are there questions to be answered by KCC

Eleven Plus (11+) in Kent

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fairie
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:15 pm

are there questions to be answered by KCC

Post by fairie »

Read this in our local paper and with the comments about grammar school places and allocation frustration this year, I am wondering if KCC are 'bending' the rules, or being quoted out of context.(see highlighted part)

"EIGHT out of 10 children have been offered a place at their first-choice secondary school in Kent this year, a small increase on last year.

Thousands of 10-and 11-yearolds found out on Monday the outcome of their applications for secondary school places.

But a computer glitch meant a number of parents were able to find out sooner than expected after several were able to access a website notifying them of their applications a day earlier.

County education chiefs say more than 80 per cent of children – 12,725 pupils – will be going to the school they most wanted in September, compared with 78.5 per cent last year.

A further 11 per cent were allocated a place at their second preference – 1,753 children.

Almost four per cent – 620 children – did not receive a place at any of the four schools they opted for and were allocated a school by the council. About 17,500 applications were processed this year, with 15,890 coming from Kent families.
But as in previous years, the scramble for places at the most heavily over-subscribed schools has resulted in disappointment for some. KCC said about 100 children who passed the 11-plus had not at this stage been offered a grammar school place.

Cllr Sarah Hohler (Con), KCC cabinet member for children’s services, said that did not mean those children would not eventually be offered a grammar school place, adding: “Last year, parents told us they did not like being offered a place that involved a long journey. This does not mean we have no available places at grammars, but for now we have allocated a place at a wide-ability school which is much nearer to their home.â€
dadofkent
Posts: 515
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 2:05 pm

Re: are there questions to be answered by KCC

Post by dadofkent »

[quote="fairie"]Read this in our local paper and with the comments about grammar school places and allocation frustration this year, I am wondering if KCC are 'bending' the rules, or being quoted out of context.(see highlighted part)

"EIGHT out of 10 children have been offered a place at their first-choice secondary school in Kent this year, a small increase on last year.

Thousands of 10-and 11-yearolds found out on Monday the outcome of their applications for secondary school places.

But a computer glitch meant a number of parents were able to find out sooner than expected after several were able to access a website notifying them of their applications a day earlier.

County education chiefs say more than 80 per cent of children – 12,725 pupils – will be going to the school they most wanted in September, compared with 78.5 per cent last year.

A further 11 per cent were allocated a place at their second preference – 1,753 children.

Almost four per cent – 620 children – did not receive a place at any of the four schools they opted for and were allocated a school by the council. About 17,500 applications were processed this year, with 15,890 coming from Kent families.
But as in previous years, the scramble for places at the most heavily over-subscribed schools has resulted in disappointment for some. KCC said about 100 children who passed the 11-plus had not at this stage been offered a grammar school place.

Cllr Sarah Hohler (Con), KCC cabinet member for children’s services, said that did not mean those children would not eventually be offered a grammar school place, adding: “Last year, parents told us they did not like being offered a place that involved a long journey. This does not mean we have no available places at grammars, but for now we have allocated a place at a wide-ability school which is much nearer to their home.â€
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Post by mystery »

It looks like the most sensible, and informative quote I have ever seen from a Councillor of any party.

It also puts the whole thing in perspective. If there are only 100 children who have passed the 11+ who have not been offered a grammar school at this stage, that really is not very many across the whole of Kent.

The only thing it does not tell you, is how many children who passed have been offered a grammar school too far away to get to e.g. 90 mins or more each way. However, the statement does say that they have offered non-selectives rather than distant grammar schools, so if this is true, there are no hidden numbers.
Blakesmum
Posts: 81
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:43 pm

Post by Blakesmum »

Love the way its rounded down. 114 children didn't get a grammar place. [/b]
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

It seems they are damned if they do and damned if they don;t..

after the complaints when they offered grammars even though they were too far away they have tried to keep things at a sensible distance. You can;t please everyone...
frustrated
Posts: 299
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:28 am
Location: kent

Post by frustrated »

Cllr Sarah Hohler (Con), KCC cabinet member for children’s services, said that did not mean those children would not eventually be offered a grammar school place, adding: “Last year, parents told us they did not like being offered a place that involved a long journey. This does not mean we have no available places at grammars, but for now we have allocated a place at a wide-ability school which is much nearer to their home.â€
SSM
Posts: 646
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:09 pm

Post by SSM »

There will also be children turning down GS places for Indie schools.

I suppose though it does also depend if the 114 are scuttered around the county or in a certain area.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Post by mystery »

I would guess they are scuttered! Although it looks as though there might be a cluster in East Kent where people have bodged their CAFs!!
frustrated
Posts: 299
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:28 am
Location: kent

Post by frustrated »

Yep, we put an all ability school on our form simply because we got stuck.

There were really only two schools for us, both grammars, but we went by advice given to us that 'if we only put grammar schools down, we would definitely get a grammar place, but not necessarily one of our choice' and after hearing stories of people having to travel across Kent, we didn't want that, so the all ability school was added so that we wouldn't face that situation, and even though we didn't want to put it down, it doesn't make a difference because in our eyes there wasn't a third choice, and we would still be in the same situation anyway of being offered a school that we don't want.

We did look at other grammars, but our choices were based around how the school would suit our child, not just the fact that they were grammars. Putting the choice of all ability school down was a long shot, but it went against us in the end, and now we need to appeal.

Ho hum, that's what we get when we are fussy about particular grammar schools I suppose.
SSM
Posts: 646
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:09 pm

Post by SSM »

Don't beat yourself up about it.

I think that even thought KCC try to be clear in saying, be honest about the choices you put on CAF and don't try to be tactical, you still get conflicting advice from others.

Like you said there were only two GSs you wanted so put those down on your CAF, if you had put a GS which you didn't want as third and fourth, then you would still be in the same situation.
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