has anyone got any information on how easy it is to get into "good schools" if you live outside the catchment area?

we live in Hillsborough, but don't want our kids to go to Myers Grove. We need to move to a larger house, but would prefer to stay in Hillsborough/Walkley/Crookesmoore/Upperthorpe areas or Carter Knowle on the other side of the city as it seems we'd get alot more for our money

how easy is it to get into King Ted's or High Storrs for example, if you're not in these catchments?

Any advise would be really appreciated

I cannot give you any advice from personal experience, but you can get an idea of how oversubscribed different schools are from the relevant "Guide for Parents" which you can get from the Education Department or you can download it from this council webpage. (http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/education/information-for-parentscarers/admissions)

They show you the number of places available for the coming year and the number of applications made for last year. It is not clear if the places available were the same last year but it is something to start with.

For example:

King Edward: 230 Places (this year); 247 applications (last year)
High Storrs: 240 Places; 246 applications
Myers Grove: 210 Places; All applicants offered places.

Hi Celtickitten my son had a place at Abbeydale Grange saved for him by the LEA. We appealed to get him in to High Storrs, and he got in no problem. We were not asked for any special circumstances. That was 2004 he is in year 7 at the moment. High Storrs is a great school and he has settled in really well.

I don't see how any kid would want to go up to Myers Grove, if there was a school I'd class as being full of chavs Myers would fit the bill perfectly IMO.

Celtickitten FGS don't move into catchment assuming that you will get a place as chances are you will be disappointed.

It's easy to get into a school out of catchment if there are places available but there aren't usually places available at schools worth going to.

I'm afraid it's an age old dilemma for parents who want the best for their kids.

Originally posted by Mo
Celtickitten FGS don't move into catchment assuming that you will get a place as chances are you will be disappointed.


I don't follow this. If you move into the catchment then you will almost certainly get a place - priority goes to catchment homes and then feeder schools.
The problem arises if the school is oversubscribed with catchment kids and then it goes on how near you are to the school as the crow flies.

celtickitten - Crookesmoor and Upperthorpe are catchments for King Teds so if you moved there you should get in.
Best thing is ring education dept. for their policy.

Good luck

Originally posted by vision
I don't follow this. If you move into the catchment then you will almost certainly get a place - priority goes to catchment homes and then feeder schools.
The problem arises if the school is oversubscribed with catchment kids and then it goes on how near you are to the school as the crow flies.

celtickitten - Crookesmoor and Upperthorpe are catchments for King Teds so if you moved there you should get in.
Best thing is ring education dept. for their policy.

Good luck


Moving into the catchment definitely does not guarantee you a place and as can be seen here as taken from the council website.


Section Two: The LEA Admission Policy



2.1 The City Council is responsible for setting the admission policy for Community and Voluntary Aided Schools. The policy receives formal approval by the Cabinet and full Council following an annual consultation process with schools and neighbouring admission authorities.



The LEA’s Admission Policy is based upon good practice as identified in the DfES Admission Code of Practice. The policy is published annually in the booklet “A Guide for Parents”.



The first priority is for children with special educational needs, where those needs can only be met at a specific school and/or children in public care. These categories are in line with national recommendations, though this is not backed up by primary legislation.



For the majority of children the LEA operates a catchment area system that prioritises but does not guarantee admission of children within a specified catchment area. In the event of oversubscription, places are offered in the following priority order:



1. Special Educational Needs & Looked After Children

2. Attendance at a linked infant school (transfer to separate junior only)

3. Catchment area

4. Siblings

5. Attendance at a feeder primary school (secondary only)

6. All other applications




As you can see catchment comes third in the list of priorities and states that living in catchment does not guarantee a place..

Mo - I did not say it guarenteed you a place I said 'you will almost certainly get a place'.

You said '...chances are you will be disappointed'. Chances are she will most likely get a place if she moves into catchment.

My other half actually deals with intake at his school and so I know how it works and believe me if you live in the catchment then you will MOST LIKELY get a place.

I don't know how old your info is but the latest Sheffield LEA policy states:

1. Special Educ. Needs

2. Catchment Area

3. Siblings in specified school

4. Designated Feeder Schools

Well I won't say any more on the matter other than SCC website makes repeated mentions of the no guarantee to catchment residents. Moving on the basis of possibly even most likely entry is a flimsy basis if you ask me.

