And do you think you'll get your top choice?
Our choices for DD are as follows - there is no secondary we are actually in catchment of:
- Local free school, right up daughter's street but small and with tiny catchment. It has altered its admissions in a way that slightly favours us this year, but I'd be astonished to get it
- Big, successful comp with very good results. No way we'll get it on first go, but plausibly on waiting list.
- On paper the 'weakest' school, but still significantly better than national average; was a boys' school until recently with variable history but feels like on the up with impressive head. Is quite small, which is good, and nearby. Catchment unclear due to recent change of status, but some people have told us that we're likely to get in.
- Best results on the list, but a pain to get to. Good for arts/drama, which would suit DD. She has a probable offer from there on grounds of musical ability.
- In next borough, in an area we don't really know, great results and can be reached by public transport fairly easily despite distance. DD has definite music place offer.
I think we'll get offered #3 or #4. If we get offered 4, we'll try to get one of the local ones on a waiting list. If we get 3, we'll probably also give the higher two on waiting list, but ultimately would be OK ending up with #3 or #4.