Alderbrook? Post Reply

[Familycompleted]

Btw the after school care is provided by the same people who do Belleville and they (schools out club) have an outstanding rating. And I think kids from Holy Ghost come to Alderbrook for the after school too, and that school needs no introduction as to their reputation.

So together with breakfast club, kids can be covered 7:30-6:30, which is perhaps not an issue for the moms who have a choice about how long they want their kids in school and can pock them up at 3, but a life saver for most dual working parents!

[audrey]

I have lived off Broomwood Road for over 20 years and live in sight of one of the preferred state schools in the area. As my wife has mentioned we have been more than impressed by Alderbrook School and the attitude of all of its staff. We did have reservations, but we have been quickly put at ease.

In a way we haven't been put at ease with our first choice of school, which continues, along with the council to choose to do nothing about the people that rent close by to the school to get their children accepted and then move outside the catchment area and even the borough at the expense of the local residents. We continually see said schools children traveling by car in the opposite direction on the walk to Alderbrook. This I can only think leads to a fragmented neighbour hood and a ridiculous amount of unnecessary vehicles on the road at drop off time and pick up.

This poor moral judgement of endorsing the short term renters over and above the local people and not supporting the latter, makes it very hard for me to feel happy about sending my children to said local school. I feel loyalty and integrity are vital aspects of a childs character and if these are not being shown from the top, I am happy for my children to have no part of that school and the potential "dog eat dog" attitude that will follow.

Siyeo, couldn't help noticing that you also contributed on the Waiting list thread in which you mentioned you were on the waiting list for Honeywell.
It would be interested to know if a place came along, would you switch to Honeywell or stay in Alderbrook? Thanks!

[Siyeo]

We have been on the waiting list since last year although we can see the roof of the school from our doorstep and hear the children playing in the play ground. I have been thoroughly unimpressed by the apathy and lack of moral code shown by the council and by the school. We have been to the Council appeal board, seen the MP. The Wandsworth council even advises you to check on a free map service to check that if you rent you will be within the catchment area. It is totally deemed as acceptable to the point that the catchment area has this year decreased again considerably. It makes absolutely no sense having people who attend the school living so far away that they need to drive or actually live out of the borough. Stupidly I thought the local state school was meant for the local people. If it was my choice solely, I would not send my children there. As I have mentioned, I thinks when a total lack of consideration, integrity and loyalty is shown from the the people in charge and the people prepared to step on peoples heads to get what they want. I would prefer my children to have no part of that as I do not consider it ok behaviour.

[Talkman]

Siyeo, you are right. Wandsworth council's stance on the renting in order to gain school places stinks.

[frazzledworkingmum]

My son in very happy in year one and my dd joining reception this year. I agree with others comments that I struggle to know what else the school needs to do to prove itself to others. The headmistress is very focused in the early years and has secured funding for class sizes for core subjects of 10-12 for year two. My son is thriving and I am confident that my dd will too. Happy to take any specific questions via email.

[lua]

Very helpful information. Does anyone known when the next Ofsted report will be published?

[amber2]

Siyeo you are absolutely right.

The thing is though, everyone talks about the families who have played the system and stolen a place from other children. It doesn't even have any effect on us and yet I regularly hear names of parents being slated for their actions when I'm out and about on Northcote Road. It's really not a very a nice thing to do, forcing other families to commute out of their area because they are so selfish.

Also, I am sure the kids who actually do attend the school and live locally would rather not commute across the Common or further afield for play dates causing the roads to be even more congested than necessary.

[audrey]

@ Siyeo - I'm not sure you answered my question though. Are you happy with Alderbrook so far and if so, should a place come up for Honeywell, would you decline?

Do you consider Alderbrook your school now and be willing to give it a fair chance? Or perhaps it is more like a stopover until a place at Honeywell comes along and then all the moral debate of school/council not doing enough to stop the school renters, etc. goes up in smoke given that you're now in.

[Siyeo]

We are currently totally happy with Alderbrook.

Audrey I would be interested to hear your position on this situation. What do you think should be done?

[Siyeo]

Amber2 I totally agree. My wife and I hear about the people I mention all the time.

[Siyeo]

The real problem is that everyone is so frickin wealthy, but not wealthy enough to own a house the size they desire in the area and school their children in the area. They want a bigger house, which means living outside the area and taking the school places of people who legitimately do own houses in the neighbourhood. What ever way I look at this, I can't see this as a good way to behave.

However if these sort of people don't have the moral compass to see this for themselves, then the Council and to a degree the school should set up the rules to guide them, as seems to need to happen in other parts of life.

[audrey]

This subject is being debated around this time of the year, every year. See this thread:
http://www.nappyvalleynet.com/mums/view ... +catchment

This is a very contentious subject - and I'm not sure if, in the case of Honeywell school specifically, the council can do much about it. Rather the school itself (through its board of governors) will have to agree new admission procedures to address not only the issue of short-term renters, but also the shortage of school places available once all the siblings are counted.

Other than increasing the number of school classes (say from 3 to 4, not sure how feasible that would be), I would suggest a "siblings catchment area" to about say, 1/2 mile (or whatever distance agreed and based on previous records) and give sibling priority first in that radius, then, non-sibling applicants to be admitted on distance living in that radius, then out-of-catchment siblings, etc. So, basically those who rented short-term, got in and then moved further away will no longer be prioritised over the local children.

[Siyeo]

It seems Audrey that a methodology, similar to the one you suggest was suggested and the governors vetoed it. I believe it was the same criteria Beatrix Potter use, so it is workable. I can only guess as one of the current governors, I believe wanted to short term rent to get their child in.

[Tealover]

As someone said this discussion seems to happen every year and the council and schools seem to do nothing. Camden Council have changed their admission policy for this year to try and deal with those using a temporary address

'We will not accept a temporary address if you still have a property that was previously used as a home address, nor will we accept a temporary address used solely or mainly to obtain a school place. You may be asked to supply additional information to explain why you are not able to use your permanent
address.'.

It would be nice to see Wandsworth look into something similar

[Siyeo]

This is is more or less the admission policy Wandsworth claims to uphold. But at appeal I asked them, with their claimed rigorous testing of these rules, how many people have they caught. They said none, in the last ten years. Epic fail! There are two reasons for this. Either they are stupid and ineffectual or they have no interest in resolving this problem