2015/2016 secondary eAdmissions Thread/help

[hornetgirl]

Hello to everybody out there that is logging into the eAdmissions site today and until the magic date on 2nd March 2016 when we hear where our 11 year olds will be going to secondary school.

Can I ask the first question?

We are in Bromley and only in the catchment for 1 boys secondary school which is not a great school at all. We are trying for the grammar but it is a long shot. All the other Bromley boy's secondary's catchments have not come out to our address in previous years.

I am trying to decide on the order of my application, 1. Grammar (depending on 11+ result), then what? Do I put 4 close by but non-catchment schools then my local school as 6th choice. I can't see the point of putting 6 choices when we only have a chance at 6th choice. And...putting it 6th does that risk DS not getting a school near us at all?

Confused already!!!

Just put the schools in your true order of preference and make sure you put your catchment school on the form so he will definitely have a school to go to. People can get lucky with further away schools so it's worth a short.

There are two new schools opening in Bromley, Bullers Wood for Boys and Beckenham free school. I think you can apply to these direct, certainly can for the Beckenham one and also have your six choices on the CAF. We will draft everything then only send off when we know results of grammar tests (times three!). Gulp.

If you google 'equal preferance system' it becomes clear (as mud!) Seriously though, I found this explanation very useful.

Yes, I am planning to go to the Bullers Wood open day on Saturday, but I hadn't realised that the Beckenham Academy was so close to opening. It's just scary applying to schools that don't yet exist. I'm reminded of the disaster with the Harris Beckenham Primary last year where it didn't open at the last minute and the children were all squashed into other primary schools.

I'll go to the open day for Beckenham Academy as well, thanks for the tip.

you must put order of preference. If you get choice 1, fine. If not then the computer automatically makes choice 2 into choice 1.

So if you are not eligible for choices 1-5, then your choice 6 will be treated as choice 1, on an equal footing with people who put that school as number 1.

we are trying for grammar. Not at all sure dd will get it, we are a super selective area.

If not we do have a reasonable second choice. My only problem is the journey isn't great - too long on a bus.

As others have said there is no risk involved in putting a school at number 6. People who name it as number 1 preference do not get any priority. You should simply put the schools in your genuine order of preference. So from the sounds of it you want to put the grammar as number 1, then up to 4 schools that are a long shot but which you would prefer to the local school and finally the local school.

Well, bullers wood for boys is not opening after all.
Hoping to get a place at the Beckenham Academy or Harris Crystal Palace.