SWBGS Propossed admissions changes

[kittymum]

Parents received a letter today outlining a Propossed change to year 7 admissions from 2018.

In addition to the PAN on 120 the school plans to admit 2 children living within the schools catchment area, in receipt of FSM who have scored at least 110.

The full consultation document is available on the schools website.

As a parent of two children at SWBGS I fully support this proposed change.

[anotherdad]

That's interesting. If implemented, let's see how long it takes for someone in greater London to ask about what they have to do to "get on the FSM list"...

[kittymum]

I think it's a really great proposal. The places are only open to catchment children who have been resident by certain dates - can't remember dates but they are on the schools website.

[anotherdad]

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a move in the right direction and something I'd like to see the other grammar schools considering as a patch to their flawed process. I just fully expect some people will seize upon ways to try and exploit it!

[Guest55]

Yes - the rules on PP can be very easy to circumnavigate for those wanting to.

"The pupil premium for 2016 to 2017 will include pupils recorded in the January 2016 school census who are known to have been eligible for free school meals (FSM) since May 2010, as well as those first known to be eligible at January 2016"
http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/25043/1/Pupil%20p ... GOV_UK.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So the family can claim benefits for a week and PP status lasts for 6 years ...

[K76]

Won't there will be lots of children who live in catchment who scored over 110? How will they decide which two children to take? The ones that live closest as long as score was over 110 or the two that got the highest (un-qualifying) score but anywhere in catchment?

It's too late for us now but I think it is a really nice idea.

[anotherdad]

Won't there will be lots of children who live in catchment who scored over 110? How will they decide which two children to take? The ones that live closest as long as score was over 110 or the two that got the highest (un-qualifying) score but anywhere in catchment?

From the draft admissions policy:

"Should there be more eligible applicants than places available then the distance tie-breaker will apply ie places will be offered to those living closest to the school."

[kittymum]

Won't there will be lots of children who live in catchment who scored over 110? How will they decide which two children to take? The ones that live closest as long as score was over 110 or the two that got the highest (un-qualifying) score but anywhere in catchment?

It's too late for us now but I think it is a really nice idea.

They also have to be FSM.

[K76]

They also have to be FSM.

I am really sorry but what is does FSM mean in this context? I googled it and it came up with Flying Spaghetti Monster

[ToadMum]

They also have to be FSM.

I am really sorry but what is does FSM mean in this context? I googled it and it came up with Flying Spaghetti Monster

Free School Meals. The places are for children attracting the Pupil Premium. Is the school in a particularly un-deprived area? Only two places for PP applicants with a standardised score up to 11 points below the normal cut-off, when that cut-off itself is designed to identify the top ?30%. Obviously this cuts the numbers down quite a lot - but surely quite a few would fall into that category?