Secondary school places offer day

[LondonMix]

Belle, so, you think people would be happier of some of the existing single sex schools in the area were made into co-ed schools? The least over subscribed school near ED is Harris Peckham in the Peckham Rye area which is very nearby, co-ed and non-religious and its less popular than the two ED Harris single sex schools.

Renata, is going co-ed something that could actually be tested via consultation and then discussed with any of the local schools? None of the secondaries in this immediate area are religious schools so I'm not sure that's actually a major issue.

Children affected by special needs that fall below the threshold of priority allocation can only be dealt with by changing the standard. Requiring an average child to commute within 2 miles is really nothing. Most able bodied people can walk two miles in just over 30 minutes. For everyone to have a school place much closer than that would require very small secondary schools dotted all over the place. That's totally impractical: lots of new small secondary schools aren't needed; small schools are much more expensive to operate and would lack certain facilities; and there is no physical space to do that in London.

[Belle]

Re single sex going co-ed: I think people would - but not all, as Landsberger says there are certainly parents who prefer single sex, in some cases because there is evidence girls perform better academically. I don't think that's by any means true of ALL parents by the way. I do think schools who already operate like this may be reluctant to change if they feel it could adversely affect their results.

Harris is interesting. It's practically got a monopoly in south east london and it has a lot of detractors. So there may be parents who are desperate for a non Harris option (when I said that parents in the campaign were explicit about co-ed and not a faith school, "not Harris" came up a lot in feedback too).

As I said above, I don't think 2 miles is necessarily an issue but it is not always straightforward given means of transport (i.e. no direct route) and other factors. I'm not saying let's all have high schools at the end of our road.

[LondonMix]

I'm not a huge fun of Harris (I think they've behaved badly with the Nunhead primary school saga) but some of their schools (like Crystal Palace) are hugely popular and over subscribed. The local ones in this area get good results too so perhaps their popularity will change with time.

I think the government should listen to the fact that parents do not want more Harris schools in this area-- as they did with the secondary school campaign-- I'm really not sure its fair or accurate to go do two minute personal interest stories suggesting there is a school place crisis in Dulwich because some parents don't like Harris. A better headline would be Dulwich parents think there are two many Harris schools operating locally.

I wish news reporting on education policy was handled more substantively. Why not write a story about the special needs threshold being too high if that's really a major issue? Why do the press always write the same tired story that parents can't get their kids into a descent school perpetuating angst and a feeling of crisis!

[landsberger]

Belle Wrote:

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> > No, not really, but to read the middlebrows and

> > the tabloids, you'd think there was.

>

> Just out of interest, what other media (if that's

> what you're referring to) does that leave?

Middlebrows (Daily Mail, Express)

Tabs: Sun, Star, Mirror etc)

So everything outside that.

[landsberger]

It's not going to happen under the present regime. the Council have no secondaries under its control, and cannot compel secondaries to go mixed. If Academies want to go mixed, that's something they, and they alone will decide, and get the DfE to sign off.

LondonMix Wrote:

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> Belle, so, you think people would be happier of

> some of the existing single sex schools in the

> area were made into co-ed schools? The least over

> subscribed school near ED is Harris Peckham in the

> Peckham Rye area which is very nearby, co-ed and

> non-religious and its less popular than the two ED

> Harris single sex schools.

>

> Renata, is going co-ed something that could

> actually be tested via consultation and then

> discussed with any of the local schools? None of

> the secondaries in this immediate area are

> religious schools so I'm not sure that's actually

> a major issue.

>

> Children affected by special needs that fall below

> the threshold of priority allocation can only be

> dealt with by changing the standard. Requiring an

> average child to commute within 2 miles is really

> nothing. Most able bodied people can walk two

> miles in just over 30 minutes. For everyone to

> have a school place much closer than that would

> require very small secondary schools dotted all

> over the place. That's totally impractical: lots

> of new small secondary schools aren't needed;

> small schools are much more expensive to operate

> and would lack certain facilities; and there is no

> physical space to do that in London.

[landsberger]

LondonMix Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Why do the press

> always write the same tired story that parents

> can't get their kids into a descent school

> perpetuating angst and a feeling of crisis!

