No expansion for HBS - St Michael's is chosen in Barnet

[ToadMum]

According to St Michael's Pupil Premium report for the current school year, at the moment there are 34 students in total for whom the school receives PP funding. Making the not unreasonable assumption, given the current admissions policy, that those 34 are spread over the whole of the school, they are going to have to run an awfully big PR campaign if the intention is to fill 32 places per year from qualifying PP applicants in less than 2 years' time.

Has the school published its consultation document for 2020 entry? I can't find it on the school's or the London Borough of Barnet website.

[CestMoi]

@Toadmum - how do we know that 32 parents of PP children aren't already applying but not getting through the exam?

I hope this works out as it's a great example for all grammar schools.

[ToadMum]

@Toadmum - how do we know that 32 parents of PP children aren't already applying but not getting through the exam?

.

Well, one doesn't know that. But presumably, nor does the school, since PP doesn't currently feature at all in its admissions policy, so it has no reason to ask for that information.

[silverysea]

Does the term “diversity” not apply to religion?

[ToadMum]

Does the term “diversity” not apply to religion?

The reason there are no RC Free Schools is that the purpose of the church's involvement in education is to provide a Roman Catholic, education, in that order and its rules wouldn't allow it to agree to the requirement that faith FSs were only allowed to select a maximum of 50% of pupils on grounds of religion in the case of oversubscription. A couple of years ago, I think, there were governmental moves afoot to relax this restriction, but (mercifully <slapping own wrists>) it came to nought.

St Michael's isn't a Free School, of course, so is at liberty to have oversubscription criteria which prioritise those professing its faith over those who follow a different one or none at all, up to the limit of places available. However, oversubscription criteria can only be applied once the school has actually been subscribed to, i.e. once places have been applied for - asking to sit the entrance exam doesn't constitute making an application for a place. The Admissions Code is very clear on this. I can only assume that the parents of clever, non RC local girls who would benefit from the grammar bit and would be willing to put up with the RC bit just take the, we'll call you if we need you to try out for a place to make up the numbers, but seriously, we never will, as being the way it is.

Although, given the propensity of folk not to read the admissions criteria for schools, it would be interesting to see whether some / how many actually do attempt to register their DDs to sit the exam.

[silverysea]

Are they all ready to take the extras or do they need to do building?

[llhj]

St Michael’s are taking them from 2020. A further building expansion will begin but they can accommodate from 2020. I already know of several girls whose parents perhaps haven’t been able to tutor or prepare them well enough to get into top 100, they will benefit from this and they’re bright so will do well. It’s great. Catholic education is well established in this country for generations and is successful. Clearly not everyone’s cup of tea but then neither are selective schools. The ones in London near me have challenging intakes and do brilliantly by them. Check out St Anne’s in Enfield.

[Keiralou]

Sorry, just catching up on this thread...Toadmum, in order to apply to sit the entrance exam, applicants really do need to have proof of their catholicity, in the form of a priest’s reference and certificate of baptism and holy communion. Therefore non catholic girls would not get to sit the test anyway.

The current and future building works will go a long way to improving the school environment for the students... well overdue!