DGGS - over-subscription criteria
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Yes, the adjudicator will look at the overall compliance with the Admissions Code and can look at any evidence he sees fit. The main issues he will look at are a) are the arrangements clear? b) is there a particular social group unfairly disadvantaged by the admissions arrangement; and c) is freedom of choice to attend the school being unnecessarily limited. Not sure what grounds private school children as a group would have to complain. Choice I guess.Tracy wrote:Would the adjudicator look at the problem on behalf of all parents/children and not just the problem of private kids being denied a place under category 2 of the criteria?
Anyway my advice is to write briefly to the admission adjudicator as soon as possible saying:
1. You are a parent of a school age child within the catchment area of the school;
2. You understand from Kent County Council that the schools admissions arrangements are currently being considered by the adjudicator;
3. You believe that the schools admissions arrangements unfairly disadvantage less advantaged children in [postal code/housing estate/area of deprivation excluded];
4. If it is not too late and if not already covered by the current objection you would like to make an additional submission to the adjudicator to that effect.
The school would have the right to reply to you objections. The whole process is conducted by email or the post so you wouldn't need to go into any 'hearing' type of situation. All pretty painless.
However, you must have some evidence for the unfairness of the arrangements and the exclusion of areas of deprivation or a coherent case to put. Don't go in with gripes without supporting facts or arguments and don't complain about other parent groups - including private parents. Don't even refer to 'private parents' in your email or submission. It will damage your case and damage your chance of helping your son get a place at the school.
KCC put out lots of information about deprivation so a bit of Googling should reap rewards. Try http://www.kent.gov.uk/Community/kent-a ... n-2004.htm for example? What does the catchment area look like when overlaid with relatively poverty data. The nice people at the KCC admissions office might even have stuff to hand that you can use. It is important to remember that the admissions team at KCC are not on the 'side' of these schools and see it as part of their duty to help people like you.
Of course the adjudicators office may say that the decision is about to be handed down at which point you'll just have to wait a few days to find out what the adjudicator has to say. All the decisions are posted on the website.
Anyway worth a try. Good luck.
I have received a large envelope full of correspondence of all the parties involved. So far I'm the only 'parent', all the other parties are schools or larger bodies. From what I have read I can't see how DGSG can possibly think they can get away with this.
Then last week I received a letter stating that the adjudicator would like a meeting in Sept of for all parties who are objecting to the admissions criteria.
I don't have to go but I think I will. 
Then last week I received a letter stating that the adjudicator would like a meeting in Sept of for all parties who are objecting to the admissions criteria.
I don't have to go but I think I will. Hi Tracy, I've been following your topic on DGS, I live in crayford and as DGS is the nearest grammer school to us, we are hoping to get DS in there for 2010. if you'll be going to this meeting, I'll like to come along too, please let me have the detail. Well done!
I wrote to the school a while ago and all they did was confirm that my residence falls outside their zone A!!!!
Well done again!
I wrote to the school a while ago and all they did was confirm that my residence falls outside their zone A!!!!
Well done again!
There seems to be bit of confusion with the grammar school I'm referring to - it's the GIRLS grammar not the boys.
We are not that interested in the school, we prefer Wilmington for DD2, but the fear is that if Dartford Girls Grammar gets away with it then others will follow.
Having read the notes it's clear to me that any girl living on the Bexley side of the boundary will not stand much of a chance in future of gaining a place at this grammar.
The private primaries are up in arms as the new admission criteria effectively dismisses their girls' chances of ever successfully gaining a place there. The reason for this is that Dartford has classified nearly 30 primary schools as being 'local' and kids from these schools would have priority over other applicants. Their definition of 'local' goes as far as the county boundary to the west and absolutely miles to the south and east.
To make matters worse children only have to ATTEND a 'local' primary at the time of application they don't even have to live anywhere near the school, they could live 20-30 miles away!. Yet children from Bexley borough 1-2 miles away wouldn't get places!
In my opinion Dartford is abusing the feeder primary criteria as many of these primaries can no way be classifed as feeder or local. I believe that this is clear discrimination towards kids from neighbouring counties and/or those attending private primaries.
Have got loads of info here so happy to answer questions if I can find the answer in the paperwork!
We are not that interested in the school, we prefer Wilmington for DD2, but the fear is that if Dartford Girls Grammar gets away with it then others will follow.
Having read the notes it's clear to me that any girl living on the Bexley side of the boundary will not stand much of a chance in future of gaining a place at this grammar.
The private primaries are up in arms as the new admission criteria effectively dismisses their girls' chances of ever successfully gaining a place there. The reason for this is that Dartford has classified nearly 30 primary schools as being 'local' and kids from these schools would have priority over other applicants. Their definition of 'local' goes as far as the county boundary to the west and absolutely miles to the south and east.
To make matters worse children only have to ATTEND a 'local' primary at the time of application they don't even have to live anywhere near the school, they could live 20-30 miles away!. Yet children from Bexley borough 1-2 miles away wouldn't get places!
In my opinion Dartford is abusing the feeder primary criteria as many of these primaries can no way be classifed as feeder or local. I believe that this is clear discrimination towards kids from neighbouring counties and/or those attending private primaries.
Have got loads of info here so happy to answer questions if I can find the answer in the paperwork!
I totally agree with the comments made re the unfair system that DGGS are implementing and it does seems the boys school are doing the same.
We live in West Kingsdown and are also going to be penalised by this new criteria. We are not in a feeder school, the cut off seems to be down the road at Anthony Roper but Dartford and Wilmington are our nearest GS. What chance will we have for Dartford - none??!!
We live in West Kingsdown and are also going to be penalised by this new criteria. We are not in a feeder school, the cut off seems to be down the road at Anthony Roper but Dartford and Wilmington are our nearest GS. What chance will we have for Dartford - none??!!
