Nervous about Secondary School allocations out this week!

In my personal experience I had to actively ask to go on the waiting list. It’s probably best to check with your own authority.

Correct for London that you automatically go on the waiting lists for your higher preference schools.

I thought that if you didn't get a place on your first choice (and any choices ahead of what you were actually offered) then you are automatically put of a waiting list for them. I may have read that wrong though.

For example, I believe Kent don't do it automatically at all, whilst Surrey will add you to the waiting lists for Community schools but you need to request it individually for academy, foundation, free and voluntary aided schools.

I was wondering that as well

@Sarjest do you have to specifically request a waiting list place, or do you get put on it automatically of the grammar is your first choice and you don't get it on offers day?

Snowybranches, make sure you get on the waiting list if he doesn't get a place on Monday. It's not over on 1st March!

It might be, Kate, it is so hard to tell! Our grammar school has a massive intake area as well, and I did wonder whether people might be less likely to want their kid on public transport for 3 hours a day now, so there might be more opportunities for local kids, but who knows!

@SnowyBranches I wonder if it will be a lower scoring year this year? Might work in your favour... I'm sure some kids prepped even harder during lockdown (some we know did nothing else) but across the board, attainment might be lower?

I’m also stressed about it - DS did 11 plus and has a score on the cusp, but I believe he wouldn’t have got in with that score last year so I don’t think he will get in. Which is a shame because he really wants to go, his brother is there and it is a 3 minute walk from our house, while the school he has probably got into is 30 minute walk and starts much earlier in the morning. On the other hand, I feel maybe with a cusp score the grammar school might not be the place for him, I worry that he would be constantly judging himself against others, and the work might be too fast paced, so then I worry that he has got in! And then I think well he wasn’t tutored, and so many others were, so actually he might do OK if he did go - so then I start to stress that he hasn’t got in, and how unfair that is! Hopefully once we know one way or another we can put it to one side and concentrate on bigging up whichever school he is going to.

Just to also add, DC2 and DC3 (hopefully!) are or will be at local school but it's a standing joke in our house that DC3 will end up at 3rd school 6 miles away

I'm waiting on same for DC3

But I also have a story. When DC1 went to secondary, due to my admin cockup her application wasn't received. We knew and were reassured by our local school that all would be well and she'd get a place during all the shuffling. This didn't happen as the school ended up 7 places over PAN.

We went to appeal, on the basis DD shouldn't suffer because of parental cockup but no dice.

So off she went on the bus to school 5 miles away in year 7. I cried. A lot.

BUT she thrived. Turns out a new group of friends, smaller school and the right ethos worked for her. Despite being top of the waiting list at our local school during yr 7 she's stayed at her distant school and wouldn't move even if a place came up.

So it worked out better than I could have imagined. And for those who don't get their first choice, I hope it works out for you too.

I thought eadmissions was updated first? Or does it depend how you applied?

Good luck everyone !

I am anxious waiting for 5pm Monday also. I live in london and out of my choices its def going to be a tough one due to where we live , catchments etc. No clue what we will get. My daughters school have a whatsapp group for year 6 and im planning on waiting to hear a few of the others results first so i can prepare myself!! Im not at work on Monday which is good as I know I will be stressed all day!!

I've just logged into our County council portal and the messages section is disabled and it says they use email for communication. Lord knows what time they'll send it

Yep same here. DD applied for the grammar school but didn't score highly enough in the 11 plus to be guaranteed a place, but is just about within the range of the lowest score that was offered a place in the last two years. However, the number of children sitting the 11 plus this year was higher than previous years so who knows!
As we weren't able to view any of the schools on our list (including the grammar) I have no idea what to make of wherever we're allocated anyway!

I think I can login and get allocation from 12.30am.
I am not going to be able to sleep that night so might as well sit up for it.

Me too, my twins are year 6 and the school they both want is the next street along so it's probably guaranteed but I'm still worried.

@starbrightstarlight8888 so I can refresh my emails every 5 seconds without getting sacked. Plus I don't like Mondays.

5pm 😵. Not London so hopefully a little earlier.. I've booked Monday off anyway

For all London boroughs it's from 5pm. Rest of country varies.

@BeakyWinder I thought that the site is updated after 5pm on the 1st March, but maybe someone who has an older child can confirm.