First time and panicking ! TW Boys possible ?

[Chrisskillett]

Our son has passed and he really likes TW boys but we live in east Peckham (Kent not London !). From what I've read there are kids that get in from outside the 3 mile radius but can anyone say realistically what chance we have ?
Second choice is Oakwood but we'd probably be too far for first round of selections there too.
If we just put those 2 down and hope for the best is that sensible ??

Any advice very gratefully received please

[DaddyOh]

Hi - we are in East Peckham too!

My understanding is that if you just put two schools down and leave the other spaces blank if neither offer you a place the council will feel free to give you a place at a heavily undersubscribed (for which read rubbish...) school.

If it were me I'd fill the other places with other schools you like (I understand Mascalls grammar stream is pretty good and being in East Peckham you should be basically guaranteed a place there).

Sadly leaving the other places blank doesn't strengthen your case for those you have put on your CAF it just increases your chances of getting a really rubbish one.

Having said that I've heard of some boys getting places at Oakwood and TWBGS from East Peckham in the last few years (but not on the first round I don't think).



DaddyOh

[Chrisskillett]

Thanks ! Have your kids got in to grammar from EP ?
I agree Mascalls would be a sensible 3rd choice - heaven only knows what the 4th would be !

If we were to get offered Mascalls, do we have to give them an answer while we go through the waiting list / appeals process with the others ?

[DaddyOh]

So far we've been lucky and gotten them into the super-selectives.

You can accept an offer from anywhere and still appeal or go on a waiting list, all you need to do is let the school know if you later accept an offer from somewhere else.

After the first round of waiting list offers by KCC (in April May-ish I think) the lists are then run by the schools rather than KCC so you can deal with them directly at that point.

I thought I heard Oakwood were changing their oversubscription criteria to be straight distance rather than the old certain parishes criteria they had, if so that should improve your chances from East Peckham especially if you are the Maidstone side.

[Chrisskillett]

Ok last question before we post and hope !
There is a box for additional information against each school - is there any point putting anything in that ?

[DaddyOh]

I think that depends which schools you put on the form, some require additional information. If I recall correctly Bennet Memorial require a letter from your vicar detailing the extent of your godliness.

Best to check the schools you choose in the admissions handbook (you should have been sent on before the whole process started) I think the details for each school are there.


Good luck!

[tonbridgemum]

I think that depends which schools you put on the form, some require additional information. If I recall correctly Bennet Memorial require a letter from your vicar detailing the extent of your godliness.

Best to check the schools you choose in the admissions handbook (you should have been sent on before the whole process started) I think the details for each school are there.


Good luck!

DaddyOh - unless this has changed this year, there is no requirement at Bennett to detail your 'Godliness'. You only need to fill in the supplement form which is a box to tick and a vicar signature which is an agreement with the box category you have ticked.

[DaddyOh]

I think that depends which schools you put on the form, some require additional information. If I recall correctly Bennet Memorial require a letter from your vicar detailing the extent of your godliness.

Best to check the schools you choose in the admissions handbook (you should have been sent on before the whole process started) I think the details for each school are there.


Good luck!

DaddyOh - unless this has changed this year, there is no requirement at Bennett to detail your 'Godliness'. You only need to fill in the supplement form which is a box to tick and a vicar signature which is an agreement with the box category you have ticked.

I'm guessing from the oversubscription criteria they list those categories you mention are categories of 'godliness' (oversubscription criteria b-f in their 2013 literature) I suppose pre-set categories are a more efficient way of weeding out the heathens than letters would be.