Twgsb accepting out of county!

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Chocolatey Mum
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:49 pm

Twgsb accepting out of county!

Post by Chocolatey Mum »

Just heard an appeal for a boy in Sussex got in to TWGSB.

I thought they only took boys from within the county.

Probably will be giving hope to others in the same situation.

I wonder how this school will cope if they continue to take in so many over PAN each year?

Anyone know if this is an exception or the norm?
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Twgsb accepting out of county!

Post by Etienne »

Admission arrangements cannot discriminate against 'out of county' pupils - although they could give priority to 'in catchment' children.

Apart from infant classes with 30 children, an appeal panel can allow any appeal if it thinks that the individual case is strong enough to outweigh the prejudice to the school (and that the school could cope).
Etienne
Just1-2go
Posts: 523
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:43 pm
Location: Twells

Re: Twgsb accepting out of county!

Post by Just1-2go »

I do know of a few boys who go to TWGSB from out of county most from crowborough- you have to remember that the county line isn't far in that direction.
Chocolatey Mum
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:49 pm

Re: Twgsb accepting out of county!

Post by Chocolatey Mum »

Thank you Ettienne. That explains it. I had no idea you can appeal to a school out of county if the admission criteria says it only takes 'in area' !

I don't know how many appeals have been successful for TWGSB this year, but they have accepted enough in past years to make an extra form. This makes me wonder how the school will cope if this continues as they do not have enough space going up through the school into the older years.
The head has previously protested that the school do not want to take more than PAN but his case is obviously not well represented at the appeals compared to, say Skinners/Judd or even TWGGS.

Is it a case that TWGSB should start to consider changing to a foundation school so that it can have their own appeal panel and have more control?
(I will confess to not really understanding how this all works and apologise now for my ignorance. :oops: )
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Twgsb accepting out of county!

Post by mystery »

Hopefully any appeal panel is independent, whatever the body responsible for putting it together .............. but maybe I am being too naive.

Also, don't think there is such a thing as a school admission policy that categorically says it only takes "in area" pupils - whatever in area is - it's all a bit more subtle than that - oversubscription criteria etc. And it's still not OK really to draw things up purely based on county boundaries ......... there have to be other logical reasons for why certain areas are given higher priority than others in the oversubscription criteria.

Also, the success or failure of an appeal, as Etienne said, is not based on a where you live argument. The admissions policy does not come into play in the consideration of appeals arguments - if it did it would just be like another waiting list.
tigger2
Posts: 755
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:35 am

Re: Twgsb accepting out of county!

Post by tigger2 »

Hello Chocolatey Mum ! Just wanted to let you know that 18 appeals were successful this year...I think 57 were heard

Tigger x
tonbridgemum
Posts: 421
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:46 pm

Re: Twgsb accepting out of county!

Post by tonbridgemum »

Just out of interest, how do TWGSB fit in an extra 18 boys (on appeal?). I know they have taken an extra form before but this isnt enough for another form. What happens?
57 appeals this year. Thats a huge amount. so sad for so many disappointed families. :(
kentmum1
Posts: 232
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:58 pm

Re: Twgsb accepting out of county!

Post by kentmum1 »

Hi Tigger 2

Is the 18 definitely the official figure? I have a friend whose son has got in on appeal and wanted to know how many were successful. I know the school can just about fit an extra 12 and in an ideal world would take just 6, but 18 means there will be classes of 33, which is going to be tough on space, although perhaps better than having to bring in emergency staff of a lower quality. Some classrooms will find it very difficult to accommodate this number of students, particularly in the language/geography block. I think Judd has been having up to at least 32 per class and Skinners also but I think 32 should be the limit in any one form.
tigger2
Posts: 755
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:35 am

Re: Twgsb accepting out of county!

Post by tigger2 »

Hi..they plan to spread the extra numbers amongst the usual number of forms...I understand that of the 18 there were 5 non qualifiers and of the 13 qualified the info from kcc was that they were all out of catchment.

Tigger
x
kentmum1
Posts: 232
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:58 pm

Re: Twgsb accepting out of county!

Post by kentmum1 »

Sorry I meant to explain that the emergency staff would have been for an extra form. It is hard to recruit the best staff at the end of the academic year as the best staff have usually have found other jobs earlier in the year, to be able to give notice to start anew job in Sept. This is the main issue with any school suddenly being told that they will have to have an extra form in July!
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