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Original poster

HELP! Mistake on secondary school application

35 replies

GeMiNix89x · 09/03/2020 18:36

I'm looking for some advice I stupidly made a massive error on my daughters secondary school application and didn't include our catchment school (stupid I know) which she also currently has a sibling attending. on the list was just 2 other local schools that are very over subscribed. To my horror I only realised this when the offers were sent out and noticed she had been allocated a school 10 miles away from our home! And our first choice wasn't even on there! There are only 2 routes to the school via public transport so her journey to school would include a 6am train ride and 2 buses taking approximately 2.30hrs to get there on time. Or an 8.36am bus ride taking 56 minutes and being over an hour late to school every day. These would be her only travel options as I do not drive and start work at 8am. Our catchment school is less than a mile from home a 10 minute walk and she is currently attending one of the schools feeder schools. I have no idea where the hell my head was at at the time and have no excuses for not double checking before submitting 🤦🏼‍♀️ but now I need to deal with the consequences so I have made a late application to her first choice school and am awaiting the outcome and will hopefully hear something Wednesday or Thursday im guessing she wont be allocated a place but will be placed on the waiting list as this school is also oversubscribed but it's literally all I am thinking about I feel so guilty that my daughter is suffering because of a mistake I made! I'm just wondering if anyone has found themselves in a similar situation? And how they have dealt with it? And how high up on the waiting list they were?
TIA x

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Original poster
GeMiNix89x · 12/03/2020 14:19

Yes I have. Basically because the application is classed as late it won't have been considered until today so i won't find out anything until application has been processed. Although they did say I should hopefully hear something either today or start of next week depending on the volume of applications. But giving we are catchment and she has a sibling there if a place isn't awarded she should be high on the waiting list.

OP posts:
Oblomov20 · 12/03/2020 08:15

Have you actually spoken to your chosen school admissions? What are they saying atm?

Oblomov20 · 12/03/2020 08:13

My friend forgot to apply! This year! She thought the applications were 30th November, it was actually 31st October!!

She is waiting to hear! She hasn't appealed because she didn't think there were grounds. It's our nearest school, and we are in the catholic feeder primary! Blush

Original poster
GeMiNix89x · 11/03/2020 14:36

@FrankieManca yes I think I will just stick to what she currently already does. I don't want to seem like I'm rambling on. I have just phoned the other 2 local schools she's currently 32nd and 24th on their waiting lists. Very unlikely she will get a space in these school's there is never much movement on their waiting lists.

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FrankieManca · 10/03/2020 21:56

very keen to start several new clubs she has read up on in the schools prospectus which again only first choice offers

Don’t go mad with it. The Chess and Spanish because she is already doing those things, doing v well at them and wanting to continue sounds like a case. A whole raft of things she might like to try but doesn’t do at present, not so much.

Sincere and focussed on the important issues seems better to me than the risk of unconvincing desperation.

prh47bridge · 10/03/2020 20:05

Yes, extra curricular activities can help an appeal.

Original poster
GeMiNix89x · 10/03/2020 19:15

Yes I'm definitely going to do it 😊 I did think the fact the allocated school doesn't offer spanish should be mentioned as she would be disadvantaged by not being able to continue learning this. When it comes to extra curricular activities would this be the same? She currently attends a chess, singing, and cookery club that the allocated school doesn't provide but first choice does and is very keen to start several new clubs she has read up on in the schools prospectus which again only first choice offers. I won't know what schools have spaces until tomorrow when the waiting lists are established for our area but she will be on the waiting list for the only 2 other schools in our town.

OP posts:
oohnicevase · 10/03/2020 17:52

I would speak to admissions straight away .. I've always found them very helpful .. if there are no spaces though they are no spaces unfortunately. I presume you have asked what other schools have places too?

FrankieManca · 10/03/2020 17:44

Appeal AND go on waiting list.

You don't ever want to be in a situation where you are looking at your dd setting off to some other school and thinking 'If only I had....'

Anyway the Spanish thing is a credible basis for an appeal.

