FOI request re reception admissions (Heber)

[Fuschia]

"The School Organisation Plan for 2009 will be published when it has been agreed. It is therefore exempt from disclosure under Section 22 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ?Information intended for future publication?.

We have not yet determined whether we hold any documents relating to discussions concerning a shortage of primary school places in SE22. We are continuing to search for such documents. I will be making further inquiries when the school term starts in the first full week of September, and will let you know the results.

...

For Heber Primary School, the breakdown of children allocated under each criterion is:

1st. Looked after children - 0

2nd. Siblings - 23

3rd. Social/Medical - 0

4th. Distance under the 4th criterion - 37

5th. Distance under the 5th criterion - 0

Children with full statements of special educational needs - 0

The furthest child offered under the distance criteria lives 611 metres from the school.

4 siblings did not gain a place; this was because they applied late when all of the places had already been allocated."

[craigy]

thats interesting.

what is the criteria for 4 & 5. i know this has been posted before but cannot find it when i do a search...

thanks

[Cora]

Criteria 4 is closest school and criteria 5 is distance from school if not closest school.

For example someone might live further away but Heber is their closest school so they would get priority on Criteria 4. Someone with a school nearer to them would go into criteria 5 by distance. It happened to us...Goose Green was our closest by 23m so we went into criteria 5 and didn't get in to Heber.

[Fuschia]

Cora Wrote:

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> Criteria 4 is closest school and criteria 5 is

> distance from school if not closest school.

>

> For example someone might live further away but

> Heber is their closest school so they would get

> priority on Criteria 4. Someone with a school

> nearer to them would go into criteria 5 by

> distance. It happened to us...Goose Green was our

> closest by 23m so we went into criteria 5 and

> didn't get in to Heber.

Yes... you really have to apply to your closest school, to have a chance

[toast]

Except if your closest school is super popular...moan...moan...grumble.

Thanks for this info Fuschis, I might get my measuring tape out (only half joking).

Edited to add...

Do you know if this distance is from before or after the addition of the buldge classs?

[Fuschia]

toast Wrote:

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> Except if your closest school is super

> popular...moan...moan...grumble.

>

> Thanks for this info Fuschis, I might get my

> measuring tape out (only half joking).

>

> Edited to add...

>

> Do you know if this distance is from before or

> after the addition of the buldge classs?

There's no extra class at heber. it went to two fe last in 2008.

Re the criteria, you are best to apply to your closest school as you may get in under criteria 4, no chance under criteria 5.

[toast]

This whole business started for me when my neighbour handed me all of the paperwork she had from trying to get her daughter into the nearest school, Goodrich. She didnt get into ANY of the nearest schools and was sent to Peckham park,the buldge sorted them out. We live around 700m away so not holding my breath. Bit gutted at the mo!

Edited to add that my neighbour had put our nearest school as first choice.

[Fuschia]

toast Wrote:

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> This whole business started for me when my

> neighbour handed me all of the paperwork she had

> from trying to get her daughter into the nearest

> school, Goodrich. She didnt get into ANY of the

> nearest schools and was sent to Peckham park,the

> buldge sorted them out. We live around 700m away

> so not holding my breath. Bit gutted at the mo!

>

> Edited to add that my neighbour had put our

> nearest school as first choice.

Yes, your best bet is to put your nearest school as first choice. Siblings will be admitted, then they will offer places to people for who it is their nearest school, in ascending distance, until it is full...schools may never get as far as looking at criterion 5 at all.

[toast]

And they will probably not get through all of the kids who quallify for criteria 4, which is quite frankly rubbish!

[Fuschia]

toast Wrote:

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> And they will probably not get through all of the

> kids who quallify for criteria 4, which is quite

> frankly rubbish!

Yep!!!! And those children won't get a place at their second choice, under criteria 5, as the same thing probably happened there...

[ClareC]

Are things really that bad? I live on Goodrich Road and am pregnant with my first, I kind of thought Goodrich School would be a foregone conclusion...... although I am the LL end of Goodrich so maybe Heber closer. How do they measure the distance?

[capt_birdseye]

It's safest walking distance. I believe they have some programme which works it all out.

[Fuschia]

capt_birdseye Wrote:

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> It's safest walking distance. I believe they have

> some programme which works it all out.

I think that may be changing to "as the crow flies"

[toast]

If anyone is in the process of applying or is interested for any reason please join the East Dulwich and Psckham Rye Primary School Places facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/search/?init=srp&sfxp=&o=&q=East+Dulwich+primary#/group.php?gid=120669739604

Its a facebook group for any parents concerned about the crisis in local school places.

[BeccaL]

ClareC - it is changing to "as the crow flies" distance measurement from 2010 applications. Heber will probably be your closest - I know someone who lives on Goodrich between the Castle and Landcroft Road and her daughter didn't get a place at Goodrich but did at Heber, because she was under the 4th criteria for Heber but 5th for Goodrich (no kids got into Goodrich under the 5th, I don't think, even with the addition of the extra reception class).

[ClareC]

Thank you :-)

If as the Crow flies Heber definitely closer!! I am between the Castle and Landcroft too and Heber is probably less than 100m as the Crow flies!

Are Heber and Goodrich both good schools? We hope to be out of London before we have to worry about schools but it's good to know the situation as you never know what is round the corner!

[BeccaL]

Yes, both good (IMHO) - they were our 1st and 2nd choice, and we'd have been happy with either (though obviously wouldn't have got into Heber as would have been in 5th criteria).