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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Offers Day 1st March 2012

776 replies

gazzalw · 06/01/2012 18:44

Anyone else feeling like we do about the impending Offers Day?

Not at all a foregone conclusion that DS will get into any of first five choices (all selective, two 11+ passes, one 11+ result due this coming week) so rather up in the air.... Sixth choice is okayish but DS has talked it down to the point that he is now desperately hoping it's not his one and only choice! Otherwise DS is being quite mature about considering that he could end up at any of the schools and is already thinking about which friends from primary school he is likely to stay in touch with etc.....

It all feels a bit as if life is on hold till 1st March.....

OP posts:
JugglingWithTangentialOranges · 01/03/2012 22:30

Well done sisterbaby and Congrats ! Let's just say I know how you feel Smile

bizzey · 01/03/2012 22:47

Pleased that you have got your child in to a school you want but sad that you have only been going to church for 2 years..i have to wait till tomorow to see if ds is going to a R/C School having followed my faith for 45 years

YummyHoney · 01/03/2012 22:52

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

bubby64 · 01/03/2012 23:31

We have been very lucky, heard today my 2 have been accepted at their 1st choice, and at least 4 of their friends have been too... they were really worried that they would have to start a school where they knew nobody, but that is now definatly not going to happen. Just the SATs to get through now!

MoreCrackThanHarlem · 01/03/2012 23:36

Since public funds are financing your faith school, the tax paying public have as much right to apply for a place as you, bizzey.

BrightnessFalls · 01/03/2012 23:37

Im so pleased my DN not into the Catholic school as she had to leave the system when they moved unexpectedly, still kept going to the local church though. It means she can walk to school with her friends from the old primary. It is such a relief, we were all nervous waiting to find out.

simdani · 01/03/2012 23:38

can i accept Graveney and stay on the waiting list of the grammars?

SNOWBall4girlz · 02/03/2012 00:31

This is so frustrating I could not do my application by email so handed it in at the office.
Other mums have put on facebook that their kids have got in the first choice school and my dd does not know yet :( I phoned to be told that the letters were being sent out 2nd class today so you should know over weekend !
My dd is gutted one of her class mates has got in and put on fbook like if you have got in """""""""" school just to have a dig ...its great isnt it ?
Why can they not look it up on the screen and my handed in application had my e-mail on it ...so they cannot transcribe an email address either so all results go out together it is all on computer sorry....
rant over it took me a while to convince my dd that just because we have not found out today does not mean she has not got in !!!! aarrrrgggghhhh x

Southlondonmummy · 02/03/2012 06:51

Been lurking for a while, loving the power of MN! Congratulations to all those with the news they wanted, commiserations to those who didn't. hanahsaunt grandad would be very proud!

Interesting, gazza, that your DS got into super-selective (assume Sutton?) grammar (you've lost perspective - let me remind you that YOU ARE DELIGHTED!!!) but you don't think he would have got into Graveney. Can it really be true that G is more difficult to get into than W/W/S?

We got first choice, v proud and v relieved, as it was in no way a foregone conclusion. Grin

Keep strong, ladies, Wine to you all, although should probably stick to Brew at this time in the morning.

Southlondonmummy · 02/03/2012 06:55

Oh, forgot to mention, LOL that I managed to get straight on to the pan-London website at 5pm, but couldn't get onto MN as it crashed!

Grin
Original poster
gazzalw · 02/03/2012 06:56

Feel for you Snowball4girlz but at least today has finally arrived. You could always ask your DC's Head if they know (I think they will do by now) if the letter doesn't arrive today...

Yes, Simdani you can accept Graveney and stay on the waiting list for grammars. One of our friends' son went there (now at Uni) and she was so impressed with Graveney so I would actually consider carefully whether your son wouldn't be better there.

One of our friends was saying that the children end up where they are meant to be and I think that is a good way of looking at it....

OP posts:
kravings · 02/03/2012 07:54

Just caught up on the thread after nearlly 24 hours.

hanahsaunt - my condolences for your loss, he would have been proud.

Happy, Happy, AH, We got our first choice Grammar! could not come online as you can imagine we were celebrating last night Grin

Congratulations to all who got the schools they wanted.

Gazza - Congratulations, you are offered a grammar, you should be happy.

Soupy - fanatstic news regarding Wilson.

A big massive Thanks to all of you for the tremendous support-network that we have built up online...can't seem to remove the Smile off my face.

wlondondad · 02/03/2012 08:35

I just wanted to add some words of reassurance to any disappointed parents. A couple of years ago we had a few offers and accepted one that we were both a bit unsure about. It was not our DS's first choice at all and none of his friends was going there. When he started he hated it (tears every morning and night until Christmas, "will never make a friend" etc" "I want to go back to primary school" etc). My DW and I were mortified and it plunged us into total despair. One and a half years since he started he now couldn't be happier - even told us a few weeks back that he wasn't looking forward to half term because he misses his school! If you knew him you'd understand that exclamation mark.

Don't worry. They will be fine. They will make new friends and if it is in them, they will succeed. That's not a platitude - it is the truth.

