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

Eugh... that would be even worse. At least all our other options are 'average'. If we don't get our first choice there is no chance of getting one of the other outstanding schools as one is the wrong sex and the other is a state boarding school and has such a small catchment area that you need to live a couple of hundred meters from the school as it only has about 20 places for local children as it gives half its places for boarding, then after aptitude places and siblings it means there is not many left over (last year was 21 places).

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Gileswithachainsaw · 02/02/2018 13:58

Ha yes we have 2 from our town as the worst performing.. ..

I'm bricking it to... Flowers

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 02/02/2018 13:57

I feel physically sick when i think about the possibility of DD not getting her first choice....so not good. Not sure how I am going to cope on the 1st March as our emails aren't sent out until after 3pm.

When the school league tables came out this week 3 of the top 10 comps in the the country were from our town (including the school we want DD to go to at number 3)......no wonder there is so much competition for places as so many families move to the area for the secondary schools - we didn't I hasten to add and have lived here for 24 years.

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Gileswithachainsaw · 02/02/2018 12:35

How is everyone doing today
...

EightiesHairdo · 31/01/2018 15:25

Good luck with that GrockleBocs. Here's hoping you don't need it.
Plenty of grey cloud here right now to keep occupied til then - the joys.. I could try concentrating on work I suppose

GrockleBocs · 30/01/2018 23:11

I'm going to occupy myself in the last fortnight by gathering information for our appeal! How the winter nights will fly by... Grin

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/01/2018 22:36

Crawling? I swear they are going back wards Grin

EightiesHairdo · 30/01/2018 21:26

The next few weeks are going to crawl by aren't they?
Giles sometimes being borderline is good enough. It looks like you ordered your preferences well.

AveEldon · 30/01/2018 21:13

I will only be happy with school no 1!

Remember you can join waitlists for the other choices - there is a fair amount of movement between March and September

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/01/2018 20:42

Knowing our luck

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/01/2018 20:41

We have similar issue although not with a grammar.

1 we are borderline distance
2, 3,4 no chance as outside distances they are there just as I have nothing to lose.
5 borderline but within distances previously
6 catchment crap school

Knowing public we will get the one crappy school we didn't list

We can't possibly get a good outcome Sad

EightiesHairdo · 30/01/2018 18:30

Hello. Glad I found this thread. Yep - apprehensive here too but trying to remain positive.
Applied to a grammar which is almost impossibly tough to get into (no idea of test score as you don't find out till you get/don't get an offer) and rest of preferences made up of our local comps about three of which are pretty good.
Only issue is that we don't live close enough to any of them to think we'd be 'guaranteed' a place at any of the comps. Historically the cut-off distances have been shorter than the distance to our house from the schools. It will be interesting to see what happens.

GrockleBocs · 30/01/2018 17:50

I'm quite anxious about it. We don't have much choice and dd is unlikely to get the school she wants. I genuinely don't want her to go to the very good school she probably will get.

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/01/2018 15:56

Well he's not much use then is he?

I'm so nervous I know the answer but until I get that email there is at least hope...my liver is probably screaming

Perigord · 30/01/2018 15:31

Ha ha. I don't think you've got much chance of getting your dad into the school. Grin

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 30/01/2018 15:22

Arghh bloody iPhone. DD not dad !!

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Original poster
Hersetta427 · 30/01/2018 15:21

DH not DO

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Original poster
Hersetta427 · 30/01/2018 15:21

Lots of wine drunk here. Do is a supply teacher and has spent the last 3 days T the school we want dad to go to and I asked him to pump the admissions officer for info on dad 's chances given her aptitude scores but he refuses.......git.

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Perigord · 30/01/2018 14:34

Dd2 will get in to the comp where her sister is. Her sister has been very happy there and doing well. Dd2 has been happy at primary (dd1 less so) but you never really know. Dd1 ended up with a nice class but dd2 could get a horrible one or be picked on about her red hair for the first time! Fingers crossed

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/01/2018 14:32

Will you be happy with all the possible outcomes?

AveEldon · 30/01/2018 14:18

4 weeks is ages to wait!

We should get school no 1 (based on previous years test score)
If not then we won't get no 2 on our list but should get no 3.
We are also near enough to get no 4.

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/01/2018 10:47

In a scale of 1-10 How nervous are you and how much gin have you drunk...

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 29/01/2018 22:53

Getting closer......4 weeks to go !

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Gileswithachainsaw · 18/01/2018 07:06

Another one here to join the countdown.

Although ignorance is bliss right now.

Going to be a long few weeks

PeggyMummy · 16/01/2018 10:04

Did anyones son sit Reeds 11+ on sun? Wondered how they found the exams and interview. Feeling nervour and desperately wishing the days away until the results are out.