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Re: Bolingbroke Academy, thoughts?

I agree with Seb. A few years ago some local families with kids were long term residents of modest means who bought their homes when it was cheap. Now I think most families with young kids bought their houses at high prices and are wealthy with the option of going private. Together with the rule cha...
Forum: Schools
Topic: Bolingbroke Academy, thoughts?
Replies: 45
by InterestedDad
Tue Sep 29, 2015 4:52 pm

Re: Belleville 2015 Reception place not needed as going Priv

Prompt notification from parents who do not need places makes space available for local families who may have just missed out on the distance criteria. Late notification means that places go to new arrivals who have rented somewhere next to the school. Encouraging prompt notification is a much bette...
Forum: Schools
Topic: Belleville 2015 Reception place not needed as going Private?
Replies: 6
by InterestedDad
Fri Sep 04, 2015 9:49 am

Care costs cap 'delayed until 2020'

See news today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33552279

This runs counter to manifesto commitments and will cause a lot of concern to NV families with elderly parents.
Forum: Got a Question?
Topic: Care costs cap 'delayed until 2020'
Replies: 0
by InterestedDad
Fri Jul 17, 2015 1:58 pm

Re: Did you get your first choice primary?

actuallyadad - The Council have cracked down on temporary addresses. Under the new rules you can't own one property but then rent temporarily near a popular school. There were certainly cases of this in past years. This exact practice is what NV readers found most objectionable, so I think the Counc...
Forum: Schools
Topic: Did you get your first choice primary?
Replies: 89
by InterestedDad
Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:45 pm

Re: Did you get your first choice primary?

actuallyadad - there are all kinds of good reasons why a sibling could be living more than 800m away (remember, 800m is not very far, even for a four year old). I don't think we're in a position to pass judgment on whether parents have been "manipulating the system" or not. hellopretty - W...
Forum: Schools
Topic: Did you get your first choice primary?
Replies: 89
by InterestedDad
Fri Apr 24, 2015 1:04 pm

Re: New sibling policy from next year confirmed!

rooting4tooting. For info, see results from the initial consultation (which had a higher number of respondents (approx. 900) than the later statutory consultation (only 100 or so from memory)). Opinion was split roughly 50:50 on whether to make the 800m change. Most areas within Wandsworth were oppo...
Forum: Schools
Topic: New sibling policy from next year confirmed!
Replies: 14
by InterestedDad
Fri Apr 17, 2015 9:05 pm

Re: New sibling policy from next year confirmed!

Thanks BlingSling. I agree with your post.

The problem with this rule change is that it will be very easy for renters to work around, so it doesn't deal with the problem. Unfortunately however, it will impact on honest families who genuinely need to move very badly.
Forum: Schools
Topic: New sibling policy from next year confirmed!
Replies: 14
by InterestedDad
Fri Apr 17, 2015 8:33 pm

Re: Did you get your first choice primary?

This influences the sibling rule debate. Previously it was a question of a sibling say 900m away getting priority over a non-sibling 250m away. Now, at least wrt Belleville, it's a question of a sibling 900m away getting priority over a non-sibling 500m away. The rationale for a rule change seems le...
Forum: Schools
Topic: Did you get your first choice primary?
Replies: 89
by InterestedDad
Fri Apr 17, 2015 3:51 pm

Re: New sibling policy from next year confirmed!

I wouldn't get too excited about this. Looking at the numbers I think it could only mean a maximum of an extra 25 metres or so in catchment area for the most popular local schools. In reality, it may mean no increase in distance at all. I think shrinking catchment areas have been mostly driven by in...
Forum: Schools
Topic: New sibling policy from next year confirmed!
Replies: 14
by InterestedDad
Thu Apr 16, 2015 10:02 am

Re: New stamp duty rules

Mummytoone - Take the 800m sibling proposal. A renter will find it pretty easy to work within the rules for a sibling, certainly much easier than getting within catchment for a first child. It's taken a lot of effort to work out this proposal, but I just don't think it will be effective. Indeed the ...
Forum: Homes & Garden
Topic: New stamp duty rules
Replies: 82
by InterestedDad
Sun Apr 05, 2015 2:12 pm

Re: New stamp duty rules

Come to think of it there are other issues created by high house prices. People can't afford to buy, so home ownership declines and private renting increases. See the graph on p13 of this link for what this has meant in London. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fil...
Forum: Homes & Garden
Topic: New stamp duty rules
Replies: 82
by InterestedDad
Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:58 pm

Re: New stamp duty rules

I've got a few questions on this document. 1. Would house valuation for mansion tax purposes trigger an increase in Council tax? Surely this is a separate unrelated policy question. 2. Many people think that high property prices are bad for the economy in the long term. Pricey houses mean that peopl...
Forum: Homes & Garden
Topic: New stamp duty rules
Replies: 82
by InterestedDad
Sat Apr 04, 2015 2:14 pm