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I'm panicking that secondary application may not have been submitted

93 replies

Friskyandhustley · 03/03/2018 15:14

My DH made an online application. We should have received an e-mail on 1st March informing us which school DS has been offered. He didn't receive anything and can't find any record of the application, a confirmation or a six digit code that our local authority mentions you need to log in to your account. Nothing in the post either (although it says letters are sent by second class post on 1st..and with the snow we possibly wouldn't have that by now anyway). It hasn't been possible to speak to anyone at the council to check.
Other parents have all had the e-mail. I'm pretty convinced that for whatever reason DH didn't submit an application properly.
In the interests of not drip feeding, we have put down a school as first choice that we were not expecting to be offered, but were planning to appeal. I'm now really worried that we may not even get the second choice school.
Does anyone know what happens if you apply after the deadline and what the implications are likely to be? Any advice much appreciated.

OP posts:
user1484040234 · 05/03/2018 16:50

Could go go through the saved history on your computer, back to October?

Leaspr · 05/03/2018 16:32

I hope you’ve had some good news today!

ReinettePompadour · 05/03/2018 13:40

I hope its gone ok for you today and they just missed you off the email list. Smile

Rewn7 · 05/03/2018 08:02

Good luck today OP. Hope you make some progress and get to the bottom of it.

PanelChair · 05/03/2018 08:00

No. Assuming the submission somehow failed, the LEA will either correct the error (if it was their fault) and put the child where he would have been (although, if this means adding him as 31st pupil in a class somewhere, they may insist on it going to appeal) or (if an LEA computer glitch isn’t to blame and the parent simply failed to make the application) this becomes a late application and the child is added to waiting lists acccording to the usual criteria. Waiting lists are held in admissions priority order and there’s no option of placing a child at the top of the list because they’re applying late or the LEA is attempting to fix its own error.

DoublyTroubly · 04/03/2018 23:59

Assuming the submission didn’t go through properly, you are very likely to be added to the top of the waiting list for the school you would have been allocated. Given the amount of movement in all but the most saught after schools, I would expect you to be offered a place their within a couple of weeks

Good luck tomorrow

Pannacott · 04/03/2018 10:10

Thanks LIZS

gussyfinknottle · 04/03/2018 09:42

If there isn't a printed off copy to show the application was received I would assume it was not done. I would fecking bollock my dh in private (so my child couldn't see or hear) and get on and sort it myself. With as little fuss as possible. If it could manage to restrain my anger at dh.
Knob wipe dh who did that can't be trusted to fix it.

LIZS · 04/03/2018 09:24

Don't remember all the details just that the dh had to appeal and their ds was allowed to sit the 11+ exam shortly after with the other candidates.

Pannacott · 04/03/2018 08:54

Sorry for derail...

@LIZS I was on the thread about the 11+... Man that was traumatic reading! Heartbreaking. It went puff before I heard any good news so I really appreciate your update. Can you say a little more? Did the OP just explain what happened and the head made an exception, or something else?

Frazzled2207 · 04/03/2018 08:41

Sorry to hear but it WILL get sorted , if it does turn out to be not submitted I think your best bet is to get your current head teacher onside.
If your son has dyspraxia that might help your case too?

There will be some parents every year that didn't submit for some reason and up to a point I wouldn't be surprised if the council at least try to be helpful.

There might also be a chance that the preferred school or an alternative is undersubscribed. Oversubscribed last year does not make it oversubscribed this year.

WhatsGoingOnEh · 03/03/2018 23:19

Have you checked your junk and spam folders?

PanelChair · 03/03/2018 21:06

Not all education authorities chase up “missing” applications - mine certainly doesn’t - so I don’t think any conclusions can be drawn around that.

spacecadet48 · 03/03/2018 20:16

I think you need a stern conversation with your DH. I am always in charge of school applications and for the first time ever I didn't submit my online application after registering in September. I thought I had as I was only choosing one school and was convinced I submitted and it was only when I checked on the 5th Nov it hadn't been submitted. Mine had to be completed on paper and was classed as an in year application and would be considered after the on time applications. I received no reminders and was advised that whilst I had registered and started the application I hadn't chosen a school and therefore due to that didn't receive any reminders. Your DH has either not submitted or has made an error on the form in relation to his email. Your primary school will know whether you applied or not as they get sent a list from the council. I had emails with my password reminder but nothing else from the council. I haven't received a thing yet and thankfully my DS has got into his 1st choice independent. However it did an additional layer of pressure which he wasnt aware of !

LightastheBreeze · 03/03/2018 19:42

He hasn’t used a work email address has he, DH sometimes does this which irritates me intensely especially if it’s the weekend and somethings gone to work. I often tell him to put my email address for things. as he doesn’t log into his that much which also irritates me as things get missed

TheHeartOfTeFiti · 03/03/2018 19:38

Would home education be an option until you get into preferred school? If it all goes wrong

lougle · 03/03/2018 19:31

Frisky it will be ok. Try and stay calm, and don't let this be a massive issue in your family, whether your DH made a mistake or not. That would be much worse for your DS than keeping things low key. I used to sit on admissions appeal panels and the process is genuinely a very fair and neutral one. If the child who is appealing for school x would be better served by being placed there, than the children who are already there would be negatively impacted by having one extra child, and the school cannot demonstrate that it is 'full' (this doesn't mean up to its published admission number), then the child gets a place.

FATEdestiny · 03/03/2018 19:28

Our local council actively chase parents who have not submitted in the weeks running up to secondary deadline. I didn't submit (last year) until the day before deadline and must have had 3 or 4 reminder emails that I had not submitted yet. They used the contact details in place right back from primary school applications.

If he didn't receive these chasing emails, it might be that he used an old/incorrect email address.

Friskyandhustley · 03/03/2018 19:16

Oh - and just to be clear - I wasn't talking about trying to appeal on grounds of error (being that it's probably our fault).

OP posts:
Friskyandhustley · 03/03/2018 19:11

I really don't think he forgot. I remember him telling me it had been done. I do think he's somehow failed to submit it properly and not realised, and probably also not read the web site where it explains about acknowledgement emails etc. I'm going to double check with him that he's looked in all possible accounts, spam and follow other advice on here about ways to find a trace of the application. Not holding out much hope. Then council and headteacher on Monday. Probably followed by a swift late application. Then I expect we'll end up going down the appeal route, which we would likely have done anyway (to try and get him into the school I think will do most to support his dyspraxia). Really appreciate all the kind words and clear thinking. I feel a bit less panicky now I have a plan. I'll update when there's anything to tell and share anything I find out which might be useful.

OP posts:
tiggytape · 03/03/2018 19:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PatriciaHolm · 03/03/2018 18:53

looney, that's not true. For secondary appeals, you need to show the detriment to the child of not getting a place is greater than the detriment to the school of admitting. It doesn't depend in any way on the admission authority making a mistake. Of course, if they have, then that gives grounds as well, but it's not required for a successful appeal.

Looneytune253 · 03/03/2018 18:45

You do know that you would only have grounds for appeal if they didn’t follow procedure properly don’t you? You would have to prove they made a mistake with the allocations and it doesn’t sound like you have evidence of that? What would be the basis of your appeal?

seesea · 03/03/2018 18:42

Poor you OP Thankstry not to worry and contact people on Monday. It sounds to me like your DH didn't submit it properly.

lIzs that is great about that other thread turning out Halo

RandomMess · 03/03/2018 18:08

Happened to my friend with infant school application there was some sort of internet/computer glitch and it never occurred to her that she should have received an email confirmation stating application received Sad

So it does happen. It really should be all over the application that if submission works that you will get an email receipt rather than in the small print!