I've known several children who have lost parents - the most life affirming thing I've ever seen is the realisation of just how resilient children are. They will cope with not getting their first choice school. Just try not to make it too big a deal for them. They will be more worried about thinking they have somehow failed you than they will be about not getting into a particular school. Easily said I know, but good luck.

bubby64 · 02/03/2012 08:57

Wise words indeed wlondondad Sometime it takes a little time to put things in perspective. I know we got our 1st choice, which, again, wasnt a forgone conclusion, but we know our 2nd or 3rd choice would have been good schools - we dont have much more in the area we live. Oh, by the way, sorry to hear your loss hanahsaunt

Stroppy40 · 02/03/2012 09:05

Completely agree wlondondad.

We went through this last year and we came out the other side!!

Daughter got 3rd choice (the one where your shoulders dropped as you said it's name). I got 'this' look from parents who had got precious child into the 'holy grail' option and even got a text which would've been more fitting for a bereavement!!!

Daughter loves school and is really being pushed and we couldn't be happier.

I will put money on the fact that the vast majority of your children will do well at school (because if you're a good enough parent to be fretting on here then you're going to be the kind of parent that fights for your child to get a good education even in a school deemed rubbish by all those around you).

Most of you will look back in a year and wonder why you worried.

Honestly!! I speak from experience.

Simone08 · 02/03/2012 09:27

Graveney is an outstanding school - simdani- and you should be very proud of DS. Looking at the admission criteria, exams and applications / offers it is probably as difficult to get in as any Grammar (W/W/S). Congrats to all... YummyHoney, hope your DS doesn't become an alter boy; Bizzey, keep the faith girl. Southlondonmummy, keep up with those taxes and sermons

SchoolsNightmare · 02/03/2012 09:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Migsy1 · 02/03/2012 09:40

Stroppy I liked reading your post. My son is going to a school that the more affluent parents would not even consider. I'd have liked it if he was going to a different school but I'm sure he will be fine there. In fact, it is not a bad school at all, it just has some challenging kids there. I think the main thing contributing to how well a child does is parental support and involvement.

SeenButNotHeard · 02/03/2012 09:52

YummyHoney I have reported your post.

ripsishere · 02/03/2012 10:01

The other thing to bear in mind is this.
30 years ago, you didn't get a choice of school AFAIK. I went to the secondary that was closest to my home and the rest of my school (barring girls who specifically wanted an all girls school) went to.
With regard to religion, I don't have a religious bone in my body. DH and DD are both RC.
I have been one of those pretend Catholics for six months. I take her along to the mass and close my ears to the nonsense the Priest talks about.
DH will recommence godly duties when he returns from being overseas.

doublemocha · 02/03/2012 10:17

First time post, be gentle!

Our local authority had a nightmare yesterday and sent out offer letters advising that first choice school (out of catchment, different authority) hadn't got places available when if fact the children had got a place each! This came to light when stressed parents telephoned the (out of catchment) authority to find out where their child was on the waiting list, only to discover that they weren't on the list - they were in!!

Usually, it's not an issue and no-one expects to get in, therefore fewer people apply anyway (the school is always oversubscribed). This year, the Head had made a big issue of telling people that the birth year in his catchment was exceptionally low and they would get in if they applied! So they get their hopes up for once then get the (incorrect) email!

I had a different issue. DS managed to get a place last year (again, a tiny birth year - it's expected to rise again now, I was shocked and stunned by my place so my hopes were never high last year) DD due to move up in September - my email told me I hadn't got a place!!!! Now, this is extremely rare that siblings don't get in. Felt sick on reading, DH away for a week on business (he's probably quite glad he didn't have to listen to my hysteria!). In my case, turns out sibling details hadn't been updated. Quickly rectified by school's authority and confirmed by school but didn't get a call from my own authority to advise a revised offer has been issued until 5pm.

I drank a lot of wine last night!!!

I do agree that, with supportive and loving parents, children will generally thrive but the whole system makes it so hard to keep things in perspective doesn't it?

doublemocha · 02/03/2012 10:19

Sorry, I new to this!! 'All the children who applied had got a place' I meant.

Probably no clearer...

halfrom · 02/03/2012 10:33

Snowball 4 girls. I can sympathise with you having to wait. One consolation is these children shouldn't be on fb anyway as terms and conditions clearly state 13 or 14 (can't remember) before you can have an account. So maybe you could frighten them all by telling them of the article in telegraph the other week saying how child protection concerns are rising from fb use. Lol.
Hope it all works and you are happy with your offered place.

doublemocha · 02/03/2012 10:39

Sympathies SchoolsNightmare. The waiting and lack of control must be hard. Don't know what to suggest but sympathies anyway.

sincitylover · 02/03/2012 11:04

A southwark mum here - we opened the email together last night with bated breath - feel very very lucky he got our first preference (not the same school as DS1 incidentally and not a Southwark school).

I am very happy about it (although really liked KD) but sorry for those who didn't get what they wanted.

Now just have to find somewhere to live by end July (our landlord wants house back after 5 years Sad so that 's the next big thing - but was waiting for this news first before deciding on property.

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