Nice - price motorists off the roads

[Cyclone 10]

Well, of course, and I never talk to my friends who have children, nor my siblings who have children.  Nor can I in fact use google to look it up and prove that I've got it correct...

 

I didn't tell you what you should be comfortable with, I told you at what age I'd walked to school on my own, and you contradicted me.  Ironic isn't it.  You claim I don't know about a general topic that can be easily researched, but you also claim to know more about my own childhood than I do myself, something which you have absolutely no chance of researching or finding out beyond what I tell you.

 

What is a catchment area anyway?

Good question — it’s probably not what you think it is. There is no such thing as an area around a school where, if you live there, you’re guaranteed a place. Every year, the geographical area from which a school admits its pupils is different.

Some schools have what local education authorities call “priority admission areas”. If you live in one of those, then your application is prioritised over people who live outside it, but you’re still not guaranteed a place—all the places could all be taken by people who also live in this area but live closer to the school. So you see, it’s complicated.

 

Well, look at that.  Catchment areas don't really exist.

[WiseOwl182 10]

50 minutes ago, Cyclone said:

Well, of course, and I never talk to my friends who have children, nor my siblings who have children.  Nor can I in fact use google to look it up and prove that I've got it correct...

 

I didn't tell you what you should be comfortable with, I told you at what age I'd walked to school on my own, and you contradicted me.  Ironic isn't it.  You claim I don't know about a general topic that can be easily researched, but you also claim to know more about my own childhood than I do myself, something which you have absolutely no chance of researching or finding out beyond what I tell you.

 

 

 

They do exist. They may vary slightly each year based on number of applications but they are part of the process. Priority goes to additional needs application children, then catchment with sibling already at school, then catchment, then if any left over it's any other applications. Sometimes actual life experience counts for more than a quick general Google search. And I never claimed to know what age you walked to school by yourself, I just doubt it was age 6. I'll leave the "know all" stuff to the forum's resident know it all.

Edited January 20, 2019 by WiseOwl182

[WiseOwl182 10]

In fact, you can find the detailed version of what I just outlined on the document at this link: http://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?Id=1984

 

Said document contains criteria specifically referring to catchment areas. I won't hold my breath for an apology from you.

[woodview 10]

18 minutes ago, WiseOwl182 said:

They do exist. They may vary slightly each year based on number of applications but they are part of the process. Priority goes to additional needs application children, then catchment with sibling already at school, then catchment, then if any left over it's any other applications. Sometimes actual life experience counts for more than a quick general Google search. And I never claimed to know what age you walked to school by yourself, I just doubt it was age 6. I'll leave the "know all" stuff to the forum's resident know it all.

Exactly.

Most parents understand the term catchment area, and its limits of applicability. It's a generally used and understood phrase in everyday use.

Most parents aren't happy from a safety perspective letting younger primary and especially infant kids walk to school. Lots of reasons, understood through experience.

[Cyclone 10]

15 hours ago, WiseOwl182 said:

You don't understand much about schools, since you don't have children. Catchment area is still very much important, I can assure you.

 

The final year of infant school is age 6 to 7. I wouldn't be comfortable sending my kids to school on their own at that age, whether it's 100 metres or 1 mile. 

Okay, so catchment areas do exist, they may even, in some strange areas be as large as you suggest (perhaps in a village served by only a single school).

You wouldn't let a 7 year old walk 100 metres in the company of many other children, younger and older, and the presence of the parents of those younger children.

Okay, well, I think you're paranoid.  And this is why there's an excess of cars in the morning doing the school run.  Parents who can't allow a child to walk 100 metres with other children and numerous parents.

[woodview 10]

1 minute ago, Cyclone said:

Okay, so catchment areas do exist, they may even, in some strange areas be as large as you suggest (perhaps in a village served by only a single school).

You wouldn't let a 7 year old walk 100 metres in the company of many other children, younger and older, and the presence of the parents of those younger children.

Okay, well, I think you're paranoid.  And this is why there's an excess of cars in the morning doing the school run.  Parents who can't allow a child to walk 100 metres with other children and numerous parents.

This is Sheffield forum. Lots of us live in built up areas where the journey to school is easily a mile, involving numerous busy road crossings, roundabouts, blind bends etc coupled with loonies busy on their phones driving to work, or just generally oblivious to their surroundings. These are the reasons so many drive their kids to school.

100 yards walk in the village would be fantastic.

Come back on in a few years when you have actual experience of the problems parents face, you may be less self rightous by then.

[Cyclone 10]

I've no idea why you think a few years will make any difference.

 

Circumstances do vary, but if these are such built up areas then a catchment area extending one mile must mean infant schools with 500+ children in them right?  Looking at google maps around Wadsley there appear to be infant schools much more closely situated than you're suggesting.

 

My personal experience as a child was indeed in a village, there were no main roads between my house and the school and I could walk there without crossing a single road at all.

Driving children to school was much less common generally, so it would be rare for anyone to arrive in a car except the teachers.

[Cyclone 10]

Without wanting to make this personal, the two of you, how far away is (or was) your children's infant school, and was it the closest?

[WiseOwl182 10]

I went with the closest but even if it was only 100 metres, I would not be sending a "late infant" in on their own.

[Cyclone 10]

Because with 100's of other children and parents of the younger ones around and over such a short distance, who knows what might happen...  Far more sensible to drive them, right.

[WiseOwl182 10]

1 hour ago, Cyclone said:

Because with 100's of other children and parents of the younger ones around and over such a short distance, who knows what might happen...  Far more sensible to drive them, right.

No, obviously for 100m I wouldn't drive, but I certainly wouldn't send them out alone either.

[woodview 10]

1 hour ago, Cyclone said:

Without wanting to make this personal, the two of you, how far away is (or was) your children's infant school, and was it the closest?

Nearly a mile for me. Same distance as other catchment school. No way would they be walking. To many busy crossings.

If it was on an estate road, maybe, and lots do walk that.

I used to see a fat mum drive 100 yards with her child then have to do a 400 yard route back. That is ott.

You have to base it on sensible notions, based on lots of circumstances. Can't assume everyone is a mum in a range rover.

 

Edited January 20, 2019 by woodview