Original poster
GeMiNix89x · 10/03/2020 16:04

I think we may just go for the appeal like you've said we've nothing to lose! There isn't currently a school bus service for the allocated school from our area just a normal bus that stops 10 minutes away from the school. I will definitely be enquiring about taxi transport for her if she has to go to allocated school. I just can't have her travelling so far on her own to a place she isn't familiar with she's absolutely distraught by the thought of it😢

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prh47bridge · 10/03/2020 14:58

I have heard you can get help with school transport but in order for her to be on time for school it would have to be by taxi as the other options just wouldn't be possible

It may be that the LA will provide a taxi or it may be that there is a school bus that stops somewhere nearby. Ask the LA.

I'm unsure on whether I should appeal if she's at the top of the waiting or to just sit tight and wait

You might as well do both. You've nothing to lose by appealing and you might get a place that way. However, if you want to avoid the stress of an appeal you could just rely on the waiting list. You've got a good chance of getting in that way.

Thisismytimetoshine · 10/03/2020 14:21

I’m pretty sure you can do both.

Original poster
GeMiNix89x · 10/03/2020 14:11

Thank you all! She has a sibling that will be going in yr 8 so the sibling policy would apply. There are in fact a few private schools in the area so could be possible for parents to decline a space? I have heard you can get help with school transport but in order for her to be on time for school it would have to be by taxi as the other options just wouldn't be possible. I'm unsure on whether I should appeal if she's at the top of the waiting or to just sit tight and wait?

OP posts:
Malmontar · 10/03/2020 14:09

I've seen this before working in a primary school. Mum had 3 kids, 2 already at the really really oversubscribed secondary in N London. She didn't even put in a form as she assumed the child just moves. She threw a massive fuss and blamed us for not telling her to apply. Lots and lots of phone calls later, she managed to get a spot shortly after summer holidays started.
It does happen more often than people realise and your child is likely to get a space. But I agree, check the plane on waiting list.

prh47bridge · 10/03/2020 13:15

Obviously your preference is to get a place at the catchment school. As she has a sibling there it is likely she will be at the head of the waiting list so there is a very good chance you will get a place that way.

If the allocated school is over 3 miles away by the shortest safe walking route your daughter is entitled to free transport. If they simply provide a free pass for public transport you can use the length of the journey at appeal. If the only option to get her there on time takes 2 hours 30 minutes that is far too long to be regarded as a reasonable journey.

mambanumber5 · 10/03/2020 12:56

Are you an area where lots go private? If so you will be fine.

Trampoline · 10/03/2020 12:51

Check the school's sibling policy - our local schools only take siblings up to year 10 (ie if the child currently attending the school is in y11 or above, sibling policy does not apply). Good luck!

FrankieManca · 10/03/2020 08:04

GemiNi, I don’t think you will hear anything for a while, as they will wait for all the rejections and acceptances and then compile the waiting lists. And it depends at which point they put you in the waiting list, now, or on the ‘late applications’ date.

But with a Sibling policy in place you should shot your the top of the waiting list.

Be patient and Hold your nerve, it could take til the summer hols.

And having applied, aka put yourself in the waiting list, you can then appeal.

Original poster
GeMiNix89x · 09/03/2020 22:31

Ahhh I see! Fingers crossed a space comes up, I'm holding onto the fact that possibly we will be high up on the list if not🤞

OP posts:
champagneandfromage50 · 09/03/2020 22:10

similar distance .... the one thing i should add is that where i live there is a lot of places offered to those on the WL as alot of DC go private therefore give up there place

Original poster
GeMiNix89x · 09/03/2020 21:54

I was told I should hear something by end of this week at the latest 🤞 that's brilliant you were still able to secure a space! How close were you to the school? We are 0.4 miles from ours so I'm hoping she has a good chance.

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champagneandfromage50 · 09/03/2020 21:47

I missed the deadline for my DS secondary school application. I completed the late application in November and was advised it wouldnt even be looked at until April. He was offered a place despite my error...this was a sought after over subscribed school but we live very close

Original poster
GeMiNix89x · 09/03/2020 21:41

We have applied but it was a late application we won't know if it's been successful or not until Wednesday or where she currently ranks on the waiting lists. Thank you I hope so too.

OP posts:
Bringmewineandcake · 09/03/2020 21:36

How can you appeal if you didn't apply? It's a genuine question, it's not like you can say they failed to consider XYZ...you didn't give them the chance.
It sounds like you ought to be high on the waiting list for the school you want. I hope she does get a place there or at least for a much closer school than your current allocation.

Thisismytimetoshine · 09/03/2020 21:21

Oh, I misunderstood.

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