Does anyone else find choosing a secondary school overwhelming?

Weve just done this and actually when it came down to it there wasn’t really a choice. We could have sat for grammar schools but they were so far away it would be impossible to get there and home without parental assistance, so those were out.
It then came down to the 4 closest schools, 3 of which going by the last 3 years of admission criteria we wouldn’t get in to.
Also taking in to account her own personal choice, ie wanting to go where her friends were going.
We we’re left with one choice and ultimately is where she went.
So actually what seemed like a tricky decision ended up not being a decision at all

Ideal school
next nearest school
catchment school

the end

Yes agree it's vital to check the admissions criteria. I was just making the point that just bc a school is in another LA, doesn't mean you can't apply.

The school I mentioned is in a relatively rural area, and in fact has a catchment that takes that into account – you could live in village A and be in catchment, while village B, though nearer, is not. So in fact similar to what you describe. But in fact in this case some of the city area is in the catchment (not the bit we live in tho). And when all catchment children have a place, offers are made on distance from the school, which does sometimes include DC from the city, outide the catchment.

I have been looking for 3 years - ended up registering at 5 schools and now I just feel I have over done it and I still cant decide!!!

Also finding it hard OP. Following with interest.

That will depend on the admissions criteria... for example round here its Priority Admissions area over pure distance so the ones the other side the county border are really unlikely to get a place as it usually fills up with the In Catchment children.

This is why its important to check the actual arrangements not just guess.

yet it’s quite likely will turn us down flat for not being in its LA.

This is not the case. The popular school I mentioned is outside our city but you can still apply. You will get a place or not based on the admission criteria (basically distance) and there certainly are students who go there from my area.

Yeh I agree - what are the actual realistic options?

We live in a small city and if I wanted the DC to avoid two bus journeys to school (quite apart from the fact that the two-bus-journey school would not have offered a place) then there were (counts up) four secondaries that were within walking or one-bus distance. Of those, one has very different holidays from many schools (and I worked in a school so that would have been a pain); one was a religious school not our preference at all; one was a very popular school which is a 25-min walk to the bus stop so not ideal (and also unlikely due to immense popularity as we are out of catchment) and one was our local school, 5 mins away and where most of their friends were going.

I appreciate some may have more options – if you lived in the centre of the city for example, you could add many more to the one-bus-journey list – but even then, realistically the popular ones you might prefer are unlikely to fling their net that wide.

Not saying don't put an optimistic improbable option on your list, but also list your catchment or nearest school for sure.

We are not in a grammar area btw than goodness (I mean on purpose tbh – both DH and I went to grammar schools in very rural areas) so that's not an issue.

I would check the LA detail of distances offered and see which schools are actually likely - that 's a good starting point.

ETA: Can I just say, what I have said before on similar threads, you are not choosing a school. You can choose which coat you buy and what you have for dinner; but for schools, all you can do is state a preference. You could list six unlikely schools and be offered a place at a totally different school. This is unlikely if you follow the "list a banker" advice tho.

Yes, all of it! We live right on the edge of our county area so what are literally the nearest schools (including our favourite) are sending the heads to our school to woo the kids, yet it’s quite likely will turn us down flat for not being in its LA. So why they are bothering I don’t know.

I can’t choose between any of the others in our LA. Four open evenings on the same night in our surrounds as well, which is no good when you really don’t have a clue what your three choices are even going to be!

DP being incredibly unrealistic about the whole thing and dismissing certain schools out of hand which isn’t helping. Primary was a breeze compared to this.

First step... look at the admissions criteria. Work out what schools you have a realistic chance of getting into, which ones you could possibly get into and which ones you realistically don't stand a chance.
Then work put what's important to you. Sports, arts, ranges of subjects, languages, extracurricular, atmosphere...

Most of the time... there may seem to be dozens of schools but actually you are only really choosing between a handful.

The first thing I’d say is how much choice do you actually have? We live in a grammar area, and if you don’t take the exam/pass you are going to one of two single sex high schools. Only other options are if you are Catholic or failing schools with spare places.

Id start by contacting the local authority to get a good understanding of which schools are realistically viable. Our LA as a web page showing furthest criteria/distance offered a place.