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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Waiting for offers this week...

149 replies

Marahute · 14/04/2020 12:31

Anyone else waiting nervously for the school place offers on Thursday?

I know we aren't likely to get our first choice really, as we aren't in catchment and it's a very popular school. But until we find out I keep allowing myself to hope...

I know all our choices are fine, and I think we have a good chance of getting our second choice, but I am still feeling irrationally nervous about it all.

Join me won't you?

OP posts:

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Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 14/04/2020 12:33

Can't believe it is almost here after what seems like waiting forever. Fingers crossed you get your first choice. I really want our first choice as it offers an opportunity that the others don't.

welshweasel · 14/04/2020 12:35

Very nervous here. For us it is the difference between child being educated in English or welsh, which is weird!

delilabell · 14/04/2020 12:36

Yes we're feeling very nervous. Since our son went to school we've moved house. We're still (just) in catchment area but there is another school closer that I think my dd will end up at. God knows how we'll manage drop off and pick up if they're at two schools. Will be glad to know either way.

Original poster

Marahute · 14/04/2020 12:37

@Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear thanks, I hope you get your first choice too.

I can't believe how quickly it has come around either. I am not ready for my PFB to go to school at all. Although I am looking forward to finding out which school it will be, as will give a bit of focus for the future, at what feels like a very uncertain time.

OP posts:

DonnaDarko · 14/04/2020 12:40

It's insane how quickly it's come around. I was getting nostalgic the other day looking through DSs baby pictures. Now he's not even 4 yet and over half my height.

All the schools we've picked are good but our first choice is literally up the road and would suit us perfectly as I WFH and could then do all the drop offs and pick ups

🤞🏾 For all of us!

Original poster

Marahute · 14/04/2020 12:41

@welshweasel - gosh that must be weird. What's your preference? Good luck either way!

@delilabell oh I hope you get into the same school. That is my only concern over the second choice school, as it is quite a distance from where we live (but en route to work so handy in that respect) and I worry that if DC1 gets in there we run the risk of DC2 not getting a place too, when the time comes.

OP posts:

welshweasel · 14/04/2020 12:51

I’d prefer the English speaking school as it’s just round the corner and our nursery pick up from there too so would be logistically much easier. It’s the only English school we are likely to get into (put the next closest one second but v unlikely). Our third choice is the welsh school - guaranteed a place and I’m sure he would do fine there but it would be much more difficult in terms of logistics and wraparound care so I’m v much hoping for the local school.

Oysterbabe · 14/04/2020 13:02

So nervous.
I'll be up until midnight even though I have no idea if our LA releases the info then.

All 3 choices are great schools and our chances of getting one of them are very high. Certainly not guaranteed though, if it's a bumper sibling year we could be screwed.

Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 14/04/2020 13:16

Ah my first choice is the Welsh school weasel and I'm hoping against the English one :)

BillyAndTheSillies · 14/04/2020 18:13

We are in a bit of a weird predicament in that we live in one borough but we are closer to the catchment of schools in a different borough.

Our first choice is a faith school, I'm wondering how that will work out now because even though we've been attending, the priest makes notes basically up until the week before offer date on who has attended but the church has been shut since the end of February.

We've decided that whatever school we get on our list, we will scoot over to on Friday so it all feels a bit more real to DS.

The local LA don't release until after 5pm and apparently the email goes out alphabetically. Our surname begins with A so we should know fairly soon. I've warned mil to not text me all day asking because I'm nervous enough.

Last year nearly 50 children got sent to schools out of the borough which would put a spanner in the works for me returning to work after mat leave with DS2 if DS1 gets sent to a school not on our list.

Dottydoodoo · 15/04/2020 05:18

I’m so nervous! DH is very chilled about it all but I’m very nervous hence being awake at this time now, and really not ready for my PFB to be going to school!

The three schools that we put down as a preference are all good, obviously we will be delighted to get our first choice as we loved it and think it will really suit DS but all three are ok. Third choice was a bit of a safety choice as there are a couple of schools in our area which are not so good and I wanted to avoid being allocated to if we didn’t get any of our preferences.

Ive got no idea what time we will find out tomorrow, whether we will get an email or will just have to log on to the portal? No clue!

Good luck everyone!

Oysterbabe · 15/04/2020 07:34

I've discovered that I will find out at midnight tonight. It's going to be a looooong day.

geojojo · 15/04/2020 07:45

Yes we are waiting.

