Disappointed kids.....

[freethepeeps]

Theres loads of them about in London, thanks to the new Pan-London schools admission system, which was going to ensure that every kid got offered a place at a school of their choice. Loads of 10/11 year olds visiting schools, taking tests, worrying and having to wait till March 1st, when it would all be sorted out, and they'd know which school they were going to.

In Junior peeps class, 22 of the 30 kids including Junior, all received letters saying that their applications were unsuccesful etc etc etc, and they haven't been offered a place at all. Helpfully, it even allowed for an appeal against the decision.... :rolleyes: and then ever so kindly suggested that they could apply for a place in any of the schools boroughs. Yeah, so much for choice. No schools, a sense of failure for many of the kids and an offer of a place at any failing school the borough fancies putting them in.

On the other hand, other kids are struggling with too much choice as they have received two or or more offers, something that wasn't supposed to happen under the new system.

Kensington (http://www.kensingtontimes.co.uk/content/kensington/times/news/story.aspx?brand=KTNTOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsktnt&itemid=WeED02%20Mar%202005%2015%3A57%3A17%3A870), and Croydon (http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.575341.0.glitch_leads_to_many_places.p hp) are amongst those reporting "glitches"

Grrrr.......

[Kermit]

A "choice" initiative completely failing to work?

I never thought I'd see the day :yeees:

[morrocan roll]

the word 'choice' has become politicised and is all bollox to me.
i'm not convinced that all this choice is a good thing.

[Kentish]

Don't even get me started on the Greenwich ruling...

[freethepeeps]

Well, today I received a letter from a Borough I didn't apply to, offering a place at a school that wasn't on the list, and isn't even remotely appropriate for Junior peeps.

Its a school where "In total, 30% of students achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C, compared to 26.2% last year."

and where the intake tends to be kids who have under achieved at junior school. JP is already achieving level 5 in her SATS.

Whilst I have all sorts of intellectual problems with the concept of choice, I also have a responsibility to Junior - who after all is the person who will have to attend secondary schooling for the next 7 or 8 years.

If these tossers can't even deliver what they say they can for London kids going into Year 7, then how the hell are we supposed to believe that a database for the whole population can be achieved without major problems for many individuals.

Grrrrrr.........

ETA: The compter system was supplied by Capita (http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=2305&topicId=100007160&docId=l:262374598&start=4)

[twisted_trinity]

In Norwich, all schools will accept kids from other areas of the city....apart from CNS, which now happens to be the best school in the city due to it's placement in the nice posh south area.

I was lucky to get into the high school i did. just a shame that they put me in bottom sets for everything when my sats were all level 6. fuckers.

[Man Of Kent]

Funnily enough it worked quite well down here, but then choice has been in operation since I was a kid...

Of course not everyone will get their first choice, capacity constraints dictate that. But most parnets get one of their three choices, unless they put all grammar school and the child fails the entrance test...