School Admissions Consultation 2010

[Tezz]

Please excuse my ignornace, I am still trying to get my head around the very useful information I have found on this section of the forum.

As I understand it (and I may be wrong!) that the criteria for admission to the Watford schools is under review and the new changes may be implemented in 2010. Does this mean that this will affect the admissions for 2010 or that the changes will be put forward in 2010 and the new criteria applied to admissions in 2011??

I currently have a child in year 6 and another in year 5. I have applied for three consortium schools this year for my year 6 child but am now frustrated at the thought that they may not end up in the same school if the rule changes are impemented for the 2010 intake.

[WP]

As I understand it (and I may be wrong!) that the criteria for admission to the Watford schools is under review and the new changes may be implemented in 2010. Does this mean that this will affect the admissions for 2010 or that the changes will be put forward in 2010 and the new criteria applied to admissions in 2011??

I currently have a child in year 6 and another in year 5. I have applied for three consortium schools this year for my year 6 child but am now frustrated at the thought that they may not end up in the same school if the rule changes are impemented for the 2010 intake.

The Admissions Code contains a clause (2.24) that says that even if an adjudicator removes a sibling criterion, siblings of children admitted before September 2008 are protected. The extended consultation proposed two changes to this clause:

1. changing "2008" to "2010", and
2. extending the protection of siblings to include cross-siblings (as between the Watford Grammars).

My understanding of this is that

• if both of these are adopted, and you get a child into one of the consortium schools in the present round (for September 2009) or earlier, any younger sibling will also be sure of a place in future rounds, even if adjudicators remove all the sibling rules.
• if only a) is adopted, this protection applies only to siblings at the same school.
• if only b) is adopted, the change is that cross-siblings of children admitted before September 2008 become safe.

But will they adopt these proposals? Maybe Claire Ward knows, but I don't.

[watmum]

[quote="WP[*]if only b) is adopted, the change is that cross-siblings of children admitted before September 2008 become safe.[/list].[/quote]

I know that you seem to be the font of all knowledge WP, and for that we are eternally grateful!

Do you think if the cross sibling ruling is reintoduced then Parmiter's will be able to reactivate theirs? I know that it was still inforce in around 2003/4 as friends of my daughter were admitted under this criterion?

Keep up your good work on the forum

[WP]

Do you think if the cross sibling ruling is reintoduced then Parmiter's will be able to reactivate theirs? I know that it was still inforce in around 2003/4 as friends of my daughter were admitted under this criterion?

I'm not sure what you mean there. The cross-sibling rule I was referring to was between the single-gender Watford Grammar Schools. Why would a mixed school like Parmiter's have that?

[watmum]

Yes, they had a rule which I thought was the Cross sibling rule (but actually, it could have been called the "split sibling" rule?) anyway, it meant that siblings automatically entered the school, if they had an older sibling who had attended but had already left the school.

Highly unlikely to be reintroduced, becasue it would contravene the exising admissions code I am sure.

[WP]

Yes, they had a rule which I thought was the Cross sibling rule (but actually, it could have been called the "split sibling" rule?) anyway, it meant that siblings automatically entered the school, if they had an older sibling who had attended but had already left the school.

Highly unlikely to be reintroduced, becaue it would contravene the existing admissions code I am sure.

Oh, siblings of past pupils: yes, there's zero chance of that coming back, and past pupils now includes those in the upper sixth when their sibling is applying (because they'll be gone before the younger child starts).