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Original poster

Currently on a secondary school waiting list - moving child a few weeks into the start of term?

156 replies

Turquoiseturtle3 · 21/08/2023 08:09

Hi all, with 2 weeks to go in slightly freaking out about the start of secondary school. We are currently on the waiting list for our top choice. At one point we were 3rd at the start of July but have now slipped to 10th. So the chances of being offered before term starts is now extremely low. I was hopeful we would be offered in the summer holidays and everything would work out. So we are now potentially facing a dilemma if we are offered once term has started. Has anyone moved their DC a few weeks into term? I am gutted he will miss out on the “getting to know you” stuff. Of course he might not be offered at all and this is also semi wishful thinking. But I have to be prepared.

The school he is currently going to is further away but he will know quite a lot of people from primary. Our first choice school he will know practically no one. Im worried about him making friends when groups have already been formed. But know this is probably short term pain. Any advice welcome. TIA

OP posts:
HarrietJet · 11/09/2023 23:30

We all feel sympathy for op, but this doesn't mean the process is unfair.
It's a perfectly fair system, it just doesn't happen to be working in op's favour.
Yet.

SheilaFentiman · 11/09/2023 23:24

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 21:35

Are they on lots of lists @SheilaFentiman

Or pick the school closest

I'm
Not saying they don't deserve a space but seems unfair for someone waiting on the list slowly going up suddenly be bumped down a few places

The closest school for a recently moved child may be the one that OP is waiting for!

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 22:22

Makes no diff to me @MarchingFrogs

I was just feeling sympathy for the op. To be near the top of list then moved down again.

MarchingFrogs · 11/09/2023 22:14

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 21:35

Are they on lots of lists @SheilaFentiman

Or pick the school closest

I'm
Not saying they don't deserve a space but seems unfair for someone waiting on the list slowly going up suddenly be bumped down a few places

You are clearly not a fan of the Admissions Code, then, which states, amongst other things, that schools must set Admissions policies which comply with the Code, clearly setting put how places will be allocated, should more apply than the published admission number? And that waiting lists for year 7 entry must be held, at least until December 31st of the year of entry, in oversubscription criteria order, with the list being reranked every time anew applicant is added to the list and that that applicants must not be ranked according to how long they have been on the waiting list?

But hey, your local MP might turn out to hold the same views as youWink. Why not petition him / her to get them to try to have the Admissions Code changed? I mean, if they've been beavering away at this for years, they've not succeeded, but you never know, they might get lucky.

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 21:35

Are they on lots of lists @SheilaFentiman

Or pick the school closest

I'm
Not saying they don't deserve a space but seems unfair for someone waiting on the list slowly going up suddenly be bumped down a few places

SheilaFentiman · 11/09/2023 21:33

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 19:44

I know it did. Just saying seems unfair

The child who moves for example goes into the list yes , but under those on the list

Seems I am in the minority though. That's fine 🙂

My point was if op son Is happy and settled and happy at school and made friends and now further down the list , why not stay at the school he is at

The child who moves into the area has to go to one school or another, though. Which school should they go to?

Original poster
Turquoiseturtle3 · 11/09/2023 19:45

Greenfingers1980 · 11/09/2023 13:04

We've dropped from 9 at the end of the summer term to 13 this week, very disappointing

Really sorry. That’s very frustrating for you. Keeping my fingers crossed for some positive movement for you.

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 19:44

I know it did. Just saying seems unfair

The child who moves for example goes into the list yes , but under those on the list

Seems I am in the minority though. That's fine 🙂

My point was if op son Is happy and settled and happy at school and made friends and now further down the list , why not stay at the school he is at

Original poster
Turquoiseturtle3 · 11/09/2023 19:44

What is unfair is that people move out of catchment (but still locally) but don’t disclose this to the school but keep their place. We know of one family who have done this.

I’m definitely not removing myself from the list - you never know what might happen in the future. But with every day it feels more unlikely we’d accept.

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 11/09/2023 15:02

Also, @Blondeshavemorefun , this did come up before on the thread on 21 Aug when you asked

HarrietJet · 11/09/2023 14:58

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 14:53

Apparently not @HarrietJet

But if someone is on the list and gets bumped down as someone else has moved into the area I think that's unfair

I'm very thankful I live 5 mins walk from mini blondes primary school so in the catchment area

Never even occurred to me when I brought the house over 20yrs ago that it was so near a school

You can't seem to explain what's "unfair" about it?

