Admired school draws moms and dads in droves
30 July 2009, 06:02
By Angelique Serrao
A Johannesburg primary school is so popular that about 40 parents spent the night camped out on the pavement to try to ensure a place for their children next year.
This is the second year that Parkview Junior School has had a row of parents sleeping outside the school to ensure they are first in line to sign up for Grade 0 and Grade 1 next year.
Each year, parents queue for a longer time, and the queue gets longer.
There are three classes per grade. The first two are full with children who live in the zone. The third class is kept for those from outside suburbs.
"Last year, they queued since 5pm the day before registrations. This year, we queued 48 hours before," said father Nick Gordon.
"There was even a bunfight last year when people who hadn't queued tried to get in front. This year we are more organised, we have made a list."
He is number 15 on the list. "Apparently, if you make it into the top 20, you have a good chance of getting in."
Parents had been outside the school since 4am on Wednesday, and registration was expected to start at 7.30am on Thursday.
All of them say Parkview has a wonderful reputation and they want their children to go to the best school in the area. The parents live in areas around Parkview but are not in the zone to be admitted automatically to the school.
"This is the reality for people who are not zoned in this area," said mother Sylvaine Strike, from Melville.
"The school has a good reputation and it is very balanced. It only goes to Grade 3, so we know it is a short-term option, but we are prepared to do it."
Gordon said the other option was to buy a house in Parkview, but it was out of the price range for many.
"You have to be living in a house because they actually come and check that you are living there," said Gordon. "We were thinking that if we could rent a house here, we would abandon our own homes."
Gordon said the school did not want to take part in the rush for entry into grade Rs and 1. "They could put a list out there, but then parents would be booking places years in advance," he said.
A Johannesburg primary school is so popular that about 40 parents spent the night camped out on the pavement to try to ensure a place for their children next year.
This is the second year that Parkview Junior School has had a row of parents sleeping outside the school to ensure they are first in line to sign up for Grade 0 and Grade 1 next year.
Each year, parents queue for a longer time, and the queue gets longer.
There are three classes per grade. The first two are full with children who live in the zone. The third class is kept for those from outside suburbs.
"Last year, they queued since 5pm the day before registrations. This year, we queued 48 hours before," said father Nick Gordon.
"There was even a bunfight last year when people who hadn't queued tried to get in front. This year we are more organised, we have made a list."
He is number 15 on the list. "Apparently, if you make it into the top 20, you have a good chance of getting in."
Parents had been outside the school since 4am on Wednesday, and registration was expected to start at 7.30am on Thursday.
All of them say Parkview has a wonderful reputation and they want their children to go to the best school in the area. The parents live in areas around Parkview but are not in the zone to be admitted automatically to the school.
"This is the reality for people who are not zoned in this area," said mother Sylvaine Strike, from Melville.
"The school has a good reputation and it is very balanced. It only goes to Grade 3, so we know it is a short-term option, but we are prepared to do it."
Gordon said the other option was to buy a house in Parkview, but it was out of the price range for many.
"You have to be living in a house because they actually come and check that you are living there," said Gordon. "We were thinking that if we could rent a house here, we would abandon our own homes."
Gordon said the school did not want to take part in the rush for entry into grade Rs and 1. "They could put a list out there, but then parents would be booking places years in advance," he said.
- This article was originally published on page 3 of The Star on July 30, 2009
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