year they had the problem where several families were rehoused when their housing was being redeveloped and their new homes were outside catchment. 12 siblings didn't get in then! You can't rent a property a few months if you own somewhere else for schools admission places. If you are found out you would loose the school place. If you are renting and move and then eg move again a year later, ie your main home is near a school, then you would be a legitimate applicant.

Fly, I've posted on your thread.

Prm, yes, late applicants are slotted into the waiting list. If an old sibling of a child on a waiting list gets a place at a school, than the younger sibling automatically moves up the list. Sometimes parents forget to tick the sibling box on their form and then their younger children move up once the LA is notified.

Bonacara, you should be on the Horniman list. I don't think Lewisham are releasing waiting list ranking for a while.

Renata

[Caroline_S]

peggoula Wrote:

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> Hello

> We didn't get anywhere on out choices either, but

> have been to all the Harris meetings and I was

> impressed by the professionalism of everyone

> involved, plus I feel that they will be well

> looked after as the school will want to do well on

> ofsted etc.

> My only issue is that if everyone gets offered a

> place eventually as waiting lists move, will the

> school actually open if it has, say, 30 instead of

> the intended 60 kids?

> This is something that really concerns me.

Peggoula, I had an email from Jamie McFarland today to say that he is now operating a waiting list as they have had a flurry of applications since the LA offers came out last week. So not only will the school be going ahead, but it looks as though it will be pretty full after all. Phew!

[Renata Hamvas]

The 2014 last place distances for Southwark community schools are attached. To find the figures out for other schools, you will need to contact the schools directly. These are the figures on national offer day.

Renata

[theratprincess]

What is the source of this information please Renata? The furthest distance offered for Ivydale is not what we have been told by Southwark on national offer day or subsequently.

[LauraHW]

I'm having trouble downloading the file. Is another format available or is it just me? Many thanks

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Laura, this is an excel file, I you want to know about specific schools, I can pm you the data.

Hi Theratprincess, I was sent this file by the Head of Admissions. These are the figures for National Offer day, so I would assume these are the correct figures for Ivydale on offer day, so smaller last place distance for Ivydale, but like last year, 30 places were offered on distance even though there is no bulge this year (many fewer siblings).

Renata

[Cherabel]

The last distance offered by Goose Green this year was 353 metres with 375 applications.

[sjf1]

Cherabel Wrote:

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> The last distance offered by Goose Green this year

> was 353 metres with 375 applications.

They offered me a place, I live close, but I'm pretty sure I live 400m or more away.

[Birdynamnam]

Does anyone know the last distance offered for open places for St John's this year? Despite repeated requests for this information and to find out our distance as measured by the school I've had no luck so far.

[MrsC]

Does anyone know if the 'distance offered' for community schools include sibling places or is it just those applicants who are prioritised on distance? The distance for Goodrich has increased since last year, and we are well within those ranges yet our family and others in very close proximity didn't get it.....making me think those distances must include siblings??

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi MrsC, it excludes siblings and as an crow flies distance to a set point on the school grounds, which may be a bit different to eg a distance calculated on free map tools.

Renata

[bonacara]

Just wanted to ask, hoping someone would know the answer:

If I accept the space we were offered (none of our 6 choices) do I still stay on the waiting list for the other schools of my preference?

And if I dont accept the space offered by the end of this month, does the school still keep it for me? And for how long?

Basically, I am waiting to see what number we are on the waiting list on our first choice school (info to be available after 12th May) before I accept the space offered at this one.

Thanks for your help.

[simonethebeaver]

You'll stay on the waiting list of all the schools you applied for. And you do need to accept the place offered or you could end up with no place at all. You can also look at other schools you didn't originally apply for and ask to go on their waiting lists. You can have eggs in a lot of baskets!

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Bonacara, Simonethebeaver is correct. If you accept the place offered you still will remain on the waiting list of all your 6 applied for schools. This goes on until September. Accepting the offered place has no impact at all as to what happens on the 6 waiting lists. If a place comes up for your child for one of the schools you applied for, you have the choice to accept it or reject it (eg you may decide at that point you prefer the allocated school to the offered one eg 6th choice and still hold out for school no 1 or 2).

Renata

[Renata Hamvas]

A poster on the forum, Chocky has said that there is a tour for parents and children at St Francesca Cabrini this morning at 11.30am. This may be interest to those of you who have been offered the school or have been added/are thinking of going onto their waiting list.

Renata

[Mariamadeit]

We declined our sixth offer place in favour of the Harris free school however this morning we received a letter from the sixth school informing us of intro meetings and uniform etc, is this usual? I declined the place on the day I received the offer and wrote the name of the free school in the box, surely they need to be offering this place to someone else??

[peggoula]

We had exactly the same (I emailed them to reject the offer on the 17th of April, offer of a place that wasn't even on our list!) and got a letter from the school on the 30th about the induction process.

I think the council is in a muddle generally I have emailed them but still haven't heard back!