Because it sells newspapers and because it's something close to home for them - on the rare occasions they are approximately co-equal with the plebs. There seems to be an annual article in the Guardian and/or Indie from a journalist saying "Why I sent my child to a private school" usually based on some variation of the above. Probably because journalists labour under the misapprehension that their concerns are the world's concerns (or at least East Dulwich's)

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/jul/23/why-send-child-to-private-school (2012)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-maltais/this-is-why-i-send-my-son-to-private-school_b_8407102.html (2015)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11924357/I-hate-the-idea-of-private-schools-but-still-send-my-kids-to-one.html (2015)

[Renata Hamvas]

Belle, I'm waiting to see what happens this year, there is an embargo until 5pm so Councillors don't have any information yet either.

Good Luck everybody, remember there will be movement on waiting lists after offer day.

Renata

[loveED86]

Already had email from Charter ED-Successful!

Email went to junk so dont forget to check your junk mail and good luck, not long to go now!

[Shuggy]

If you can't wait for the email: log on to the e-admissions website and see your child's offer there now:

https://www.eadmissions.org.uk/eAdmissions/app

[Coach Beth]

Yes, I just checked online! We feel very happy here - no disappointment to report for the newspapers as we were offered a place through Southwark Admissions St. Thomas the Apostle which we liked VERY much for the caring ethos, outstanding results and really impressive teaching staff (we're not Catholic but the school takes about 50% non Catholic students) and we got Charter East Dulwich whose new temporary site seems really great which is much more fit for purpose for a proper secondary school education, new teaching staff who all seem really experienced and our only dilemma is choosing which one but our boy will have the final say in this one!

[landsberger]

Renata Hamvas Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Belle, I'm waiting to see what happens this year,

> there is an embargo until 5pm so Councillors don't

> have any information yet either.

>

> Good Luck everybody, remember there will be

> movement on waiting lists after offer day.

> Renata

And remember, almost everyone who applies to Charter ED will also have made a Southwark application, so if they accept the latter (and 120 will) then this will free up a place.

[landsberger]

Coach Beth Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Yes, I just checked online! We feel very happy

> here - no disappointment to report for the

> newspapers as we were offered a place through

> Southwark Admissions St. Thomas the Apostle which

> we liked VERY much for the caring ethos,

> outstanding results and really impressive teaching

> staff (we're not Catholic but the school takes

> about 50% non Catholic students) and we got

> Charter East Dulwich whose new temporary site

> seems really great which is much more fit for

> purpose for a proper secondary school education,

> new teaching staff who all seem really experienced

> and our only dilemma is choosing which one but our

> boy will have the final say in this one!

STAC only presently take non-Catholics because they don't fill with Catholic applicants, it needs to be noted.

[Renata Hamvas]

Below is the letter sent to Councillors by Cllr Victoria Mills

Dear Councillors

I am emailing with details of the Secondary School offers being made today. This year we have received a total of 2,857 on time secondary applications, a significant increase of 220 applications more than last year and the highest number received since our records began in 2009. Despite this increase in applications, the LA has once again been able to offer a secondary school place to every on time Southwark applicant for September 2016.

2,639 (92.4%) Southwark families have received a secondary school place of their preference through the coordinated admissions process, the remaining 218 families have been allocated an alternative school place. Letters confirming these offers have been posted out to families today and all online applicants that have received a preference, will be able to view their offers online from 5pm this evening.

The Charter School East Dulwich is a new secondary Free School in Southwark that will open for the first time in September 2016. Families were able to apply directly to the school and these applications were in addition to the admission applications coordinated by the local authority. Families with an offer from The Charter School East Dulwich will also have an offer from the local authority so each family will be contacted by one of our admissions officers over the next few days and asked to confirm which offer they would like to accept. The second offer will then be made available to other children on waiting lists and will have a positive impact on the headline figures below. Kingsdale have also expanded their PAN for September 2016.

Transition to secondary school is an exciting time for families however, we recognise families that did not receive a school of their preference and have been allocated an alternative school, often have additional queries and/or support needs to help them through the change of school process. A personalised email from the admissions team with details of the alternative school allocated has been sent today to each of these families. This also informs them that our phone lines will be open up until 9pm this evening should they wish to contact us to raise any queries or discuss their options directly with an admissions officer.

Key data for Southwark residents -

? All Southwark secondary school applicants have been offered a school place for September 2016.

? 2,639 (92.4%) applicants have received a place at a secondary school of their first to sixth preference

? 2,443 (85.5%) applicants have received a place at a secondary school of their first to third preference .

? 1,689 (59.1% ) families received a first preference school.

? 218 (7.6%) families without a preference and offered an alternative school.

