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Dobromiracle
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 4:59 pm 
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Hi All,

I am considering appealing for a place at Dr Challoners Grammar for my son who passed the 11+ but was not offered a place due to distance. Firstly, this was our son's preferred school and secondly, my daughter is in year 8 at Dr Challoners High and we were hoping that he can get a place in DCG so they can travel together (most of the way) and feel part of the same community (the schools organise quite a few events together). Unfortunately, as these schools do not apply the sibling criteria (which all other such schools in the area seem to do), he did not get a place. Do you think we have any reasonable chance of success appealing on these grounds? Thank you for your help!
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Guest55
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 5:17 pm 
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No, I'm sorry to say that you are unlikely to win as they run their own appeals and few succeed. Are you in catchment? The allocation distances are very small each year; did you look at this?

Only AGS and AHS have cross sibling admission [they are physically next to each other] and I don't know any others in Bucks that do. The schools are not even that close together.

Have you been allocated another Bucks GS?
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Dobromiracle
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 5:48 pm 
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Guest55, thank you for your quick reaponse. I have the same feeling, but I wonder whether I should try nevertheless. We live just outside Bucks, but as our daughter was allocated a place straight away (I guess she was lucky), our son decided to give it a go as well and DCG is the nearest grammar to us. He got an academic place in St Clement Danes which is just across the border in Herts.

Regarding the siblings criteria, I did indeed had the Aylesbury schools in mind but also the Watford ones which are the only same sex schools around having both a boys and a girls school and both apply the siblings criterion. I wasn't aware the Aylesbury ones are next to each other, but I know the Watford are quite some distance apart.


Last edited by Dobromiracle on Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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anotherdad
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 5:56 pm 
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Wycombe High School and John Hampden Grammar School are across the road from one another and they don't have a sibling admissions criterion either. I think Guest55 is correct that it's only AGS and AHS in Bucks that do.

DCHS and DCGS are over two miles apart but yes, they do share some events. In fact, I'm really glad they do, because I wouldn't be here otherwise - my parents met at a joint school dance many years ago...
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Dobromiracle
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:09 pm 
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Anotherdad, how nice about your parents!!!

I meant schools that are kind of the same, like the Aylesbury, Dr Challoner's, Watford, etc. However, I do realise the Chaloner's schools, although sharing the same name and having a historical connection, are technically diffderent schools.


Last edited by Dobromiracle on Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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anotherdad
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:21 pm 
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Have a read through the appeals section. You will have to prove that your son's need for a place outweighs the school's capability and capacity to accommodate an extra pupil. That's never easy and as Guest55 says, very few appeals succeed at DCGS.
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Guest55
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:34 pm 
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Yes AHS was 'grown' from AGS so it is closely connected.

To be successful in appeal I think you'd need very strong reasons i.e. something unique at DCGS that your DS really needs.
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Dobromiracle
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:29 pm 
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Yes, and this is my issue I guess. How could one possibly know what is so unique about a particular school, something that it does that other schools don't? And is there really such a thing? At the end of the day they all have to follow similar curriculum. Grammars obviously differ from comprehensives as far as the level / depth of material, but other than that they all comply with certain regulations. Am I wrong?

We have been to the open evening of all Bucks grammars suitable for boys but I don't think you can get more than a 'feeling' about the school and what it offers through such visits. My son loved DCG and was mesmerised by its IT deparments and the coding the students were engaged in at the time, but certainly, other schools will also have similar provision and activities!
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anotherdad
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:40 pm 
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Dobromiracle wrote:
Yes, and this is my issue I guess. How could one possibly know what is so unique about a particular school, something that it does that other schools don't? And is there really such a thing? At the end of the day they all have to follow similar curriculum. Grammars obviously differ from comprehensives as far as the level / depth of material, Do they? Where have you heard that? but other than that they all comply with certain regulations. Am I wrong?

We have been to the open evening of all Bucks grammars suitable for boys but I don't think you can get more than a 'feeling' about the school and what it offers through such visits. My son loved DCG and was mesmerised by its IT deparments and the coding the students were engaged in at the time, but certainly, other schools will also have similar provision and activities!

If there isn't a burning reason why you want your son to attend DCGS then why are you considering appealing? If you yourself don't consider it to offer anything exceptionally suited to your son, how would you convince a panel?

I'm being deliberately critical to make you think about why you're appealing. You have suggested a potential reason in your last paragraph. If they do offer something in IT that other schools don't and you have evidence of your son's strong interest or aptitude in IT, it's a place to start.


Last edited by anotherdad on Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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scary mum
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:40 pm 
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Have you looked in the appeals section?
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=35032
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