Is the Sibling Rule Fair ?
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Actually, cross-sibling in Herts refers to the (now defunct) rule whereby a girl with a brother at the boys grammar would get a place at the girls grammar & vice versa (think this criteria may have come after same sex siblings but not sure).Ally wrote:Like your meaning better, but its a half-brother or sister living at the same address
A sibling in Herts means the brother, sister, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister or a child of the parent or partner, in every case living in the same house from Monday to Friday.
The "grammars" in Herts are actually comprehensives. Our big local comp (Queens to those of you who know this area) select 35% of their intake on ability -plus a further 5% on music & 5% on sport. The two schools with "grammar" in their name select less & have to give perference to local kids - I didn't realise Queens had this far lower on their criteria list but that's an aside...
Personally, I'm a supporter of the sibling rule. The only schools I know of that don't have it are true grammars - so I think probably every secondary school in Herts does. Happy to be corrected though!
Marylou - I remember reading about your appeal. Absolutely barmy, to be penalised for having a large gap between your children!
I think that Queens' have the distance rule lower down so that those that don't qualify any other way will get a place on that rule.
There are a minimum of 10% of places that qualify this way and last year less than 35% of places were allocated on the academic test (86 instead of 92, I think) because some of the academic places went to children qualifying on the distance rule.
I'm all for the sibling rule as senior schools if parents wish to use it although only for qualifying siblings in the case of grammar schools. This is the first year we have had 2 children at different schools and it is proving tricky to juggle work and the different holidays at the school already. I'd dread to think of people with 3 or more children finding themselves in the situation of having them all at different secondary schools.
Alison
There are a minimum of 10% of places that qualify this way and last year less than 35% of places were allocated on the academic test (86 instead of 92, I think) because some of the academic places went to children qualifying on the distance rule.
I'm all for the sibling rule as senior schools if parents wish to use it although only for qualifying siblings in the case of grammar schools. This is the first year we have had 2 children at different schools and it is proving tricky to juggle work and the different holidays at the school already. I'd dread to think of people with 3 or more children finding themselves in the situation of having them all at different secondary schools.
Alison
There seem to be different rules in different counties and different schools so no wonder it is confusing.
Try being an OOC with DC in a single sex Bucks grammar, wanting other DC in the single sex grammar next door - schools have close links, used to be one school, but do not follow a sibling rule. If I had 2 DCs of same sex I'd gain from sibling rule, but am disadvantaged by having 1 of each - basically no matter what score DC got (good pass) DC is bottom of the rung......So i'd be happy to drop sibling rule!
Try being an OOC with DC in a single sex Bucks grammar, wanting other DC in the single sex grammar next door - schools have close links, used to be one school, but do not follow a sibling rule. If I had 2 DCs of same sex I'd gain from sibling rule, but am disadvantaged by having 1 of each - basically no matter what score DC got (good pass) DC is bottom of the rung......So i'd be happy to drop sibling rule!
One of my friends has this! First DD got into Watford Girls, 2nd DD followed as sibling. Younger DS obviously went to a different schoolAlisonR wrote:I'd dread to think of people with 3 or more children finding themselves in the situation of having them all at different secondary schools.
. Then year later 1st DD decided to go elsewhere to do her A levels - leaving my friend with three kids in three different secondary schools 
And yes, it's a nightmare! (although I do sympathise with people in your situation too Cats12!).
