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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? Grin

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Original poster
Marahute · 15/04/2020 13:29

I really hope the email comes through at midnight here. Potentially not much longer to wait if it does...
I really hope everyone gets their first choice, or at the very least a school they are happy with. It's such a lottery. I didn't think about schools at all when we moved to this town as childless twenty-somethings... I have friends on other towns who have so much choice. We have two schools in our catchment, both faith schools.
A mum I know has recently moved into the catchment of our 1st choice (and I know it was hers too) and so will have jumped over DC1 on the priority list, as previously they lived further from the school than us. This is doing nothing to ease my nerves as I know it just makes getting a place even less likely. Silly to worry over something I have no control over, so I wish I could stop!

OP posts:
givemeacall · 15/04/2020 13:36

This reply has been deleted

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AngryBudgie · 15/04/2020 13:42

So nervous here too! Waiting to hear about my daughters place. Does any one know what time the emails have gone out in previous years in West Sussex? Trying to work out if it's worth staying up till 12amGrin

Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 15/04/2020 13:43

Lots of my friends have received their decision in the post today so now nervously awaiting the postman.

geojojo · 15/04/2020 13:56

Oh really thermo, where are you?

baubled · 15/04/2020 13:58

Oh DP has got a letter today and he's done it all so I wonder if that's what it is! Going to see if I can see anything through the envelope 😅

MrsRaab · 15/04/2020 13:58

I got an email from our council saying they wouldn't be out before 10 am tomorrow, I just hope both twins get the same school!!

Original poster
Marahute · 15/04/2020 14:45

@MrsRaab oh gosh, I had never thought about twins potentially being split up. Is that a possibility for you? I hope they both get the same one, I imagine it would be a right PITA otherwise!

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MrsRaab · 15/04/2020 15:07

There's one family at our local twin club who had theirs split up a few years ago but that's the only instance I've heard of! I think she home schooled them for the first year until places at the same school came up.

Fingers crossed we just get one of our 3 choices, our first choice is a small village school (last years class sizes for reception were 18 and 19!!) but we live just outside of the village so not in the catchment.
Second choice is our only catchment school but very over subscribed although we weren't that impressed and third was a good school but massive (4 classes of 32 per year).

Geographically we live closest to the worst school in our county.. which I didn't put down Grin

pinklemonade84 · 15/04/2020 16:00

We can log into our parent portal from 12.30 am. I can't decide yet if I'm going to wait up or just look in the morning. Dh is much less bothered than me about it all and is very much of the opinion what will be will be. I mentioned to dd earlier that we find out tomorrow which school she will go to and she actually got excited and asked if it would be the one we've put as first choice, which made me smile.

Oysterbabe · 15/04/2020 16:04

Our parent portal is currently down for maintenance. Adding school places I guess!

MouthBreathingRage · 15/04/2020 16:45

Another nervous one here. I don't think we have too much to worry about in terms of getting our first choice, but now worried I should have put the second choice first. Eldest has some nursery friends who are very likely to get our second choice, and I worry I'm taking him away from that. Illogical I know, as at 5 it matters less. I really don't care for 3rd, 4th and definitely not 5th choices, but it was either put them down or risk a catholic/CoE school being allotted, which is not a personal preference.

justdontatme · 15/04/2020 17:06

MrsRaab twins are supposed to be placed together - eg if twin 1 meets the admission criteria and takes place 30, then the school has to be expanded to 31 children so twin 2 can be placed in the same school.

Littleluna87 · 15/04/2020 18:26

I am so so so nervous

Over the course of 2 years I visited 15 schools because my son has has unofficially diagnosed adhd (they won't diagnose him until he is 5 but the dr, health visitor and play therapist are pretty sure. But can't get a diagnosis otherwise that would have actually helped us.

We are Christian and attend church regularly its a church school but are also very good with SEND its a great fit for our son too

We get the priority through attending church but before us are siblings and official diagnosed send ect we are not in catchment and its a small school

First choice is such a great fit for him ill be devestated if he dsnt get in... they have really helped a little boy with the same problems as our son....

