Secondary School Admissions in Kent

Having seen the number of visitors who have reached this site by searching for phrases such as "Grammar Schools" or "School Admissions Process", I felt I could offer some more practical assistance as well as spouting off about the petty, small-minded, "I'm-alright-Jack" mentality of this Labour Government, who seem hell bent on destroying selective education at any cost.

Last year my daughter left primary school and we entered, like thousands before us, the maze that is school admissions. We were at various times confused, frightened and angry, feeling that if we put a foot wrong we would be wrecking our daughter's life for ever.

I have three pieces of advice:

• Firstly, take a look at the Kent County Council Secondary School Admissions Guidance - click on this bullet point to take you straight there;
  
• Secondly, go anywhere you have to, and pay any price for a copy of "HOW TO WIN YOUR SCHOOL APPEAL" by Ben Rooney - published by A & C Black, the ISBN number is 978-0-7136-8236-6, and the price at time of writing is £9.99. Again, click anywhere on this bullet to go straight to the Amazon page (although there are many other suppliers of the same book!)
  
• Thirdly, ask advice from your Kent County Councillor - we all regularly get dozens of calls at this time of year from parents in the same situation you're in right now, and can advise and assist with the process, even though the Labour Government now won't allow us to represent parents at admission appeals... To find your local Kent County Councillor, click on this bullet to jump to the KCC website and find your local Member by party, area or postcode.

I hope within these three points, you find something of help. Remember, when you get to put your case at an appeal, don't argue as to why your child won't like the school you've been given; argue as to why he or she will positively bloom at the school for which you're appealing.

Remember in your preparation to ask the school admissions staff for the PAN (Published Admissions Number) for the last five years or so, as well as the number the school actually admitted - if the latter is higher, this will allow you to demolish the argument that to take extra "will prejudice the efficient delivery of education" as they've already set a precedent.

Ask also whether there is any 'fall out' during the school year. Most schools lose the odd one or two pupils during the course of a year or two because the family moves, or the school doesn't always suit. If this is the case, you could argue that admitting your will only push numbers up for a few months.

Don't lose heart - and good luck!

A Christmas success story...

I love my job, but some days just put the icing on the cake. Yesterday was one of those days, when I visited Pembury Primary School to join Head Teacher Cath Thewlis and three of her pupils on an interview panel.

It seems the work we'd done with poster competitions, job descriptions, coverage in the Courier and on BBC South East news, and finally a live broadcast by Radio Kent, had actually produced four applications for the post of lollipop person.

Final selection was between two applicants, and Cath decided the children should choose their lollipop person themselves.

The children's questions were superb - "are you kind?", "what would you do if we misbehaved?" and so on. Eventually, they selected the person they felt most appropriate, and subject to the usual checks and references, the children of Pembury should be able to cross the road safely in a couple of weeks.

Just shows what can be achieved when we all work together. Well done Pembury!

Young People - the voters of tomorrow

I was pleased to get a response - albeit "Anonymous" - from an 11-year old who asked if I did 'anything that would be interesting to young people'. Although it's not enough, I try to make regular visits to the schools in my area - Pembury Primary School, St Barnabas in St James and Sherwood Park Primary School, where I've recently become a Governor.

It's always great to talk to the pupils and the teachers, usually during assembly, and during Local Democracy Week each year I try to organise events that will explain democracy and its importance - whether it's through a "Question Time" type event with other colleagues from others political parties, presenting certificates and badges to newly-elected school councillors, or by inviting pupils to visit County Hall in Maidstone, debating and voting for things they want for their school in the Chamber, then funding the winning bid from my KCC Local Member Grant.

It's not enough, and I hope that creating this blog will open a communication channel that might provide me - and other councillors like me - with a better sense of how to engage with people of all ages.