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Original poster

Its 2018....countdown to 1st March secondary school allocations!

632 replies

Hersetta427 · 02/01/2018 12:10

Well two months down and two to go to 1st March. I have been fairly chilled since applications were submitted however now that 2018 is here it is creeping into my thoughts more frequently.

We are truly lucky to live in a town with very good secondary schools but I know DD would be heartbroken if she didn't get her first choice (a top 10 non selective girls school).

Realistically we should be virtually sure of a place as if we don't qualify on distance within our feeder school group then she should get a sports aptitude place (she score 10 percentage points higher than the required score for the last 3 years). However a part of me is still nervous as I imagine what if all 200 girls taking the aptitude test got amazing scores too. Logically I know this isn't the case as other girls at her school score 20-25 marks lower than DD but there are only 9 places available so the margin of error is small.

Anyone else beginning to get jittery? Please tell me I'm not alone.

OP posts:
itsazoohere · 01/03/2018 03:36

I'm now praying that either the school will be shut or the trains won't be running so that I don't need to do the school run at 7:30-can't see me getting much sleep before then!
This really wasn't this stressful the last few times.

itsazoohere · 01/03/2018 03:26

Yup.
And I know that there is NO chance of me getting the school we want-we had to move, so are out of the area. I really don't think my daughter would do at all well were we live, so am clutching at straws that appeals might work, but I think I'm kidding myself.

julz35 · 01/03/2018 03:11

itsazoohere Are you waiting on East Sussex as well?

itsazoohere · 01/03/2018 02:50

You and me both.
Certainly not at midnight!

julz35 · 01/03/2018 02:47

Anybody know what time East Sussex announces the places? This is driving me nuts!

Waspnest · 01/03/2018 02:41

Staffordshire. Hundreds of houses being built locally plus army moving back from Germany.

TheWoollybacksWife · 01/03/2018 02:34

Waspnest this is an RI school too. I've just looked at the allocation data for the county and the schools in our new town are all oversubscribed too.

I thought DS scored fairly highly on the criteria at the school I'm ringing tomorrow (category 2 of 7) but I can only assume there were more in category 1 plus siblings/distance tiebreak.

What LA are you in?

Waspnest · 01/03/2018 02:16

Woolly, I feel exactly the same (except that the allocated school requires improvement). At the open evening of the school we want the headteacher said they were supportive of appeals by parents who really supported the school and their kids but she thought we'd probably get in ok anyway. I think there has just been a massive influx of people into the area recently and the local authority are completely unprepared. The three I put down were the nearest three so don't know what else I could have done really.

sandrapanda · 01/03/2018 02:08

None of our preferences either, dreading telling ds in the morning 😔

TheWoollybacksWife · 01/03/2018 01:56

None of our preferences Sad. No grounds for appeal unless a mistake was made and I'm assuming that this will only apply at one school as the other two use a lottery system to allocate places. I'll hit the phone in the morning and find out where we stand.

The school we have been allocated is ok but we are moving soon to a neighbouring town so I am assuming that it would be prudent to try to find a school there that has places.

I feel numb and totally overwhelmed by the process ahead.

Waspnest · 01/03/2018 01:34

Well completely gutted. Didn't get any of our three. Completely confused as well about what the table means. Presumably the distance figures don't apply to within the catchment. Confused Oh well appeal here we come.....

netflixandpill · 01/03/2018 01:23

we got our third choice Sad i'm gutted. i only put it down as last choice because the one nearest to us is even worse so she would've had a place there for sure.

Fourmagpies · 01/03/2018 01:13

We've got our first choice, such a relief. Good luck to those still waiting. And to those that didn't get the school they wanted, I hope it all works out in the end.

itsazoohere · 01/03/2018 01:11

It's shit, right?
Hoping you get some sleep.

GrockleBocs · 01/03/2018 01:08

zoo s'allright DH bought me Wine tonight :) I am about ready to collapse. Our situation is complicated and we live in a peculiar area for schools. Based on last year, we have a 0.03% chance of success :(
My MP will be getting an email no mstter what happens.

itsazoohere · 01/03/2018 00:54

Grockle-you were right.
No email yet.
I'm sorry to hear that you are also predicting the worst-see you on an appeals thread?
Thanks (it would be Wine, but I drank it all waiting up for an email I really knew wouldn't arrive.)

GrockleBocs · 01/03/2018 00:45

Oh Zoflora I wish I could be so pragmatic. The school we will get today has actually said to me that they can't cope with dd.

bellabelly · 01/03/2018 00:40

Well done to everyone getting their first choice schools!

PipnJo · 01/03/2018 00:38

Good luck to everyone

PipnJo · 01/03/2018 00:38

We got 1st choice. Very relieved! A school well suited for DS and has a good link with current school which is what we need.

CremeBrulee · 01/03/2018 00:36

Finally managed to log in - most anxious 30 mins ever!

DS got his first choice, much relief here!

bellabelly · 01/03/2018 00:36

HolyShet - you don't sound like a tit at all. You sound like a concerned parent.

AwkwardAnnie · 01/03/2018 00:34

I'll go on the waiting list and appeal and keep everything crossed. But having never done this, and they've changed the criteria for schools this year to feeder schools the distance instead of just distance, so I haven't a clue what our chances are. :(

HolyShet · 01/03/2018 00:32

God I sound like a tit. Aspirational isn't really the quality I mean.

HolyShet · 01/03/2018 00:30

@AwkwardAnnie that sucks

Any chance of waiting list luck?

I'm a bit gutted. ds1 is at an amazing school, a blip locally as it's only grammar in 5 boroughs. Dd refused to contemplate even sitting the test... it wouldn't have suited her but the school she's got is just a bit too small and not very aspirational....

Need to get some kip

Ugh