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Allocations: press article

Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:53 pm
by Sally-Anne
Hi All

I just spotted an article in the Bucks Examiner this week. Most of it we already know through the Allocation Profile, but I thought people might be interested in the second half of it:
...Chesham High is the only grammar school in this area where there are still places available; 42 at the time of going to press.

...

Debbie Munday, BCC admissions manager, said that children who had not been offered their first choice should not panic.

She said "There is plenty of time bewtween now and September. Each year we are able to make a lot of allocations to people on the waiting list. Many more places become available as people who decide to take up places at independent schools or move out of the area turn down places. For each school we will probably make a minimum of 10 more allocations."

Council figures show that last year, for example, 24 children eventually turned down places at either Dr Challoners Boys or the Royal grammar School in High Wycombe.

Mrs Munday said: Accept the place you have been offered and tell us in writing which waiting list you want to go on to. You also have the right to appeal, but all these things have to be done within 14 days."
Please bear in mind that the comments from Debbie Munday have been made in the context of the Chiltern & South Bucks area, and may not be valid for other parts of the County. In particular, the comment relating to "10 more allocations per school".

However, I think that what applies in Chiltern/South Bucks is mirrored across the County.

If anyone else has relevant sections from local press reports that they would like to post here, please do. (Even better a link, if your local paper's website can save you some typing!)

Sally-Anne

Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:36 pm
by Marylou
Thanks for posting that, Sally-Anne - I'm sure it will give hope to a few worried souls!

I can't find anything in our local press but if anything appears by the weekend I'll supply a link.

Best regards

Marylou

Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 11:15 pm
by Dad40
There's also an article in the Bucks Free Press today.

Unfortunately, it looks like a load of hyped-up guff using misinterpreted stats. On the plus side, the BFP actually has a nice story on the front page which is a bit of a 'first'. :wink:

The schools article does however contain one bit of useful, unhyped info: there are 35 in-catchment pupils who were not allocated their preference for Becky High. For Holmer Green Senior School, the same measure is 24. For RGS, it is 11. All other schools listed for the BFP area were able to offer a place to in-catchment pupils who expressed a preference for their catchment schools.

The rest of the article can be safely used to light a fire !

Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 11:35 pm
by Sally-Anne
Thank you Dad40!

Please could anyone from Aylesbury/Wycombe/Buckingham (and anywhere I have forgotten in between!) please contribute posts from their local press.

S-A