If you do a search you will find several threads where contributors bear this out and give examples with the names of schools where they have been unable to get places even though they live in the area. Just type in catchment in the search facility.

As far getting into King Teds out of catchment I would say you have next to no chance unless you fall into one of the criteria mentioned.

Originally posted by Mo
Moving on the basis of possibly even most likely entry is a flimsy basis if you ask me.



Celtickitten has stated that she needs to move to a bigger house therefore as she is moving anyway she may as well move to one of the areas she fancies that is in catchment for a school that she prefers - seems logical to me.

Celtickitten - you don't say how old your child is. Because of the falling birthrate, numbers are going down in Sheffield and in fact all over the UK. Each year the admission numbers are different so you need to talk to the admissions officer at the schools you are interested in to get a full picture.

Notre Dame is a superb school on Fullwood Road at Ranmoor.

I know this is a little sinical but being baptised helps alot!

I went to a primary school on the wybourn estate and got into Notre Dame no problems at all, even though the waiting list for that school is huge.

Hillsborough is a catchment area, I know loads came from Sacred Heart school. Several of the school buses run through hillsborough, also Ecclesfield Chapeltown and high green. Millhouses Ecclesall and even norfolk park are covered so your not restricted to a tiny area of sheffield.

Loads of people knock schools like Notre Dame, yea alright its in
a "posh" area and the school uniform is bottle green. I got alot of stick from people on my estate about going to a "posh" school. But to be honest i dont think you would get that in Hillsborough as alot of people from there goto Notre Dame, and when i look at where i am in my life, starting on the ladder of a good career i look back and see them getting kicked out of school and going on dole.

I knows its not too normal for someone my age to sing the praises of their school but im so glad i went there and not waltheof or city

The standards of teaching is high, pass rates are high facilities are of a very high standard. Superb 6th form centre and when i left they were halfway through building a new "CLC" i think it stood for City Learning Centre or something. Housing new classrooms another computer centre and a few other bits.

The technology block is well kitted out and it simply isnt "posh" teenagers are teenagers whatever area they are from.

The teachers at 6th form where always on hand for help with careers advice and general study support too.

I went to myers and now my 15 yr old son goes there and whilst the school was good when I went, I wouldn't recomend it now to anyone

For a number of reasons I needed to move to Sheffield last year.
I bought a house in the catchment area for High Storrs in the summer of last year especially so that my daughter could join this school in Y7. I applied on time for her place but even once we had moved house I was told that there were no spaces and she had been allocated a place at Abbeydale Grange. I then went through a traumatic appeal process where you have to sit in front of a panel of LEA/Teachers/Governors to explain why you feel the school should create place for your child.
Apparently, I put a compelling case forward and my daughter was allocated a place.
It was hard work and quite stressful and I would be happy to "chat" to you about what happened in the appeal etc.
You're wecome to PM me.

We live in Upperthorpe but are in the Tapton catchment area rather than King Teds. However, our daughter has just been allocated a place at King Teds as she has been attending a feeder school. According to the Guide for Parents, over the last 2 years, ALL catchment kids have got their places at King Teds, and last year all the feeder school kids got places too. I think most of Crookesmoor, Walkley and Upperthorpe are in the catchment for either Tapton or King Teds - both are meant to be great schools. But if you move somewhere that's not in the catchment but close enough, make sure your kids are in a feeder primary school for King Teds and chances are that you'll get them in.

celtickitten

been through the whole process you talk of recently with a family member. despite going to a primary school all his life in the catchment area for a good school he was given a place at a bad school where he knew no one. it was a local school. despite having three choices none were granted. tony bliar (sic) at last year's labour conference said no parent should have to send their child to the local bad comprehensive. tried to appeal etc and got nowhere. so much for what tony bliar (sic) says! only a change of circumstances meant they would review whether an appeal should be granted. they bought a house in catchment and that didn't even guarantee a place as the school said they were full. they still had to go through the appeal process and the interview panel. it took ages to sort out and was very stressful. eventually they won but it affected them and the child's schooling up to half term in his first term at secondary school. this whole process started about a year ago and ended 8 months later.

hate to say it but unless you move into catchment if the schools you want are full you don't stand much chance. they have really odd rules about how you get on waiting lists and who can jump up the list. eg if you move into catchment from within sheffield it doesn't count as highly as if you move from another city to the same catchment area in sheffield.

good luck and happy house hunting

if i get the chance will check again if you want any further info