Topic ID 2854
What is so magical about the SG13 postcode ?We are told that "Hertford" is a catchment area and what matters is the proximity to the school.For instance, should I buy a property in Andrew St, not in the magical sg13 but nearer to Simon Balle, I should be in the catchment area due to proximity ?. Yeah ??? Can anyone let me know the "truth".Ta.
Reply ID 41150
The SG13 thing is an estate agent invention to push up house prices in the previously less favoured Ware road end of Hertford and particularly Foxholes. I'm in SG14, exactly the same distance from all three schools. Both my girlfriend's children got SB.
Reply ID 41151
It all depends on which school you want to get into I suppose and if you have your heart set on one in particular. However I do think we are lucky in our choice of local schools in that they are all good.
Reply ID 41153
The local authority are moving to do away with the 'catchment area' system to give kids from more outlying areas a higher chance of admission as I recall. Also discussed on [url]http://www.hertford.net/yoursay/topic.php?id=2157[/url]
Reply ID 41155
If you buy in Hertford, you are safely in the catchment area of all the schools, even under the present system. It does not place a child who can see the school out of their bedroom window ahead of one who has to walk twenty minutes to get there.
Reply ID 41170
Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't West Street have an SG13 postcode? Surely a very desirable place to live and within easy walking distance of both Simon Balle and Richard Hale. Or is this an exception to the "rule" created by said estate agents?
Reply ID 41184
Makes me laugh - the Estate Agent's wording..'favoured SG13 Location' Favoured by who? God? ps we live in unfavoured SG14, and got a SB place..
Reply ID 41196
quote:We live in SG14 and got offered Richard Hale and Simon Balle.
Originally posted by Arty
Makes me laugh - the Estate Agent's wording..'favoured SG13 Location' Favoured by who? God? ps we live in unfavoured SG14, and got a SB place..
Reply ID 41200
quote:Yes, you are correct in saying that West Street is SG13.
Originally posted by Aelle
Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't West Street have an SG13 postcode? Surely a very desirable place to live and within easy walking distance of both Simon Balle and Richard Hale. Or is this an exception to the "rule" created by said estate agents?
Reply ID 41243
Clear as an un-muddied pond. Thanks
Reply ID 41253
Its all a load of buzzcocks! I live in SG14, always hated living in SG13, thought it was badluck and all that malarkey! I went to school in Ware, Presdales, but I was part of a different selection system then... Its hard to know how they pick and choose which children go to which school![:)]
Reply ID 41257
So, if Sele school is your closest and you point blank dont want your child to attend there, what options do you have? Are SB and RH schools over-subscribed?
Reply ID 41259
Thanks again for all your help and advice.And wit.
Reply ID 41279
Personally speaking "the fair" I didn't get the school of my choice, nor the 2nd choice.. so my parents spent 9 months fighting the education authority to get me a place and when a girl dropped out of Presdales the day before the September term started, after protracted meetings, I was selected with one other girl from another part of Hertford who's parents had provided strong arguments for us to be offered a place... It was a hellish 9 months... nothing like your schoolmates telling you you were too thick to get a school, but the plus side was I worked damned hard at Presdales, got good grades, and warranted the decision the education system had in me... But I really don't know what parents are allowed/expected to do if the school nearest to them is not of their choosing....
Reply ID 41305
quote:If you live two miles down Tewin Rd, RH and SB may be outside your area. If you live slap bang opposite Sele School, you have as much chance of getting SB as a first choice, as someone living in Mangrove Rd.
Originally posted by thefair1973
So, if Sele school is your closest and you point blank dont want your child to attend there, what options do you have? Are SB and RH schools over-subscribed?
Reply ID 41307
One of our neighbours has two sons that go to Richard Hale. We live on Sele Farm. I have a friend who lives in Fordwich Rise whose sons go to Simon Balle.
Reply ID 41315
We have just gone through this whole process as our daughter goes up to Secondary School in September. OK, so we didn't have much to worry about as we were so impressed with Sele it was undoubtly our first choice and, being under subscribed, were very confident of getting it. It in no way effected out decision but one interesting fact we were told was that there are is a higher percentage of children from Sele in Simon Balle than in Sele School so I don't think the fact that you live nearer a school really has that much effect.
Reply ID 41323
the problem is, the grade results from Sele doesnt exactly fill you with confidence. Mind you, got a long way to go before I have to worry about it
Reply ID 41324
There is a lot more to schools than grade results, they in no waygive a complete picture. Try having a look at this [url]http://www.hertford.net/yoursay/topic.php?id=2001[/url] Hope that works....haven't done one of these links before [:)]
Reply ID 41341
quote:Agree totally with gemipicorn on this one. High grades may indicate a school concentrating on the pupils who are likely to get them those results. That's ok if your child is one who's likely to produce them easily. I put two boys through Sele. One would have got good grades in any school and did at Sele. The other was ADD and dyslexic. At the time, SB was the best performer, but had a special needs teacher who had no special needs training and asked us what ADD was[:0]. It's rather better now, thankfully.
Originally posted by thefair1973
the problem is, the grade results from Sele doesnt exactly fill you with confidence. Mind you, got a long way to go before I have to worry about it