Also a bit of a strange situation. The school I put first was my absolute favourite but it is very popular so when I looked around it I knew we wouldn't get in. We were selling our house but the catchment around this school is very expensive and usually we wouldn't have afforded it. However weirdly a house which needed a lot of work came on to the market in our budget and we bought it but still didn't think the school would be an option as didn't think we would exchange in time. Everything went really fast though and we exchanged a week after deadline so I was able to send on my new address. The only thing is is that it is a church school and, although we go to church. we don't go to the church connected to the school and so we are still quite far down the list. It still feels really unlikely we will get in which is annoying after all the things which seemed to happen just in time. Second choice is fine but I didn't love it and quite far away whereas first choice is walking distance.

Not sure whether to check at midnight or whether to wait as if I'm disappointed I think it will keep me up!

geojojo · 15/04/2020 07:55

Also because I didn't know ether we would move in time I choose second choice as I knew we would get in if we were at the old or the new house. Now that we have moved I don't think I would have put it first now. I know a lot of people who have children there and love it but I didn't love it and it's a long way now to make the effort for a school I'm indifferent about. I actually preferred third choice and regretting the order now. If I don't get first I'm definitely going to go on waiting lists.

darkchocolateeggs · 15/04/2020 07:59

Delilabell have you checked the admissions criteria for dc1 school? Usually siblings take priority even if you've moved. Although this isn't always the case I would say you're likely fine.

Thanks for the heads up op, I was wondering what the exact date was but dc2 should get her school due to dc1 so hadn't checked.

Good luck to everyone.

justdontatme · 15/04/2020 08:04

I’m wondering when we will find out, as it will be by letter...

PeppaisaBitch · 15/04/2020 08:09

The only one we stand a chance of getting in is first choice so very nervous if we don't get in. I also didn't put catchment school as it's under subscribed so assume we will get that if we don't get choices but you never know.

TriJo · 15/04/2020 08:22

I'm nervous... I moved house in January, a week before the admissions deadline, due to escaping an abusive marriage with two children.

I moved to an area with good schools, and I got quite a snotty letter from the school admissions team days after the deadline looking for documentation to show that I was actually living at my new place. I sent that in anyway, but I'm still worried that it will be held against me.

justdontatme · 15/04/2020 08:37

It won’t be, TriJo. If you were actually living there before the deadline that’s all that matters.

Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 15/04/2020 08:38

I'm sure it will be fine Tri if you sent the documentation in :) Well done for escaping an abusive relationship!

So someone I know with an older child says it's usually released at midnight here so will be logging in then!

geojojo · 15/04/2020 09:04

It's released at midnight here too. Aren't you worried you won't sleep afterwards?!

toothlesspete · 15/04/2020 09:18

Can't decide to stay up till
Midnight or not.

We didn't put our catchment down as our first choice, and both our nearest schools are removing a class from September. 😬
So want her to go to the first choice school!

GottaLoveAnOtter · 15/04/2020 09:36

I debated checking at midnight but don't think that's a good idea as won't sleep if it's not what I wanted! I didn't even sleep well last night as my dreams were all about when I wake up the countdown will finally be on 'tomorrow' and my sleep was so interrupted all night 🙈

Not my PFB but my PLB 😂 the last time I was in this position was 17 years ago and in those days you were waiting for the postman not an email...

We haven't chosen any of the schools in our immediate area, our very nearest has been requiring improvement for the best part of ten years now and on the last Ofsted went to inadequate. The others are larger size schools which I didn't think would be a good fit for DS who is on the pathway for a diagnosis of ASD and SCD.

We went further afield to three under subscribed smaller size schools, the first choice we absolutely loved when we visited. It will be such a good fit for DS so my fingers toes and everything else is crossed for that one 🤞

baubled · 15/04/2020 09:58

Waiting here too! It's for school nursery rather than primary but if he doesn't get in to our first choice I think we'll be keeping DS at his normal nursery until reception I take (doubles from 30-60).
It's my OH's old school so he's much more nervous than me, I'm still not 100% on him going to a catholic school but I did like the atmosphere and the school itself when I looked round so I'm just going with that!

mangomama91 · 15/04/2020 10:20

I'm waiting for both children's places tomorrow; one junior and one infant. So excited, eventhough its VERY likely they will go to choice 1 because that's where DD1 is and we're in catchment, it's still not guaranteed. It's also a very popular school.
It feels like yesterday we were doing this for DD1 and I woke up in the night about 1 am I think? to bf DD2 and there was the email!!!

Good luck everyone!

Remember to accept any place you get given as if you dont you can just get put anywhere! (You cam accept and still appeal).

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