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Secondary education

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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:
Fourmagpies · 28/02/2018 13:02

Ours post at midnight but last year the website crashed and it was mid morning before people could log on.

HolyShet · 28/02/2018 13:02

Nervous here

Would be super happy with first or second preference but both long shots.

Dd is at feeder primary school to third. Should be guaranteed a place but has dropped its PAN to 120 for 2018 intake (not sure why they would do that? no-one seems to be able to tell us) and was oversubscribed last year. Great reputation for nurture, and other classmates have chosen it - but worried she won't find her people there iyswim.

Only allowed 3 choices.

I had that teeth falling out anxiety dream and can't concentrate at all. And DH is away....

bellabelly · 28/02/2018 12:42

Happy birthday, Hersetta!

"I had a massive anxiety dream last night. Dreamt I was trying to get dd into a school 200 miles away and couldn't remember if I'd put it 1st or 3rd. Woke up in a panic and it took a few minutes to realise I hadn't applied to a school 200 miles away confused"

Grocklebocs - that really made me smile - and the offers "swap shop" one too - genius idea!

gussyfinknottle · 28/02/2018 11:24

Give your LA a call and/or check what your admission bumf says. That should still be online if you have lost it/binned it.

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 28/02/2018 11:21

missus - it depends on the LA. Some update at midnight, some 3pm, some including london at 5pm.

OP posts:
Missuseff · 28/02/2018 11:13

Does anyone know when LA’s add their info? Is it worth staying up til midnight? Or is it just a case of logging in thru out the day tomorrow?

Shattered04 · 28/02/2018 11:12

sockgap - oh no, that's awful!! Bad enough waiting until tomorrow (like me!) but far worse to have to do it thinking you were going to know today!

ineedamoreadultieradult · 28/02/2018 11:03

So I was going to use work to keepy mind occupied today then after school.clubs etc then it would only be a matter of hours until I found out. Work is closed due to the snow but the kids school is still open so now I'm home alone with nothing to do but wind myself up about what the decision will be!

EightiesHairdo · 28/02/2018 10:45

Happy Birthday Hersetta. It is DD1's birthday today as well.
Yipes - it is looming now. No blissful ignorance bubble to hide inside anymore. Good luck to all DCs Flowers

thesockgap · 28/02/2018 10:42

Don't know where that grinning face came from ^, it was meant to look shocked!

thesockgap · 28/02/2018 10:41

Oh bloomin' heck. I've been geared up to finding out at midnight, and counting in hours... but I've just found out that our LEA have advised people the website / portal is not working and that they should wait for an email "some time tomorrow" :o Not what I needed to hear! :(

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 28/02/2018 10:14

Thank you ladies !

Doing bugger all at work - think this is going to to the story until the end of tomorrow !

OP posts:
Shattered04 · 28/02/2018 09:53

Happy Birthday Hersetta!

I saw the headteacher this morning as I dropped the children off, she was very happy and smiling at me. MUST NOT READ ANYTHING INTO THIS. After all, it was a beautiful sunny morning with fresh snow on the ground and the schoolchildren were all happy!

Gileswithachainsaw · 28/02/2018 09:52

Happy birthday!!! Cake

MedusaBadHairDay · 28/02/2018 09:51

14 hours now....just want this day over and done with Confused

GrockleBocs · 28/02/2018 09:31

Happy Birthday Hers!

I had a massive anxiety dream last night. Dreamt I was trying to get dd into a school 200 miles away and couldn't remember if I'd put it 1st or 3rd. Woke up in a panic and it took a few minutes to realise I hadn't applied to a school 200 miles away Confused

gussyfinknottle · 28/02/2018 09:15

Happy birthday- ours is a midnight thing. Setting my alarm because I'm usually asleep by 10 pm Grin.
Good luck everyone.

Trampire · 28/02/2018 09:13

Yes, try and ignore voices doom. People love to scare people and say they know a friend of a friend who knows. It's bullshit.

Way back in the mists if time when I was applying for Primary with my youngest I had several people, including a nursery teacher saying the admissions policy had changed and siblings were no longer a consideration. It was total crap.

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 28/02/2018 08:23

Arghhh. Still 30 hrs here (Herts emails are sent out around 3pm).

Its my birthday today so that is a distraction - hopefully will get a belated present tomorrow with our first choice !

OP posts:
CalmDownAndBreathe · 28/02/2018 07:40

This is it! The day before allocation.

We have all been through some tough times during preps and now for the wait. The kids have been to hell and back. So here is wishing you all a very best of luck for your DCs. Keep calm and soldier on.

:)

bellabelly · 28/02/2018 00:12

Oh wow - 38 hours to go? We need a countdown clock...

bellabelly · 28/02/2018 00:11

Shattered04 - sadly, there's no sibling priority for school no 1. But thanks for trying to lift my spirits!

GrockleBocs · 28/02/2018 00:03

Oh Giles I know someone who's done something dodgy around admissions. Doesn't affect us directly but it's annoying.

Shattered04 · 27/02/2018 23:20

Even if applications are up, siblings could be down. I'm always amazed at how much the number of siblings varies each year - you'd think it would be fairly consistent!

I noticed that the results for SW Herts for Bushey Meads are slightly up on last year. That probably means the results are up across all school applications, which could well rule DD out for her #2 school as she was very very borderline.

Hopefully it won't matter one bit as fingers crossed she gets #1.. 38 hours or so to go!

bellabelly · 27/02/2018 22:57

Dinnerisburnt - I would strongly suspect that the child has simply made that up. Everyone knows that kids repeat stuff they shouldn't!