Residence requirement

[That's Torn It!]

Hello

From Bucks CC's documentation, I see that residence/proof of residence is required by 19th November 2010 (at the latest) for September 2011 admission.
DCGS's own admissions policy specifies a different residence date, as follows;

“In order to qualify for admission under Rule 2, the applicant must have been resident within the catchment area continuously since April 1st of the year preceding proposed admission”

Is anyone able to clarify whether the April in question here is the April in the preceding calendar or academic year? If April in the preceding calendar year, for 2011 admission, it would mean residence by April 2010. If April in the preceding academic year, it woud mean residence by April 2011. In either case, the potential outcome seems somewhat perverse. If calendar year is the criterion, the date by which residence is required predates Bucks CC's April 2010 determination on secondary admissions arrangements for 2011. If academic year is the criterion, it's much less strict than Bucks CC's residence requirement.

Have I got this all wrong? Or does Foundation Status add something quite random to the mix?!!! Advices much appreciated.

[Sally-Anne]

Hi That's Torn It

No need to panic. The information on the DCGS website refers to late transfer (12+ onwards) not 11+ entry. If you are looking at 11+ entry you are perfectly safe with the 19th November date specified by Bucks CC.

I must admit that the wording on the DCGS requirement could be clearer, but I had always taken it to mean 18 months prior residence.

Sally-Anne

[That's Torn It!]

That's very reassuring. Thank you, and sorry if I panicked anyone else!

[Goldfish]

Hi Everyone,
I'm new to this and must say this site has been very useful! I have a query on the same subjuct - DCGS admissions is quite ambiguous about the residence in the catchment area from April preceeding the admission and also they have added:
"If a family still owns a property within 20 miles of the school, a leased property closer to the school will not be accepted as the basis for a legitimate residence qualification even if the former property is leased to a third party."

Can they do this? I am in a very difficult situation where I have a daughter that already attends a Bucks Grammar school, we live occ, but were planning on moving to Bucks to make travelling for dd easier and hopefully get ds into DCGS. We can't sell our current property as we bought it in peak and lost too much money, so were going to rent it. But that would exclude us from applying to DCGS... Have i interpreted this correctly?

Also, the Allocation Profile on the sticky is great - any idea when it will be updated with 2010 details?

Thanks for you help

[Etienne]

Can they do this?

I'm not sure they can, and I would have thought it could be open to legal challenge.

The school has clearly introduced measures to cut down on cheating. It's perfectly reasonable for it to expect new arrivals to show evidence of their intention to stay for a minimum period, say two or three years, but it ought to understand that there are circumstances where someone might need to remain the owner of a house whilst being legitimately settled in another area, especially in the current property climate.

The Local Authority's own rules appear much more reasonable:

We expect that you have sold or are in the process of selling or leasing, via an agency, your previous property to a third party ......

[Sally-Anne]

Hi goldfish

Once again, can I stress to everyone reading this thread that the admissions information on the DCGS website relates only to applications beyond the normal entry point of 11+, i.e. late transfer.

The residence requirements for the 11+ and Year 7 are still those specified by Bucks CC in their Admissions brochure.

The allocation distance for DCGS this year was similar to last year - 6.265 miles.

Sally-Anne

[Goldfish]

Thank you Etienne and Sally-Anne for your very valuable and reassuring advice.
The admissions criteria for DCGS is very unclear and misleading on their website. I also called admissions regarding this query who told me that DCGS is a foundation school and can do what they like re admissions?!
I'll take on board what you have said Sally-Anne and I'll give the school admissions a call to see what they have to say. I must say, when I went to the open day last year the head teacher did specifically say in his talk that anyone renting property in the area will not get a place, and I thought that very odd at the time! I'll keep you posted. Thanks

[Etienne]

..... told me that DCGS is a foundation school and can do what they like re admissions?!

Oh no they can't! The arrangements have to be lawful, and there are circumstances where the LA might have to get involved.

See this thread from last year:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... sf#p121957

I cannot say that this specific residence requirement is unlawful, but there's nothing I can see in the Admissions Code to justify it, and I do think it could be open to legal challenge.

[Sally-Anne]

The admissions criteria for DCGS is very unclear and misleading on their website. I also called admissions regarding this query who told me that DCGS is a foundation school and can do what they like re admissions?!

Etienne is absolutely correct - of course they can't!

Goldfish, please could you clarify whether you are looking at admission into Year 7 through the 11+ or admission into Year 8 and beyond? As I mentioned above, the information on the DCGS website is for late transfer only, and the admission requirements for Year 7 specified on there are exactly the same as those published by Bucks CC, and DCGS still hands over responsibility for Year 7 admissions to Bucks CC. If you are looking at Year 7 entry via the 11+, calling the school will not resolve your query.

I must say, when I went to the open day last year the head teacher did specifically say in his talk that anyone renting property in the area will not get a place, and I thought that very odd at the time!

Sabre rattling in the hope of deterring people from renting. There has always been a significant problem with people renting properties close to DCGS in order to gain admission, and I must say that generally I support Dr Fenton in his attempts to eradicate the problem because it has led to a number of children genuinely resident in the further reaches of the DCGS catchment area (Gerrards Cross, Iver, Denham) not receiving places over the years.

However, there was a change to the address evidence rules last year which has hopefully made some difference - parents must now submit address evidence before the 11+ result is known, whereas previously the deadline was 2 weeks after the results which allowed savvy parents to sign rental agreements only once they knew that their child had qualified. Now those parents face the alternative of an Upper School if their child does not qualify, and while the Amersham School is a good school, it is obviously not in the same league as DCGS, so parents renting are playing a risky game.

[Etienne]

Sabre rattling

I love the metaphor, S-A!

I feel sure it wouldn't happen at DCGS, but there are still some headteachers who tell parents "You won't get into this school unless you put it down as your first preference" ........