Tommies now not getting their extra places for 2011?

[EmeraldE]

HI all, is this nasty possibility really true? I was so hoping that Tommies would get a higher allocation next year as my DS really wants a place there and I was hoping more places meant more chance! Are there more girls grammar places than boys in the county?

[muminTewkes]

I was hoping the same ...sadly it seems that they wont get the extra places-reason being that there are spaces available at the Crypt i think....fair enough really,if slightly annoying!my ds badly wants a Tommies place too(as do I!)hey ho,just have to work him that lil bit harder i suppose

[Milla]

something to do with the fall in numbers of secondary age pupils generally, but I think that the head is going to appeal against the decision seeing this as a weak excuse and possibly contrary to the admissions procedures.

[EmeraldE]

I am having a little sob!
So does anyone know how many places Crypt has left over?
Does this actually mean that the numbers passing the test are low to the extent that there are not enough passing to fill all the places? How many take the test overall and how many places are there at each school?

Phew that's a lot of questions! Perhaps I should lay off the expresso!

[pixiequeen]

EE, I don't know about Crypt, but Ribston still had 14 spaces after allocations apparently so It's possible the same was true for Crypt. From what I can understand there are still too many children passing compared to places, but the children passing only want certain schools. Same person also said there were 45 appeals for Ribston children who didn't pass clearly do want a place.

Not sure if that helps!

PixieQueen

[Amber]

Think you are right PQ. DS passed comfortably for Crypt but missed Tommy's narrowly (1 mark). We agonised over Crypt but decided it was just too far away, and also there were aspects we didn't feel would have suited DS, so we turned it down. I am not sure how many others are in this position - quite a few I expect, though I think it might change over the next few years as the word on the streets is that Crypt is outperforming Tommy's in some key areas and some parents might switch allegiance.

[EmeraldE]

That's an interesting thought....if Tommies and Crypt were equidistant which would we choose?
I would have a serious look at Crypt. Unfortunately I did not seem to 'process' their open evening as I had been to so many with DS1. Tommies is the school of choice as DS2 is a terrible traveller on a bus and he could walk to Tommies (which I do actually think is his prime motivator!)

[White Knight]

The Head at STRS is unlikely to appeal against the decision. The possibility of academy status has moved the goal posts.

[EmeraldE]

Argg!! I was holding out a chink of hope! It's all but dashed now. However, I do think you are correct White Knight. The heads will all be vying for academy status and putting all their eggs in that basket...shame for those few extra little boys who so badly want a place at Tommies.

PS. I had to look up how to spell 'vying'!
Perhaps should have asked DS1

[cairo]

Oh dear. I do hope the Head & Governors at STRS think long and hard before jumping on the Academy band-wagon. The press seems to think that this will mean oodles of extra cash. The facts don't seem to bear this out. Not only that, but an Academy will have lots of extra legal/HR etc responsibilities to take over. Could be a very costly exercise and I don't understand why Michael Gove seems to be encouraging schools to change their status by September. What's the rush??