Any other 6th class parent up to ninety with the new secondary school admissions processes?

[GrainneWail]

We've just been to our third open evening. DS loved and was dead set on one until today's visit, which is now favourite. I'm happy with either but agree that today's has the edge. Problem is he's only 50/50 to get in but he'll definitely get the second choice. I can't wait til this is all over in November!

One of the few things I missed from the UK is the coordinated school applications. One form and one deadline!
Now the "list " has almost gone almost all the secondaries near me work off a lottery, so you really just never know.

Oh Good God Almighty! That’s the new improved system?

The old boys network is well protected with the preference for dc of past pupils (I assumed that would be abolished), and everyone I know is applying everywhere because they’re afraid of not getting their first choice (we’re not a feeder school). I’d say the private schools will clean up because people (like muggins here) will consider paying a deposit in case we don’t scrape in to the school we actually want or indeed any of the non-fee paying schools that aren’t quite in our catchment.

Yes, the parent priority is annoying if the new system is supposed to be to open things up. I completely agree with the sibling policy though. One school we briefly considered, but it turns out he didn't, love required something like a €1000 non refundable deposit when accepting the place, which is before most of the other schools announce their first rounds. Definitely a money spinner.

Spent the last few days looking at all the fine print. Ds's second choice needs a confirmation of acceptance a week before his first choice announces their list. And apparently the first choice school went to 4 rounds of offers last year. I will be wasted away with nerves before we're through this.

Dear God. The names out of a hat on open day approach seems great in comparison.

Oh no! I haven’t read the fine print at all. I e got homework to do!

Good luck Bears!

I thought it was easy.

Just accept every place and go from there after offers are made.

At my school the criteria are:

1. Siblings of current students
2. Children of staff
3. Children from the correct area around our school.
4. Children from the named feeder schools

I would imagine that most schools are similar.

Every school in my town has different criteria to each other. Feeder school plus lottery, 100% lottery, 100% physical queue, 2 prioritise siblings and children of past pupils, its bewildering.

But that's the problem, I'll have to accept our second choice while waiting to hear about the first, meaning someone may miss out on a spot in our second choice, and have the stress of waiting and wondering until we (hopefully) release a spot when we get our first choice. It's ridiculous.

That's mad. At least the three we are seriously looking at have similar criteria.

It's a big job to find out and understand all the admissions processes and various deadlines. And I live in a rapidly growing area where schools are very over subscribed, so it's coming as a huge surprise to most parents. My neighbour had no place for her son starting 1st year in Sept until Aug!

Even just trying to find the application form - can they not just put it in the admissions section? But no, it’s on the homepage, it’s on the news page, it’s 4 links down the parents page, or it’s a special secret link sent by email to parents who applied from birth.

And I’ve come across one looking for an application fee, preferably in cash, according to the receptionist. Hmmm.

If they’d even standardise the form, it would help. I have a headache from squinting to see is it full name/surname then first name it first name then surname. There’s an awful lot of questions in some and I’d query how they propose to protect the data they’re collecting seeing how the hse can’t.

ahhhhhh, needed a good rant! Anyone else?

Are they allowed ask for a deposit (offset against stationery if you take the place) because it could be an extremely costly process!

Yes they take a deposit to confirm your place in the school and once you take the place it is offset against fees when you start.

I can't quite believe the list was banned, but taking cash deposits for a state school is somehow OK.

I’m baffled by how exactly this is better. It’s still stacked against dc whose dps have moved county or country.

Bonkers.

Are you in Dublin OP? We're not but we're in a fairly big town and (thankfully) don't have any of those issues. I wonder if it's predominantly a Dublin thing?

@turkeyboots

This thread is about private schools, hence ppl enduring this madness, as they think private schools are somehow better than state

Ignore my post above, didn't realise this was the Irish system! In England we have centralised applications and no despises etc for state!

There are no cash deposits permitted for state schools.

There are for private schools who of course got their offers out in advance so parents are frightened into paying just in case. I did it myself a couple of years ago.

At the very least they should all be aligned on offers dates. Many schools in my area now resorting to lottery's with the demand for places.

It's a crazy system and some schools do look for "administration fees" to process the application. Things should definitely be streamlined to make the process transparent or even to make parents aware of what a mess it is. Lots of parents are unaware of the system and do not realise they are not guaranteed a place in their local school, particularly parents with no previous experience of the Irish schools system.

Limerick has a central application system so its one application for everyone and you then get your offer. It's been going for years now after a few years where they found boys especially were actually being left with no school space

Is that after the case taken by the traveller family a few years back? I think the system badly needed an overhaul as there was a severe disadvantage for many who were new to an area or indeed to progression through schooling. Certainly where I am (greater Dublin area) I don't think the new system is that much of an improvement. Priority in all the schools I looked at was: 1 current siblings in the school (which does make practical sense); 2 dc of past pupils (unfair if you're trying to increase new representation in the school); 3 dc of staff (varying internal criteria); 4 feeder schools with varying priorities or geographical criteria. I fully support the sixth class application timing as coming out of Holles St with a secondary school application to be dropped off was lunacy but if it's essentially the same criteria just in a shorter window I'm not sure the fundamentals are really changing.

@GrainneWail I don't remember a case involving travellers but it was boys from predominantly more deprived areas who were the ones affected. They had to set up a temporary school for a few years. It just means everyone gets one offer and no one gets multiple offers. Other than that the schools all still have their own individual criteria . DC of past pupils annoys me a lot as we have a very sought after school in the locality and it boils my piss that families literally living on the doorstep of the school cannot get spots but children of past pupils living miles away can get in