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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:
Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2018 12:23

Which county gem?

Gemm1 · 27/02/2018 12:17

Hi everyone Just want it to ask what time 1st of march we will receive an e mail this my first application for secondary school I hope u will all get your 1st choice

gussyfinknottle · 27/02/2018 11:41

It's really hard to do it but don't let your kids see your anxiety. Don't slag off other schools to their face.

thesockgap · 27/02/2018 11:38

Just over 36 hours to go, I'm absolutely bricking it! I keep feeling sick every time I think about it :( I lurch from thinking he's got a decent chance of getting our first choice, to remembering just how many people didn't get it last year :(
I just wish the wait was over and I knew one way or the other!

TeenTimesTwo · 27/02/2018 11:29

Is this a good time to remind all parents that they need to appear to be generally positive about all possible schools to their DCs?

This is so that

  • their DC isn't devastated if they don't get first choice
but also
  • so their DC doesn't go in saying 'oh you're going off to X, my mum say's that's rubbish' or whatever.

We kept up the mantra, 'different schools suit different children. All schools have their good points.'

Shattered04 · 27/02/2018 11:03

Thanks tiggytape, that's what I hoped would happen. It shouldn't be necessary, but if DD gets #2, she may want to go on the waiting list for #3 as well as #1 as none of her friends will be at #2 which has become more of an issue since application due to her ASD diagnosis. However, as we're Hertfordshire, we're not going to have any time to consider any potential offers as we'll just get allocated them!

Fingers crossed it won't come to that.

Cotswolds - I can relate - our nearest and only 100% school is very much not suitable for DD at all, has the lowest Ofsted and is the worst in terms of results and popularity locally. As the crow flies it is closer, but we live on a cul-de-sac and can't get out at the end. In terms of getting there, it's a busy main road and a long steep hill and actually twice as far on foot than the school most of her classmates will be at. I didn't even list it, because I'd rather homeschool her (somehow!!) than send her there!

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2018 10:58

Loving that idea Grin

GrockleBocs · 27/02/2018 10:55

It occurs to me that the primary schools probably know by now. I need to find the Senco and stare at her until she twitches a smile or a sympathetic shrug Grin

CotswoldStrife · 27/02/2018 10:50

I didn't put our nearest school down because it is not doing well at the moment, and had less than 50 people put it down as a first choice last year!

Because they measure the distance as the crow flies though, distance-wise there is less than a mile in it between our three nearest schools although they are all in completely different directions (and two of them come under a different Council). The ones that do come under the Council we pay our Council Tax to are further away Confused

tiggytape · 27/02/2018 10:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Shattered04 · 27/02/2018 10:24

Hersetta - I know, right?! I keep hoping they've accidentally sent out the result by mistake, but no..

Just had a thought, not that it's likely to happen in our case, but what happens if you get #1 or #2 but then decide you'd like #3 after all? Can you go on waiting lists even if you get your #1 choice?

Stircrazyschoolmum · 27/02/2018 10:01

Coming to join you all! I was hoping the snow might be a distraction this week, but not a flake here and my head is spinning. Hurry up Thursday!

tiggytape · 27/02/2018 09:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2018 09:56

How they are just torturing you now aren't they...

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 27/02/2018 09:49

Just got another bloody reminder from herts....I bloody know when allocation day is !!

OP posts:
CalmDownAndBreathe · 26/02/2018 21:21

Thank you!! That gives me a little hope.

BotanicalGin · 26/02/2018 20:32

So pleased I found this thread, feeling somewhat jittery. Wishing I put nearest school somewhere on the left list, in case.

MedusaBadHairDay · 26/02/2018 20:07

Calmdownandbreathe my friend lives in Preston and they are out of catchment for LGGS but last year their daughter got a place confirmed.

WeaselsRising · 26/02/2018 18:32

Does anyone know what time the South Glos results are available?

All of the schools here are Academies, so do we have to call every one individually to go on the waiting list?

megletthesecond · 26/02/2018 18:27

Relieved to know it's not just me counting in hours Blush.

CalmDownAndBreathe · 26/02/2018 18:25

DD is snoring away...not DH... DH would be me!! Damnit!

CalmDownAndBreathe · 26/02/2018 18:24

Thank God I found this! Just happy I am not the only nervous wreck here :D And while I (the dad) and DW bite our fingers off (the nails were long gone), DH is snoring away to glory after a harrowing day at school.

1st Choice is LGGS and we live in Kirkham at the moment. Will shift to Lancaster once we get the confirmation. Still very nervous about the distance. Anyone here knows if kids living in Kirkham are accepted usually at LGGS/LRGS?

Cheers!

Trampire · 26/02/2018 18:21

I'm in the South West.

In 2016, when we got our second choice - we were sent a bundle of forms asking if we wanted to accept our second choice, accept second choice but go on waiting list for first, or just go on the waiting list for first.

Also, our second choice school were aware they weren't our first choice as they sent a 'welcoming' letter addressed to my dd about what the school could offer her.

sassymuffin · 26/02/2018 18:19

So if appeals are underway but the panel have not yet made their decisions and a PAN goes to -1 during this time then the 1st on the waiting list can still be offered a place?

Trampire · 26/02/2018 18:17

I'll join the thread.

I have my youngest going to Secondary this year. I'm considerably less anxious this time around than first time.

My dd went up in 2016. We got our second choice. It's been such a good school for her so far that I'm thankful most days that we didn't get our first choice.
I have friends with dcs at our first choice and it's not so great. I think we were wooed by a fancy open evening looking back.

This time around, I'm pretty certain to get a sibling place, but we're just within the normal 'catchment' range anyway even though it's a different LEA.