? 2,846 (99.6%) of Southwark applicants applied online this year

Please also note that our school admissions officers will be holding drop in admission surgeries for families that want to meet to discuss their secondary admission options face to face. The surgeries will take place at Cambridge House on a first come, first served basis from 2 March ? 3 March 2016, further details are attached.

Best wishes,

Vikki.

Cllr Victoria Mills

Cabinet Member for Children and Schools

Labour Councillor for Peckham Rye Ward

[Renata Hamvas]

Below are the details of drop in sessions to assist parents who may have been disappointed with the outcome of their application.

Cambridge House, 1 Addington Square, London SE5 0HF

Commencing: Wednesday 2nd March to Thursday 3rd

March 2016

Time: 10am ? 12:00pm and 1:00pm ? 3:00pm

● 20 minute slots will be available on a first come first served basis.

● Please note this is a parent only event; There are no childcare facilities.

● Parents are asked to sign in on arrival before the discussion begins.

Alternatively you can contact

Southwark School Admissions Team

Tel: 0207 525 5337 Email: [email protected]

[Coach Beth]

Very true landsberger. I can't quite understand why though, it has some of the best results for boy's schools in London, fab premises (with a swimming pool), is smaller (only 5 year seven classes as opposed to 8 that other secondary schools have). I get some people would be put off the religious ethos - it is fine for us though...

[Belle]

I believe the point about being able to have an offer from Charter ED and another Southwark school only applies this year? As it's its first year in existence. The same was true when e.g. Harris Ed (primary) opened and Belham.

[landsberger]

Belle Wrote:

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> I believe the point about being able to have an

> offer from Charter ED and another Southwark school

> only applies this year? As it's its first year in

> existence. The same was true when e.g. Harris Ed

> (primary) opened and Belham.

Yes, and the same will occur if/when other new schools open, which seems likely

[tomskip]

What does "Kingsdale have also expanded their PAN for September 2016" mean (from the letter quoted by Renata at 5.42pm above) ?

[MsMaz]

This on Kingsdale website:

Increase in Published Admission Number (PAN) for Year 7 Entry in September 2016

The Governing Body of Kingsdale Foundation School is pleased to advise that in response to the continuing exceptional demand for places at one of England?s most popular and oversubscribed schools the following determination has been made: There will be an increase in the Published Admission Number (PAN) for Kingsdale Foundation School to 360 for entry into Year 7 in the Academic Year 2016/17 only. Representations and advice from Southwark LA, acting as an appropriate and independent well qualified admission?s authority, were formally considered prior to a final decision being made.

[Bidibulle]

tomskip Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What does "Kingsdale have also expanded their PAN

> for September 2016" mean (from the letter quoted

> by Renata at 5.42pm above) ?

It means Kingsdale will have a bigger intake next year.

We are very surprised that we didn't get offered a place at the new Charter since we are 0.55 mile as the crow flies from the nodal point on Jarvis Road but I guess there will be some movement and we should go up the waiting list soon.

[tomskip]

I see. I don't know what an increase to 360 represents and I wonder how that will affect non-sibling places in 2 - 5 years time? It always has bothered me that this state school on our doorstep could keep their class sizes so small whilst turning away hundreds who have applied.

[Scruffy Mummy]

So basically Kingsdale are going to have 12 classes of 30 kids on year 7???? It's pretty massive kingsdale as it is. Personally, I wasn't that keen on it when I looked around and defo not if they are going to be in a year 7 which has 12 classes!

[landsberger]

tomskip Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I see. I don't know what an increase to 360

> represents and I wonder how that will affect

> non-sibling places in 2 - 5 years time? It always

> has bothered me that this state school on our

> doorstep could keep their class sizes so small

> whilst turning away hundreds who have applied.

Bear in mind Kingsdale don't admit on distance - they admit on a lottery and academic selection, so 120 extra place may not necessarily benefit Southwark residents

[mrs.lotte]

Yep no story for itv here either. Offered Charter ED and St Thomas (2nd on our list) so really amazing choices.

Suprised at Kingsdale as it bulged last year too and has no more space than before when need is going to peak in 2018, may have been better to save bulges till then but hopefully new charter will have a bigger intake then and take up strain.

Not hearing any horror stories.

For those yet to take this journey please remember that life doesn't begin and end with one or two schools, we have some really fantastic yet bizarrely undersubscribed schools on our doorstep.

And breathe ...

[keane]

Last years year 7 at Kingsfale was 10 form entry therefore 300 children.