Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
School Places for this Autumn 2012. is there a shortage?
There was a flurry of concern* earlier this year, but did everyone get a place in the end?
*Link added by site admin
Tags for Forum Posts: school admissions, schools
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by 1kpmy05gq9jvr on
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Yes, we got our first choice, but would have been happy with all six of our choices. I think most of those with no places are around Muswell Hill?
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I got A place, but not in any of the six schools I asked for, and not one I can get to without going on two buses. The Council have put in three "bulge classes" to accomodate those that after the first round didn't have any place at all, but even taking this into account, I am still only 10th (an improvement on my previous 42nd) on the waiting list for my preferred school 0.22 miles away. Being 10th on the waiting list means I may never get a place. So much for choice. My choice is take the place you're offered even if it is wholly unsuitable and impractical.
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Permalink Reply by David Barry on
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You are understandably cheesed off. I can only say that if the school you want is two form entry ie takes in 60 and there is any possibility that people on the waiting list closer than you are on the waiting list for another school as well there could be quite a lot of movement. I noticed that one family reported in the press as living in central Muswell Hill, and who had not got a place at all have now got a place at Eden Primary as although it was oversubscribed for its one form entry in the event they had a withdrawal or two which freed up a place.
I would also say that, infuriatingly for everyone, people sometimes just do not show when the school starts, and of course at that point the school office ends up phoning down the waiting list in order as a vacant place is such financial bad news.
So I do not want to encourage a false hope, but you may yet get in.
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Understandably cheesed off would be a slight understatement. The utterly pointless exercise of appealing the Council's decision was also utterly demoralising, given that the Appeals Panel could apparently only deal with whether or not the rules had been applied correctly and not any issue to do with the school place we were given being inappropriate, or anything to do with the waiting list.
What I would desperately like an answer to is the question as to why the waiting list does not prioritise those who haven't been offered ANY of their six preferred schools. Why is it that a child who lives 10 yards closer but already has a place at their 2nd choice school takes precedence over mine? It is not our fault that we are not in the catchment area of even our closest school. When I asked at the Appeal who I should complain to about this, I was told that the time to have complained was at the time the admissions criteria were put out to "consultation". How could we have known in advance that the criteria would ultimately give us such an unsatisfactory result?
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Permalink Reply by JulieB on
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I'm sorry it's been so horrible for you.
I think you have a point about waiting lists, obviously they don't take into account your stated preferences but simply apply the council's entrance criteria. I personally think the council's entrance criteria is fair, but when you live in an area where all the local schools are over subscribed it becomes more difficult and in effect you don't have much of a choice at all.
I hope you get a place somewhere closer, are you allowed to be on a waiting list at more than one school? Also it probably doesn't help but your child legally doesn't have to start school until the term after their 5th birthday.
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I am sure Antoinette knows this as she has had cause to find out a lot more about school admissions than she ever wanted to know, but its worth mentioning for anyone else reading this that:-
1. You can go on the waiting list at any number of schools and they dont have to have been one of the (up to six) listed on your original application. So the conventional advice would be to go on the waiting list for all schools regarded as preferable to the one offered, which in this case would mean all the six originally applied for plus any others that might be seen as preferable to the offered place (only one bus journey?) So you may cast your net wider.
2. As people can go on any number of waiting lists this is a partial explanation as to why movement takes place. One child gets offered a place because another withdraws because, say the family have moved, and that child then goes off a whole lot of waiting lists and everyone bumps up one...on every list.
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Actually, I wasn't aware that you could ask to be added to the waiting list at any number of schools. Certainly no-one in School Admissions informed me of that fact.
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Ithat case you should go on the waiting list for any schools you would prefer to the one where you have been given a place. On each list you will be put in a position, which in practice, in your case will depend on the straight line distance from the school whose waiting list you have joined.
Also be aware that if you are close to a Borough boundary, you can apply for schools in other boroughs also.
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So in practice, as I am already on the witing lists for my three nearest schools, joining the lists of more schools further away doesn't actually help us. What you don't mention is the fact that families are just as likely to move in to the area as away from it, bumping us down the waiting list. We know of another family who have put in an offer on a house in Cavendish Road solely to get their child into South Harringay Infants.
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It does depend on the area; in inner London there is a net tendency for families with children to move away (further out). Particularly pronounced feature in south Islington, and not uncommon in N. Islington. Often when people have a second child. It may be that where you live could count as a place that families move to. And yes , due to people moving in, you can go down a list as well as up. Regarding your point about going on the waiting list for schools further way than your nearest three, you are probably right. However remember it is not the distance from the school that matters, it is where you are on the waiting list and whether enough people ahead of you leave the list for whatever reason.
I am aware that nothing I can write will really make the situation less stressful for you. I can only wish you the best of luck.
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If there are some schools a bit further away, but more convenient/appropriate than the one you've been offered, and that aren't so oversubscribed then you might get higher up their lists? And the people with an offer on a house can only use the address for a school application when the deal actually goes through and they live there.
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Latest update is that my School Admissions Appeal has failed, and I am now 11th (was 10th) in the waiting list for S Harringay.
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