In catchment - Primary School Dilema

Eleven Plus (11+) in Essex

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Dads Gift
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:29 pm

In catchment - Primary School Dilema

Post by Dads Gift »

Hi Every one,

I am new to this forum and also new to 11+ Journey.

My daughter is in Year 4 right now.
We are thinking of moving to Chelmsford so that we can be inside the catchment for CCHS.

My daughter will write her 11+ exam in Sep 2020.
To consider ourself for inside catchment for CCHS, I have 2 questions

1> By what date we should move inside the catchment area?
2> Does my daughter need to study ( Yr5 and Yr6) in a school which is inside catchment?

Currently we are in Redbridge council and DD is going to a good school, me and my wife work very near to her school,we dont mind sending her to same school she in currently even after moving inside catchment. More over my DD likes to go to the same school until she finishes Yr6.

Please give your advice.
Wisihing good luck to all 11+ Parents and Kids.
ToadMum
Posts: 11945
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: In catchment - Primary School Dilema

Post by ToadMum »

Hello :)

Have you had a look at the admissions policy for CCHS on the school's website?

http://www.cchs.co.uk/wp-content/upload ... -Entry.pdf

Permanent Home Address
Only one address can be used for the application. In applying these admission arrangements ‘permanent home address’ will be defined as the permanent place of residence of the parent with whom the pupil spends the majority of the school week (Sunday to Thursday nights inclusive) at the time the online registration form is submitted for the CCHS Entrance Test, or the date it is received by the Admissions Office, if applying by post. The exception to this is if the family are returning from abroad to a previous permanent place of residence within the priority area (documentary evidence will be required), are members of the Diplomatic Service or Armed Forces.


So as things stood for those who took the exam last September, the last date by which the candidate had to be living within catchment for at least the majority of the school week was June 27th 2018, the date registration closed.

And no, there are no named feeder schools.

Bear in mind that there is no guarantee that a candidate will actually qualify for a place, so you might think to look at the other secondary schools within the catchment area, taking their admissions criteria carefully into consideration. You can check the priority admissions area for addresses in Essex on the Essex CC website, as well as each school's policy in the Secondsry Admissions booklet, which is also on the website,

As for keeping your DD at her Redbridge school until the end of year 6, it does solve the problem for you of finding a mid-year place at a primary school near your new address, so that's up to you. However, if you decide to move to somewhere within the CCHS catchment area where the non-selective alternative does have 'attending a specified feeder school' as a higher criterion than 'living in priority admissions area', you might want to consider applying for a local place.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Dads Gift
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:29 pm

Re: In catchment - Primary School Dilema

Post by Dads Gift »

Thanks Toad Mum for the prompt reply.

So there is no requirement that kid should attend a primary school with in the catchment even though the permanent address is inside catchment.
( The Admission Policy document doesnt mention anything about Primary school )

I will also look in to Feeder schools criteria just to be safe side.
ToadMum
Posts: 11945
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: In catchment - Primary School Dilema

Post by ToadMum »

Dads Gift wrote:Thanks Toad Mum for the prompt reply.

So there is no requirement that kid should attend a primary school with in the catchment even though the permanent address is inside catchment.
( The Admission Policy document doesnt mention anything about Primary school )

I will also look in to Feeder schools criteria just to be safe side.
The only 'geographical' aspect of the CCHS admissions policy is the stipulation that to be considered as a an IC applicant, the child has to be living within the designated 12.5 mile radius by the time her registration to sit the entrance test is received by the school. Chelmsford County High does not have feeder schools, but at least one of the comprehensive schools in Chelmsford itself does.

Something else to consider with regard to your DD staying at her Redbridge primary school is that the application for a place - should she do well enough for it to be reasonable for you to name CCHS on your CAF - may come under increased scrutiny. Whereas it is not out of the way for DC to travel some distance to secondary school, primary pupils don't, usually, and her remaining at a primary school well out of catchment may raise suspicion that your house move is not intended to be permanent.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Proudmumregardless
Posts: 304
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 9:09 am

Re: In catchment - Primary School Dilema

Post by Proudmumregardless »

Please move to Chelmsford because you want to move to Chelmsford not because you like the look of one school that your daughter may or may not qualify for entry to.

If she doesn't pass the 11+ what will you do? If you plan to stay in Chelmsford you may be wise to put her in a Chelmsford primary so she at least makes friends and goes to senior school with them as well as look at signing her up into clubs to further make friends

There is more to life than school (signed an ex CCHS girl with a daughter at ColCHS)
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