home-school distances
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home-school distances
Does anyone know where i can get details of the the maximum home-school distances at which children were offered places last year - I'm particularly interested in Wilmington Grammar.
Also, when it says that places are offered to the top 10% does that mean of everyone in Kent or of those who apply to that school?
many thanks
Also, when it says that places are offered to the top 10% does that mean of everyone in Kent or of those who apply to that school?
many thanks
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Bexley Mum 2
- Posts: 851
- Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
- Location: Bexley
Good luck with finding out home-school distance for Wilmington - I tried last year and failed! It's very frustrating as Bexley sets out its home-school distances so clearly on its website and in its admissions brochure. But maybe there are too many schools for Kent CC to do the same.
I asked Wilmington school direct last year and was told that distance wouldn't be a problem - we're about 6 miles away - but they weren't able to tell me the furthest distance they've gone to in recent years.
Similarly, with Dartford, I rang the school when my eldest was doing the 11+ 3 years ago and was told that it probably wasn't worth applying because of the distance involved (5 plus miles). Yet my second child's friend got into Dartford this year and lives about 8 miles from the school! My second child got his first choice Bexley grammar, but Dartford, which he'd put third, still wrote to us and asked if he'd like to go on their waiting list (so presumably distance wouldn't have been an issue for us after all
).
I don't see why each school can't provide a list of how far out they've gone in previous years - it would be so helpful!
I asked Wilmington school direct last year and was told that distance wouldn't be a problem - we're about 6 miles away - but they weren't able to tell me the furthest distance they've gone to in recent years.
Similarly, with Dartford, I rang the school when my eldest was doing the 11+ 3 years ago and was told that it probably wasn't worth applying because of the distance involved (5 plus miles). Yet my second child's friend got into Dartford this year and lives about 8 miles from the school! My second child got his first choice Bexley grammar, but Dartford, which he'd put third, still wrote to us and asked if he'd like to go on their waiting list (so presumably distance wouldn't have been an issue for us after all
).I don't see why each school can't provide a list of how far out they've gone in previous years - it would be so helpful!
2child mum - you asked a question along the lines of "they say they offer places to the top 10%" - what does this mean?
I don't know what it means, but I could find it out for you if you have time to give a bit more information - who says this? where can I read it?
Kent does as the crow flies distances for school admissions, and appropriate routes for transport support. I didn't know that other LEAs still did weird things with routes for admissions purposes.
I don't know what it means, but I could find it out for you if you have time to give a bit more information - who says this? where can I read it?
Kent does as the crow flies distances for school admissions, and appropriate routes for transport support. I didn't know that other LEAs still did weird things with routes for admissions purposes.
"Kent LA uses Ordnance Survey address point data. Ordnance Survey address point references are seven digits long and
accurate to within a metre. The central point of your property as defined by Ordnance Survey is taken as one end of a straight line, with a defined address point reference on the school site as the other end. The same address point on the school site is used for everybody. When we apply the distance criterion for an oversubscribed Community school, these straight line measurements are used to determine how close each applicant’s address is to the school."
and
"Note: Kent LA supplies Ordnance Survey address point data to all schools for ease of reference, but you will find that [b]some Foundation and Aided schools and Academies use different methods to measure distances from applicants’ homes.[/b] This will be clearly explained in each school’s oversubscription criteria. Where a school has not explained that it will use a different method, the method used here will apply."
Kent 2009 Admissions booklet
accurate to within a metre. The central point of your property as defined by Ordnance Survey is taken as one end of a straight line, with a defined address point reference on the school site as the other end. The same address point on the school site is used for everybody. When we apply the distance criterion for an oversubscribed Community school, these straight line measurements are used to determine how close each applicant’s address is to the school."
and
"Note: Kent LA supplies Ordnance Survey address point data to all schools for ease of reference, but you will find that [b]some Foundation and Aided schools and Academies use different methods to measure distances from applicants’ homes.[/b] This will be clearly explained in each school’s oversubscription criteria. Where a school has not explained that it will use a different method, the method used here will apply."
Kent 2009 Admissions booklet
Hi perplexed - I find the reference to the top 10% here -
http://www.kent.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/87D ... s09_HZ.pdf
in the secondary schools admission booklet.
I'm not sure if it means top 10% of everyone who took the test or top 10% of those who apply to Wilmington - and if the latter whether that changes if boys in the top 10% have another higher preference school - ie does the top 10% then move down the list? (not sure that makes sense!)
Many thanks
http://www.kent.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/87D ... s09_HZ.pdf
in the secondary schools admission booklet.
I'm not sure if it means top 10% of everyone who took the test or top 10% of those who apply to Wilmington - and if the latter whether that changes if boys in the top 10% have another higher preference school - ie does the top 10% then move down the list? (not sure that makes sense!)
Many thanks
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Bexley Mum 2
- Posts: 851
- Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
- Location: Bexley
How curious. I guess it means that, applying their selection criteria in order, they'll give places to any looked after children first. Then if say they have 600 applicants for their 140 places (can't remember exact no.s) then they'd give places to the 10% or 60 children with the highest scores regardless of where they live. The remaining 80 places would then be allocated on distance. I presume!
I've just phoned them and they wouldn't give distances but said that we (in New Eltham) should be ok for a place. The top 10% bit means of the boys who apply there - but I'm not sure what happens if their top 10% all decide to go else where.
Bexley mum 2 - i see what you mean about giving 10% of places - maybe it means 10% of the 140 places. However the wording is "...boys who have shown an exceptional performance. This corresponds to the top 10%"
The lady on the phone did say it was the top 10% of the boys who applied.
I don't know why I'm worrying really - as DS only finished one of the 3 papers i doubt whether he is near the top 10% however they work it out.
Wouldn't life be easier if all the schools had the same criteria and were evenly spaced from each other!
Bexley mum 2 - i see what you mean about giving 10% of places - maybe it means 10% of the 140 places. However the wording is "...boys who have shown an exceptional performance. This corresponds to the top 10%"
The lady on the phone did say it was the top 10% of the boys who applied.
I don't know why I'm worrying really - as DS only finished one of the 3 papers i doubt whether he is near the top 10% however they work it out.
Wouldn't life be easier if all the schools had the same criteria and were evenly spaced from each other!