All the schools on our list have good things that will help him but this one is very good

Its not an outstanding rated school and hasn't been oversubscribed yet

I'm so worried about not getting any oj the list as so many of the schools I invited i wouldn't want my son near because of the way they handle kids like him....

I'm so very anxious

Sweetpea84 · 15/04/2020 18:31

I feel ok as should get in on siblings and we live in the same road.

Original poster
Marahute · 15/04/2020 18:55

I have just logged into our portal and it's still up, but says you can log in to view offers on the 16th. I don't think I will be able to risk having a look after midnight (I'll undoubtedly be up with DC2 a few times in the early hours).
@MouthBreathingRage all schools in our area, except our first choice, are faith schools. This is one of the reasons we are so keen on our first choice. But unfortunately a lot of other parents feel the same! Grin

OP posts:
MouthBreathingRage · 15/04/2020 19:13

@Marahute, 3 of our closest schools are faith ones. Luckily we live in a city though, so still have a few more to pick from within about a mile radius. Choice 4 is a bit beyond that, but still manageable even by walking/bus if needed. I'm also not keen on academies, but felt that was one step too far in being fussy! It's what clinched it for our first choice, even though our second is rated Outstanding the fact it's part of a large academy worked against it.

notforonesecond · 15/04/2020 19:23

Ours came out early, got the email this afternoon and have accepted our first choice place. So happy! Good luck to everyone tomorrow.

Tobebythesea · 15/04/2020 19:30

So jealous of you lot who can log in at midnight. We are SE and it’s after 5pm tomorrow. Sob.

Marmite27 · 15/04/2020 19:35

DH is a governor at out 1st choice and I’m convinced he knows. He was saying the other day he thinks about half the available places will be taken up by siblings. We live so close, I can’t see us not getting one of the remaining places, but you never know.

It’s so nerve wracking!

Getitdonesharpish · 15/04/2020 19:37

We get an email tomorrow evening telling us to log in. I am pretty sure DD will get a sibling place. I feel oddly calm about the whole affair. I think CV has made everything else seem inconsequential.

happymummy12345 · 15/04/2020 20:35

I'm so nervous. There are 3 schools near us, we went to view all 3, well I say view all 3, the first one had a proper open day where we were able to go round the whole school, see it during the school day, ask any questions. And there was a talk by the head and the chance to ask her questions and we received an information pack and the forms we had to fill in and return to them if we applied. It felt perfect and we loved everything about it.
The second one we had to ask to go and have a look, we were shown reception and years 1 and 2 and the sports hall/ dining room, that was it. Plus a look through the window at outside. We were shown round by the secretary who was unable to answer our questions and we felt like we were an inconvenience the whole time and couldn't wait to leave.
The third one was an open day and we were shown the reception class and sports hall/ dining room and that was it. Then a short talk by the head, and were given some information leaflets. It was okay but not brilliant.
Obviously I think it's pretty obvious which one we want. It has smaller classes and is a small school, 1 class per year. It's a Catholic school and admissions are decided by the governors. Ds is not a Catholic as my dh wouldn't allow him to be as he is Church of England. I am and wanted my son to be. We explained the lack of religion to the head and she said they haven't been over subscribed in recent years and therefore my son should get in no problem. That's why I'm so nervous.
We viewed all 3 schools and agreed we would make a decision based on the school that was best, regardless of religious aspect (one of the other schools is CofE. It just so happened the Catholic school was by far the best in terms of what my son needs (he has some delays with development and is on the waiting list for an autism assessment). If he doesn't get in I will be so upset. Sorry that was much longer than I meant it to be

delilabell · 15/04/2020 20:52

I feel sick with anxiety and nerves about this. Do I get an email or have to go onto the council portal?

Littleluna87 · 15/04/2020 21:24

@delilabell

I am so im not going to be able to sleep

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