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

[thisisnuts]

I've just posted this in the General section:

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... =5&t=56746" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's a list of schools successful in bidding for funds from the Selective Schools Expansion programme - on The Times website today.

HBS is not on the list. Seems like the confident talk on an earlier thread of HBS' expansion by 50% was misplaced.

St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School is on the list.


* edited for typos *

[Daogroupie]

So what is behind this?

Surely it would have been a lot fairer to choose a school that all girls can apply to rather than just churchgoing Catholic girls?

Or was this a decision by HBS that they did not want to expand?

Could it be there are actually a lot more Barnet girls actually going to St Ms than HBS? DG

[thisisnuts]

HBS seemed to make a concerted effort for the extra funding.

At the time, Barnet council was quoted as saying they supported it as long as it widened access for underprivileged children IN THE BOROUGH!

I guess its the second bit HBS falls down on, although it is obviously controversial to restrict the expansion of selective school places to just one religious group.

[Daogroupie]

It would be interesting to see the figures comparing percentage of Barnet girls at ST Ms and HBS. DG

[ToadMum]

It would be interesting to see the figures comparing percentage of Barnet girls at ST Ms and HBS. DG

It would also be nice to see St Michael's take out the bit about We're always oversubscribed with girls from Category 1 of our oversubscriptions criteria, so we're goung to flout the Admissions Code and use an oversubscriptions criterion to restrict access to the selective test bit of selection for this Catholic Grammar school ?

[Tinkers]

HBS seemed to make a concerted effort for the extra funding.

At the time, Barnet council was quoted as saying they supported it as long as it widened access for underprivileged children IN THE BOROUGH!

I guess its the second bit HBS falls down on, although it is obviously controversial to restrict the expansion of selective school places to just one religious group.

I suspect you are correct, HBS fell down because they didn’t address this point.

Kendrick has got funding, but in Their application they said places created would be for local girls and those on PP. Reading school (they didn’t apply for funding afaik) have already said they are going to lower the qualifying score for PP I think. Kendrick I know were waiting for the outcome of their bid before consulting on their admissions, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they are following as they do tend to follow each other.

[CestMoi]

St Michael's has a high proportion of children from Barnet already. I don't know the statistics sadly, but once you count in the immediate neighbouring boroughs (Enfield, Brent etc.), it is very high indeed. I can only think of a single friend of my daughter's who doesn't live in Barnet or a directly neighbouring borough.

Plus the vast majority travel by public bus or by tube, which is quite sustainable from an environmental impact. The mini buses to HBS may have counted against them.

St Michael's is already well into a significant rebuild of an old building so maybe that helped too.

[llhj]

I think it is absolutely the right decision. All extra 32 places are reserved for PP pupils. St Michael's is a very diverse school with many pupils who are first generation/second generation immigrants and this will open the door for more pupils like this to take advantage of a first rate education. It is absolutely in line with the original ethos of the school.

[CestMoi]

I totally agree, llhj

The school will have 25%+ PP at least catering for one of the most diverse school populations in North London.

The school is adamant that success isn't measured in exam results and they're proving this with this initiative. I'm v pleased.

(Future parents - it'll apply from 2020)

[Cornflowerblue]

Well done St. Michael's, allocating all 32 extra places as PP is very impressive. It reflects the ethos of the school and goes back to the founding ideals of the school. I wonder how this compares with what the other schools in this list plan to do. Does anyone know?

Lots more building work for those of us with children at STM but all good!