Hi everyone,

Hi there,

Another mum also very keen on sending her child to the Wix bilingual stream is about to send a petition but we would need some more signatures.

Please send me an email directly if you would like to sign this petition so that I can put you in contact with her asap. She is thinking of sending the letter by July 1st at the latest.

Many thanks and kind regards,

M

It certainly does seem that there is a lot of interest in the bilingual initiative, as has been shown by the popularity/ success of Wix and Hotham. Wandsworth are clearly keen to support and drive this initiative forward, and so it wouldn't be surprising if more bilingual classes open in Wandsworth in the future.

As has been pointed out in this thread, and others, the next step will be to consider bilingual secondary education.

Just thought I'd point out that if there isn't much uptake at Shaftesbury bilingual, it's going to be difficult to prove that there's a huge need for bilingual elsewhere. Shaftesbury Park is not far from Wix at all.

Hello all,

Hope you don't mind me hopping onto your thread, but I noticed it as I came on to post something on to a previous thread of mine.

As has been pointed out, Shaftesbury Park (SW11 5UW) will be opening a bilingual stream in our reception class in Sep 2013. Although we are not currently linked with the Lycee in the sense that our children would be able to go on to there once they are finished at primary school [as has also been pointed out, there is not the capacity at the Lycee at the moment], we are planning on working with the Lycee and they are certainly in support of our iniative, as are Wix, who we have been working very closely with.

We are holding a meeting on 19th June at 6.30pm for any parents who ar interested in finding out more. There are more details at our other post... http://www.nappyvalleynet.com/bilingual-stream-at-shaftesbury-park-t18061.html, including how to get in touch with us. The meeting will be introduced by John Johnson, Assistant Head of Children’s Services, Standards and Schools and staff and governors will also be on hand.

Thanks everyone, and enjoy today's sunshine while it lasts!

Hi Brihoney

Yes, there is another Wandsworth primary school starting a bilingual stream. It's Shaftesbury Park - see this thread for more info;

[url]http://www.nappyvalleynet.com/bilingual-stream-at-shaftesbury-park-t18061.html[/url]

Not sure if this school is any closer to you?

Good luck!

Best wishes, UB

I am very keen for my son to have a bilingual french education, as I did despite being english (back when I went to school the lycee were encouraging english parents to send their children there as numbers of french in london were low!)

Unfortunately we are a bit between Wix and Hotham and are 62 and 34th on the lists for each respectively for those bilingual streams, so our chances are negligeable (the whole class + 4 on the waiting list would have to decline their places). I'd love there to be another school in Wandsworth to take up the bilingual stream system, hopefully near us! Does anyone know of any rumours of new plans? My older sister tells me I should just move into a rented flat on top of my school of choice. So difficult to know how far to go for your child's education.

But yes definitely , I'd support more bilingual places either at Wix or other parts of Wandsworth

Hi again I was confused as to where you had got your figures from so I looked again at the Wandsworth booklet for primary schools and now I know (I had wondered what the figures in brackets were silly me :lol: )

Anyway the first figure is the figure for 4th April so not first offers IYSWIM, the figures you have would suggest the distance for Wix is increasing although I suspect we need more info really

My memory is not great either so for the record I've looked up the distances. Initial offer first, final offer in brackets.

2012 _ 757 (TBC)
2011 _ 1,764 (1,778)
2010 _ 1406 (1689)

I am sure the final offer distance for 2012 will increase but it is noteworthy that the initial offer distance is significantly lower than in the previous two years.

I can only speak from experience and an overfull memory. The 1.7 distance in the Wandsworth brochure is the final distance the 700 something you are talking about is initial distance, from my memory high 700s seems about usual for initial distance and I think a few years ago the final distance was about 1.4 or 1.5 so the distance is going up.
But there are other schools my memory tells me where the distance is going up which I presume is the effect of more places and a steadying off of the birthrate.

Sorry mumble, I am not following your point. Wix's distances have got smaller not larger.

I'd say that distance is about right 1.7m is larger than I remember it being, however I've posted recently about another school having an initial distance this year that would have given us a place whereas a short while ago we were still on the W/L in year 1!!

So I guess I'm saying that for some schools distances are getting larger maybe the effect of fewer children and more places is finally coming through.

I echo other's thanks to Scotland for taking time to respond in the way that you have (especially with the constraints on your time!). It's unusual for prospective parents to have this type of dialogue with school Governors - it is very much appreciated. I look forward to the update of the website in due course.

I wrote to the Council about 2012 offer distances for the Classic stream;

[i]'the furthest child (non sibling) currently holding an offer of a place in the Classic stream at Wix Primary School for reception 2012 lives 757 metres from the school. This distance could increase if we receive declines and make further offers.'[/i]

I am sure this distance will increase but nonetheless it does represents quite a shift from last year when first round offers where made to applications living 1,764 metres away. So perhaps there is a growing awareness of the improved results at Wix?

UB

I guess first person to ask would be Scotland (the poster not the country!) I know there was some talk of Wix taking over the site that Belleville has just started using. I'm under the impression that was stymied by the council but I'm not sure I ever heard why.
......
After that I'm not sure if the school is going to open the places then it needs to come from current parents, if what I think above is right then it looks like the council isn't really interested in doing so.
I assume since lack of funding has been mentioned that bilingual places are more expensive than others!?

I believe that previously you had to go around the common via lit roads. However, apparently that is changing this year and now distances will be measured as the crow flies.

I did receive a response from Jonathan Cook as well. He said the school and council are well aware of the demand for another bilingual stream. However, the main argument against did seem to be the lack of space for the Kensington Lycee to accommodate these extra children at secondary level. I agree with Mumble that there are many other issues regarding secondary accommodation in Wandsworth so it seems to be a strange argument against another bilingual stream. I'd say lets push to open another bilingual stream and worry about that at a later date.

I'm not sure where we go from here......

Out of interest how are places offered around Clapham common? Can you go across it or do you have to go round?

In terms of opening a further stream I'm sure the whole school could go bilingual and there would still be unmet demand!! I to would say forget about waiting for places in South Ken who knows what will happen between reception and secondary school, it seems to be just avoiding the issue TBH the council doesn't seem to worry quite so much about the huge numbers of Wandsworth children forced to go out of borough for secondary school or the even larger number who don't get the school of their choice.