National Offer Day - 1st March. Anybody else anxious?

Anyone with questions about appeals or other aspects of school admissions would do best to start their own thread, with some key words in the title. Threads with broad titles like “secondary school appeal” often become a tangle of overlapping conversations about different children in different circumstances - much better to have a separate thread for each.

This is an old thread! 2022

The thread for 2025 is here.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5285465-offers-day-3rd-march-2025

I have a feeling the school (which is an academy of one, and in a neighbouring LEA) would be even LESS likely to understand the concept of "adopted from overseas" but might be more efficient (could hardly be less efficient than our LEA, the primary school is a community school so it was all their fault).

True. But most if not all secondary schools are their own admissions authorities in some areas now, so what the LEA do isn't as relevant now, especially when it's done electronically so the selections you made, boxes ticked and evidence uploaded is accessible to the school.

Sorry to hear that. Is second choice ok?

@NeverDropYourMooncup what the LEA is supposed to do and what they actually do are not always the same thing...

We did, but then so did DD's friend whose family live miles from the school in question which is heavily scored on church attendance and they don't attend AFAIK. Maybe I've missed them becoming devout Christians or him getting an EHCP or maybe our area is benefitting from lower birth rate this year.

So no hassling the LEA at least.

We didn't get first choice :(

The Admissions Code specifically includes children who were adopted from overseas care (it was updated in 2021). If you provided evidence of this, there's no issue.

... I didn't realise this was old but I guess this year's wait is on!

I'm waiting to hear but DD is adopted so should get first choice but we adopted from overseas and her older brother didn't get first choice of primary school 9 years ago so I'm still a bit nervous. But more about the LEA not knowing what they are doing than us not sorting it out in the end

Phew! Glad it's all sorted for you.

@AuditAngel - Glad its sorted.

@ExitToTheLeft what a relief. Great news that it's sorted after no doubt a stressful few days!

@Meditrina @prh47bridge and the others that gave me advice, thank you all.

This morning I emailed the school admissions office to ask about the application of the over subscription criteria to ensure that the correct information had flowed from the application, to ensure everything was correct for the waiting lists.

I just received a call from the admissions officer to tell me that yesterday they and the LEA had determined that an error had been made in her placement and I have been told she does now have a place. I will receive an offer letter from the school today by email and the LEA will be in touch with the amended offer probably next week.

I did take on board everyone’s advice and had been working on my appeal, which I now don’t need.

You are all stars, you give fantastic admissions support year after year.

We’ve been told they won’t release waiting list info yet, I emailed to check and they won’t give anything for 4 weeks when the lists have settled down. Which I can understand I guess. But it’s going to be a long few weeks.

@FavouriteGame I think it depends on the school, in the first offer email it said that both dc were on the waiting list for all the other schools we chose, but because I had to basically start the appeal process I was told by the LEA what positions they were for all schools.
For our 1st choice they are 40&41 for the 4th & 5th choice schools they are 243 & 244 so give the school and LEA a call and find out.

What a relief

That's wonderful news @ExitToTheLeft, you must be so relieved and I'm glad you didn't have to wait weeks to get it sorted.

With waiting lists, does who contacts you depend on whether the school manages the list themselves or the local authority? Didn't get first choice here and I'm wavering between being ok and desperately wanting to be offered it on the waiting list. I'm just wondering how we'd actually be told.

Just a little update, had an email yesterday and the school have offered ds2 a place in the same school. There had been an issue with the LEA not putting them down as a multiple despite me ticking the correct box and them having the same name, date of birth and living at the same address
So two happy boys! I'm still a bit disappointed that we didn't get our first choice, but they are on the waiting list so we shall see what happens although now I don't think they'll want to change as practically their whole friendship group got into the same school.

I got to ring up two parents today to offer waiting list places to their children after immediate movement. Both very emotional and happy. My fave part of the job

If this is a 'banding' thing, presumably children from further away but in a different band can get in above yours?

That is definitely true.

@AuditAngel - I will be happy to take a look at the school's oversubscription criteria and advise if it would help. If you would like me to do that, send me a PM with the name of the school and LA involved.

AuditAngel You could query to the LA about the children you believe have jumped above yours. As in

There are the following children who I believe should not have been prioritised above mine:
Child A, Address, No sibling link, ~5.2 miles distance
Child B, Address, No sibling link, ~6.4 miles distance
Of course there may be circumstances I am not aware of, but it would put my mind at rest if you could please check. If they have lied about their address it would be discovered on checking.

If this is a 'banding' thing, presumably children from further away but in a different band can get in above yours?

@Sweetbabydust1989 what area is that? Are you really close to a border?

None of my sons friends got the schools they wanted only 5 kids in his class got what they wanted because they have sibling link it's disgusting especially when people from the other borough have got places in our borough.