Cross sibling rule for WGSG and WGSB

[Daogroupie]

But look how applications have gone up in the intervening five years. Every year, more and more. I think children of staff will take up a lot more spaces than these schools are anticipating. So what will happen if children of staff push them over Pan? Will they have to rank chilldren of staff? Will the more senior staff pull rank or will it be those who have been there longest? If people are prepared to move their whole family to Potters Bar and have siblings travel miles to go to school then moving jobs does not seem such a big thing. The lengths people will go to have intensified in the last five years. The amount of people we know who upped sticks in Year Six and moved to get into a good school on distance has now reached double figures. Just a couple of yeats ago we did not know anyone. DG

[WP]

But look how applications have gone up in the intervening five years. Every year, more and more.

There's been an increase, but not a huge one. Here are the applications for the last 8 years:

Code: Select all

  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010  2011
  -----------------------------------------------------------------
  1095  1143  1188  1155  1145  1189  1288  1216  Dame Alice Owen's
  1283  1204  1226  1318  1130  1326  1245  1410  Parmiter's
   902   879   880   967  1021  1148  1109  1176  Queen's
   871   905   841   887   943  1002   813   855  Rickmansworth
   586   629   661   721   730   775   749   697  St Clement Danes
   751   705   774   750   750   797   801   812  Watford Boys
   770   740   712   750   717   782   683   701  Watford Girls

[herty]

Interestingly, the numbers for WGGS have actually gone down - wonder if that is because the Head is a bit dragon-like at open days (I suspect to put off the non-academic?).

Now that dd1 is happily ensconced in WGGS, am happy to report to any wondering parents that the head is not at all dragon-like once the girls are there and on the contrary is v encouraging and warm - dd is loving it and I would heartily recommend it to other parents. I have been incredibly impressed with the high standards of the classes - far superior to the teaching I received at HBS 20 odd years ago (can't compare with now, obviously).

[WP]

Interestingly, the numbers for WGGS have actually gone down - wonder if that is because the Head is a bit dragon-like at open days (I suspect to put off the non-academic?).

Now that dd1 is happily ensconced in WGGS, am happy to report to any wondering parents that the head is not at all dragon-like once the girls are there and on the contrary is v encouraging and warm - dd is loving it and I would heartily recommend it to other parents. I have been incredibly impressed with the high standards of the classes - far superior to the teaching I received at HBS 20 odd years ago (can't compare with now, obviously).

When I first went to an open evening, I also came away with the (wrong) idea that the school was very regimented, but I completely agree about the atmosphere once the girls get in.

One theory about the drop-off is that the loss of the cross sibling criterion decreased the attractiveness of the school compared with Parmiter's. On the other hand the Boys' school doesn't seem to have been affected.

[tiffinboys]

Draft Admission codes allow School to give preference to or reserve a number of places for the children of staff, but this is not mandatory as far as I see it.

Many schools may not give any priority to staff's children.

[watford]

Hello Everybody,

Wondering if anyone is going to object to the cross sibling rule coming back? How likely is it that this rule will be implemented?

Worried mum

[Red Dog]

That's a no from me.

It's already there in both of the schools admissions page, so I think it will be.

[RAE]

I think both Heads have made it quite clear that they wanted to reintroduce the cross sibling rule. As I understand it, schools changing to academies can't change their admissions policy for 18 months. Now that that period is up their websites both seem to indicate that the rule will definately apply from Sept 2013 intake. I'm sure there will be some who complain - both schools have asked for written comments by end of Feb. Am sure it will go ahead anyway, but a letter of support wouldn't hurt.

[watford]

Many thanks for taking time to respond.

I guess there is no chance of me banking on distance criteria then even though I only live 730m away from the school!

[Cutting42]

Many thanks for taking time to respond.

I guess there is no chance of me banking on distance criteria then even though I only live 730m away from the school!

You are very close to the cutoff point that was 729m last year, so you have a chance. Better than most actually but I would apply for academic and music and anything else you can think of to give the best chance.