Nervous about Secondary School allocations out this week!

Got our first choice which was never really in doubt as DS is at a feeder primary and it is a requires improvement school. Just wanted to say those that didn't get their ideal school dont despair. Our older son got into a highly sought after school on a sports scholarship but after experiencing the school first hand for 3 years we didn't even try to get DS2 in there on sibling link. Reputations are sometimes not deserved.

My dd is #3 on the waiting list of our local school.
Can anyone tell me whether children given places on appeal are decided and given places before offers are made on waiting list places?

I feel like an imposter. I got offered my cheeky wild card school that I thought we’d never get. We had to put three schools down. We didn’t get our first choice, the wild card was my second choice. I’m really shocked as the school has an amazing reputation. It’s in the next county and near my work. I’m in my jaw dropped.

Thanks SnowyBranches - more waiting! Oh the stress!

This was what we had on the email:
Your child’s name will be placed on the waiting list for any Essex school which was a higher preference than the school offered. Information about waiting list positions will be available from 17 March 2021 using the following link www.essex.gov.uk/waitinglists. You will need your child’s Application Reference Number which can be found at the top of this email. For non-Essex schools please contact the Local Authority where the school is located to understand their waiting list process and any procedures about accepting a place.

I am also trying to put a positive spin on for my DS

@cariocbirello - I’m in Essex too, and on our offer email it said we would be able to see where we are the waiting list online from I think 17 March - around then anyway.
DS didn’t get into the grammar which he is a bit sad about. I know a child who scored a few points higher than him who didn’t get in either, so I don’t think we would be very high up the waiting list.

Thanks Neighneigh - I think I will try the same.

@Cariocbirello we are on waiting list for first choice and I've emailed the council, as well as the school (an academy) direct to try and find out where we are on the list . It's incredibly stressful, I got three hours sleep and am trying to hide how upset I am from my son. We live in a rural area where schools are very rarely over subscribed so this is all a huge shock

Thanks Squiblet

For those of you who know where you are on the waiting list for higher preferences, can I ask how you know your WL position - is this showing on your application info/portal? I can’t see this for us - I’m in Essex btw.

Very relieved to get our first (and only) choice but I don’t know how as it was a long shot! Catchment school is Inadequate and rife with unmanageable behaviour/bullying so we applied for a normally oversubscribed school a bit further out and got it! Had seriously thought about moving house if we’d been allocated the catchment school!

Will be getting the champers out tonight!

I'd go so far as to say I think it's pretty much impossible to win an appeal if you don't turn up, based on my experience as a panelist, unless it's fully evidenced that a mistake has been made or the school explicitly say there is no prejudice. Fully and clearly written cases that answer all possible questions are rare.

You can say you will provide evidence at a later date.

We won't hear until 5pm today.

In terms of appeals, do you have to submit evidence at the point when you log the appeal? Our appeal deadline is in 3 weeks so doesn't give long for getting evidence (we would need NHS reports etc due to DC's disability and the NHS takes months to reply on anything). I can't see anything on the website about this and to get any further in the appeals section of the website you have to log an appeal so obviously I don't want to do that yet!

@cariocbirello @ironfloor269 There's lots of advice about appeals on the elevenplus forum

www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/viewforum.php?f=35

Thank you, @CheltenhamLady, that is good advice. In your experience, does turning up for the hearing increase your chance 2jen it comes to super selective grammars as well?

My advice, (as an appeals panel member) would be to turn up to the appeal.

Currently, they are done via zoom, but still, you would be amazed how many parents do not attend. Being able to present your case and answer any questions dramatically increases your chances of success.

Re appeals - can anyone advise what would be grounds for appeal. We got 4th preference. 1st preference is a faith school & we had a signed supplementary form from Vicar to confirm church attendance, but obviously not enough to get a place this year. Would the faith element be a basis for appeal?

First choice. Phew.

What a horrible system!

Thank you ChildOfFriday and UserAgain. Will take a cautiously optimistic stance on this one then!

I wouldn’t be surprised if I don’t find out until 23:59 tonight. My LA are 💩 their website is awful. I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t send my application to the other authority.

I can see the eadmissions site is down. Wonder if this is due to too many people going on it or whether they have taken it down intentionally..