Have you moved home to secure a school place for your child?

Comments

• Donna

  September 2015

  PS if you want to know that I am legit, here's my journalisted profile: http://journalisted.com/donna-ferguson

  Share on Facebook
• miss annie

  September 2015

  So sad that people do this. I bet every single person reading this just went to the school nearest home, unless religion sent them elsewhere. Competitive parents make the situation for those children whose parents can't afford to move house at the drop of a hat much worse. Go to your local school, volunteer, become a school governor. Make things better for ALL the kids not just yours.

  Share on Facebook
• Sutent

  September 2015

  Yes I agree Miss Annie. The evidence also suggests that selective Grammar school only flavours wealthy families as they can afford the prep school/coaching and relocating. I still can't believe in 2015 we still have discriminatory religious schools

  Share on Facebook
• graeme

  September 2015

  "Hi I have a story idea which rather than attack the fundamental issues of tax avoidance, land value tax, offshore havens and politicians and power-brokers benefiting from quantative easing while the population suffer, would rather make it about 'hard pressed families' and 'oh dear what ever can be done about it...nothing oh well wish I'd been born rich like Jemima.  The end."

  Share on Facebook
• miss annie

  September 2015

  <p>For The Guardian/Observer innit. Nuff said.</p>

  Share on Facebook
• miss annie

  September 2015

  We have more religious schools nowadays don't we? More diverse range of faiths. I absolutely don't agree with faith schools but they pay more to attract better teachers and so are very popular with non religious parents too. The hypocrisy of atheists and non believers sending children to faith schools has always amazed me.

  Share on Facebook
• Donna

  September 2015 edited September 2015

  It always amuses me that whenever I post on a forum asking for case studies, no matter what the idea for the story is, someone comes on and slags it off.<div>Graeme, if you want to write about those things, write about them. No one is stopping you. I'm going to write about what I want to. But please, do me the courtesy of waiting until you've read it to judge me. You don't know in advance what I'm going to say or anything about why I've chosen this topic.</div><div><br></div><div>Miss Annie, I totally agree with you about becoming a governor. Very interesting point, thank you.</div><div><br></div><div>I've got enough case studies now but thanks everyone for your help. </div><div><br></div>

  Share on Facebook
• Ali

  September 2015

  <font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri"><font size="3">I think I am right that there have been a few people around here who have lived in the catchment area for St Aidans<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>got the 1</font><font size="2">^st</font><font size="3"> kids <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in and after a few years as the kids get older <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>either rent near to or buy in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Foritismere catchment area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Through sibling rights the next kids get to go to St Aidans and of course Forismere as a secondary as they are in the catchment area.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></font></font></p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">They could also move back to SG and still get preferential siblings rights at Foristmere.<o:p></o:p></font></font></p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">That is all very unfair. If they move to Forismere at the start of the following year all the primary kids should go to the local primary school in the new <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>catchment area. If they move back to SG they should again go to say IAMS as it is the local catchment school. <o:p></o:p></font></font></p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">Doing that would put a stop to a lot of this and would focus parents on putting energy into getting the local school improved.<o:p></o:p></font></font></p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">SGS quite often struggles to have two classes in year 6 and has to merge them with yr 5 because so many people have moved for what they perceive are better schools. Some of the moves will be because they <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>can’t afford a bigger accommodation so move to Kent (for Grammar Schools) etc. The move to secondary for <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the kids is usually the catalyst which start the move off. <o:p></o:p></font></font></p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font>

  Share on Facebook
• Papa

  September 2015

  In my experience, all our primary schools round here are pretty good - although I know some people do move to get the one they want and there are some weird and very tight catchment areas.<div><br></div><div>For example if you live more than halfway down Hanley Road towards Stroud Green Road, then you probably won't get into Duncombe, which is essentially at the end of the road.<br><div><br></div><div>I think it is secondary where this becomes a bigger issue - it's an even bigger one outside of London where kids can get sent to another town that would take them 40 minutes to get to.</div></div>

  Share on Facebook
• Fin

  September 2015

  I know you said you had enough now Donna but virtually everyone I deal with (via my work) who moves to Muswell Hill does so for this reason so I can probably help out if still needed. Let me know.

  Share on Facebook
• Donna

  September 2015

  Thanks very much. That's very kind but the article has already been filed and will be in the Observer on Sunday. Really appreciate the offer though. <div>Kind regards</div><div>Donna</div>

  Share on Facebook
• Fin

  September 2015

  No problem!

  Share on Facebook
• Donna

  September 2015

  <font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;">This is the article if anyone is interested:</span></font><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;">http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/sep/20/parents-paid-thousands-live-near-better-schools#comments</span></font><br></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;">Thanks again to all who contributed to this thread for your time and help.</span></font></div>

  Share on Facebook