Rejected from 5 state nursery schools Post Reply

[anootka]

I just had a conversation with another mum who has advised me that Earlsfield Primary gave out 30 full time places even though children in the catchment area were not given a part time place. Apparently her friend has lodged a complaint to the council and a review is being carried out into the practice of handing out nursery places. It is a good question to ask why are some children getting a full time place while other children get no place at all especially those in the catchment area!
The mum I spoke to is also contacted the council and apparently there is now talk of withdrawing the full time places and potentially giving part time places to those little ones who didnt get it.

[Mumptious]

You definitely need a new primary and we are trying to bring you one... have you registered your little ones for our free school application in your neighbourhood? Our application has just made it to the next stage so an increase in registered families would be great. If you have a child starting school from Sept 2013 then please sign up and we will hopefully bring you a fab new state primary school. http://sljps.org.uk/wptest/?page_id=42

[dandelion53]

But only if you're Jewish, agree with state faith schools etc....
Only 50% of places will be for truly local children. This school is designed to provide places for Jewish children in south London not open a new community school for everyone with equal access!!

[Mumptious]

Dandelion53
As you have correctly identified 50% of the places will be for local children as this is a local school. We are determined to provide a school that will benefit local families which is why we have committed to making our ratios 50 / 50 unlike most other faith schools. On a personal note I like many of the parents involved in this project am a victim of the faith school system excluding my children as I live in Putney and there was no school place on offer for my two children.

Also it is important to explain that a significant number of the 50% of 'Jewish' places will be for local Jewish children. Please don't assume that the Jewish children at this school are not your neighbours and local families who have been part of the South London community for many generations. We now have children at our Wandsworth nursery who's parents were amongst the first children educated in South London's only jewish nursery. We have spent a significant amount of time researching and working with our local authorities to ensure that the school's suggested location is an area where children are not travelling from far away and the 'Jewish' children, their parents and even their grandparents are truly local!

Also during our application process we have worked very closely with a Jewish school in Birmingham which currently has a pupil ratio of 25 / 75 and the 75% are non-Jewish children. It is a wonderful school with an amazing Ofsted rating and the contribution that they have made to local education and their local community is something we all aspire to.

The core motivation for our school application is to offer the highest quality primary education for the children of South London regardless of their faith or religious observance. We feel that a curriculum based on the national curriculum entwined with Jewish principals is a wonderful way of doing this. Our curriculum has been drafted by a wide range of educators working in faith and non-faith schools across the UK.

I hope that I have clarified this a little. The faith school / non-faith school is a difficult topic for many, but please know that we have spent many hours working together with our local community (the community that we live in and feel part of) to ensure that this is truly a school for all.

Please fell free to PM if you have any specific questions.

Mumptious

[dandelion53]

It sounds like a lovely school being planned. However, if this statement is true:

"The core motivation for our school application is to offer the highest quality primary education for the children of South London regardless of their faith or religious observance."

then why is the application process not on distance criteria only so that it serves its local community whoever lives in it.

I don't dispute or am I surprised that there are Jewish families living in South London, I just don't think they should have priority over other children who live closer. I do dispute that they make up 50% of the community though! so I find the entrance criteria deeply unfair. As I do of all faith schools obviously.

If the school will be one form entry, 50% of places to non-Jewish families leaves very few places for those closest to the school in an area that desperately needs a new school for everyone.

Faith schools as you say are a difficult area, and not one I have any hope of changing but I feel very strongly that they are unfair and so felt the need to say my piece. I know we will never see eye to eye over it.

[anootka]

Dandelion53 - I get the frustration with faith schools or all schools entry process (having just been rejected from all schools we applied to myself) but there is a severe shortage of schools in this area, the fact that a group of parents have come together and have achieved so much is miraculous and should be applauded not criticised. Yes it's true I am biased and should this school open in 2013 I hope my child gets in. Coming from a country where there is a separation of of church and state I feel passionately about secular schools but having lived in UK for almost 7 years and having one religion recognised and others completely ignored is difficult and when it comes to my children I'd rather them go to a school where who they are will at least be acknowledged, don't my kids have a right to celebrate their holidays in their school not just Christmas!
If you or any parents wish to start a petition and process of opening a new school this is a free country and please do, I encourage you and support you!

[schoolgatesmum]

It's not clear from the website who actually is behind setting up this school - is it local parents? And I'm interested to know who will actually be running the school - an education provider?

[anootka]

All the work has been done by volunteers, parents and grandparents of mainly Jewish children, but just to be clear there are also non-Jewish volunteers. The actual running of the school and eduction provider can not be sorted until school has been approved.

[Mumptious]

@Dandelion53 Thank you for your comments and I totally understand your frustrations. Believe my watching my children sing in church at the school nativity is more than a little strange at their allegedly 'non-faith' school. But striking the balance is what matters and there is no doubt that one of the highlights of my child's last year at her Jewish nursery was the visit we made to Gatton Primary the Muslim school in Tooting, where together we shared and celebrated a strong and real mutual respect for our communities in an informative and positive way. Faith in the school environment is something we should celebrate especially as we live in such a culturally diverse city. And we should promote understanding across all communities rather than risk a shift towards the French system where the freedom of expression on the matter of faith has been marginalised to a dangerous level.

@schoolgatemum - As Anootka says the application has been developed by a group of parents, educators and members of the local community. Our executive committee is made up of Jewish and non-Jewish members (from head teachers to solicitors to a standup comic!) and we have the support of a wide range of secular and religious Jewish organisations but are not affiliated specifically to any one single organisation. As I keep saying (like a broken record ) this is a local school developed by local people for local children. Does that answer your question?

[schoolgatesmum]

Yes it does answer my question regards to local parents. I'm still interested to know who will run the school - I can understand that you might not know exactly who this will be but I would guess you know the model. I.e will it be an education provider or will you have a trust (in the same vein as WLFS)?

[Mumptious]

@Schoolgatemum Sorry for the delay... the kids coming home got in the way!!! In answer to your question we are technically an academy. The Governing Body are all directors of the company and will oversee the running of the school and make all strategic decisions informed by the school's head teacher and senior management team.

The school would be a Free school and is therefore directly accountable to the Department for Education (not the local authority).

Does that help?

[twice_as_nice]

To the original poster: (that's not my monkey)

A tip might be to apply for afternoon places at private nurseries. E.g. Mouse House in SW18. There's a lot less demand for afternoon places so a LOT easier to get a place....Not so with the state school nurseries as they will have filled their places....and another benefit is that afternoon places are typically cheaper so pretty much covered by the 15 hours free nursery grant.

[MGMidget]

I applaud any group with the initiative and motivation to set up a school! Unlike Dandelion53 I don't really have a problem with faith schools. Its only natural that this group has some form of self-interest to get the project off the ground in the first place but then it can also benefit other members of the local community. Good luck to you, I hope it goes well! Yes, we do need more school places in certain areas and every initiative helps!

[Mumptious]

MGMidget
Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. It is an epic task that we have undertaken and commitment that our team has all made often takes my breath away. From the drafting of a 400 page application to the amazing ideas that are going into our curriculum to standing around in shopping centres hassling strangers... I am amazed by the drive and determination that I am surrounded by to see this project through to the end. Thank you for supporting us and I look forward to hopefully having good news in the future.
M

[Thatsnotmymonkey]

Good news- we found out today that we now have a place! I was really expecting to be on the waiting lists until the summer- hooray! Thanks for all your advice etc xx