DD due to go to secondary school Sept 2020. Sitting here feeling stressed and a bit panicky. Where we live there are several Outstanding state schools within what would appear on a map to be within catchment of our house, but yet they might as well be 100 miles away. I have realised that I am very naive - there is no concept of catchment. It is all complicated admissions criteria of academic banding along with proximity along with some other random selection process it appears. These are not grammars btw - just what I would say in old money was a bog standard comp! And they are all over-subscribed. So I am non the wiser about whether my DD has any chance of getting in to a school near-ish to home. And then in which case what is the point of the so called "choice"? She could literally end up anywhere in South London where they have a space.
And then every private school I look at also appears to be completely over subscribed and whenever I mention to other parents about X or Y private school, they all say "oh impossible to get in to", so the private option seems as unreachable as getting DD into a decent state school locally.
Just feeling completely overwhelmed by it all - almost seems pointless going to open days etc as I just feel it will raise my hopes when the reality will be DD could end up in some random school not of my "choosing".
Anyone else been through similar feelings and come out the other side? I know I can't (or anyone else!) predict the future but I suppose I am just looking for reassurance that it is not quite as dire/pointless as it seems and that a year from now I will be laughing at my doomsday feelings about my DD's education!
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South London school applications - anyone else baffled and bit stressed?
39 replies
Tootingbec · 31/05/2019 22:43
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