SheilaFentiman · 11/09/2023 14:57

What should happen to those children who move into the area and need a school. then?

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 14:53

Apparently not @HarrietJet

But if someone is on the list and gets bumped down as someone else has moved into the area I think that's unfair

I'm very thankful I live 5 mins walk from mini blondes primary school so in the catchment area

Never even occurred to me when I brought the house over 20yrs ago that it was so near a school

HarrietJet · 11/09/2023 14:32

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 14:30

Because they have joined the list and then say someone moved locally and they get bumped up

Think of it as a shopping queue at the tills

You are second then a family barge in front of you and you are then 4th

The op son was I think 3rd in one of her posts - then went down the list as others popped in

If they join the list later/after op ds did they should be further down

They've moved closer to the school than op is. It's nothing like barging to the top of the queue in a supermarket!
You clearly have no notion of how waiting lists work when the school has a catchment area.

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 14:30

Because they have joined the list and then say someone moved locally and they get bumped up

Think of it as a shopping queue at the tills

You are second then a family barge in front of you and you are then 4th

The op son was I think 3rd in one of her posts - then went down the list as others popped in

If they join the list later/after op ds did they should be further down

SheilaFentiman · 11/09/2023 14:07

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 11:16

Because he's happy there and settled in the other school

How long do you wait for a space once term has started

A week

A month

3 months

3 terms

I do think it's unfair to drop down the list though

Why do you think it is unfair?

Greenfingers1980 · 11/09/2023 13:04

We've dropped from 9 at the end of the summer term to 13 this week, very disappointing

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 11:16

Because he's happy there and settled in the other school

How long do you wait for a space once term has started

A week

A month

3 months

3 terms

I do think it's unfair to drop down the list though

12345change · 11/09/2023 11:12

HarrietJet · 11/09/2023 10:44

If the other school is objectively better, why should she? He'll make friends there too, he's only been at school for a week Hmm

Show quote history

Agree with @HarrietJet .. and especially as I think the poster has said she has younger siblings that she wants to go to first choice school also and it will be easier with the sibling link that most schools have.

Hang in there - it could happen yet!

HarrietJet · 11/09/2023 10:44

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 09:46

If your son is happy and settled and made friends then maybe stop waiting for other school to offer a space

Take name off list

If the other school is objectively better, why should she? He'll make friends there too, he's only been at school for a week Hmm

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/09/2023 09:46

If your son is happy and settled and made friends then maybe stop waiting for other school to offer a space

Take name off list

Original poster
Turquoiseturtle3 · 10/09/2023 22:43

happyinherts · 10/09/2023 21:33

Ah @Turquoiseturtle3 If your child is happy and settled, of course that's a different matter. My daughter was bullied, had blazer set alight and was subject to racial harrassment. (Only English girl in class). By half term I'd had enough of it, as the whole thing was turning me into someone I didn't want to be - bitter, etc.

If he likes the students and teachers, that's great. I understand your concerns totally. Play it by ear, what will be will be, but it's great that he's settled in well and doesnt appear to lack confidence in his new surroundings.

Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry you all had to go through this. I would have pulled them out also! So happy it all worked out for you

OP posts:
MarchingFrogs · 10/09/2023 21:45

Keep ringing the schools and tell them what an asset your child would be to them

And they will politely remind you that state school places must be offered strictly in accordance with the school's published oversubscription criteria.

happyinherts · 10/09/2023 21:33

Ah @Turquoiseturtle3 If your child is happy and settled, of course that's a different matter. My daughter was bullied, had blazer set alight and was subject to racial harrassment. (Only English girl in class). By half term I'd had enough of it, as the whole thing was turning me into someone I didn't want to be - bitter, etc.

If he likes the students and teachers, that's great. I understand your concerns totally. Play it by ear, what will be will be, but it's great that he's settled in well and doesnt appear to lack confidence in his new surroundings.

Original poster
Turquoiseturtle3 · 10/09/2023 21:27

HarrietJet · 10/09/2023 19:59

The council said it’s unlikely a place will come up any time soon
I'd take that with a pinch of salt... It's far too early in the term to make such an assumption.
Keep your fingers crossed.

Thank you. So difficult.

OP posts: