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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:
justmumof1 · 20/02/2012 14:30

After at least 10 days of considerable calm, the knot in the stomach is back!

The half term has come and gone and now 1st March looms every closer!

Discussions about offers day with DH are now at night when DS is fast asleep. I really don't want to unduly worry him, or him see us so anxious, so brave faces all around.

How are all your DC's coping with all this?

KS2L6 · 20/02/2012 14:33

Awaiting news for DC1 next week. Should be ok though, small chance might not get 1st choice, should def. get 2nd choice, but would hold out for 1st choice.

Good luck everyone!

Dunlurking · 20/02/2012 14:47

Finding this thread very supportive....dd is getting very agitated about 1st March. Waiting to hear whether it will be the grammar school or the comp, but she will do fine at either. She is very competitive and wants to get into the grammar because ds is there and also a crowd of cool people she does performing arts classes with Hmm

Am thinking of you all. It sounds like some of you have serious worries with your various alternative choices, or your potential allocations that aren't choices... GOOD LUCK

dandelionss · 21/02/2012 14:32

We got our 11+ results in October.They also tell us the number of children who have passed in catchment.So we are in the lucky position that we know DD has a place as we are both in area and have siblings. It musty be awful to have been hanging on for so long.I sympathise.

Original poster
gazzalw · 21/02/2012 21:29

It's so strange isn't it Dandelionss, that wherever you are in the UK it sounds as if you've basically been told your DD has a place and yet where we are the super-selectives will only tell one one's DC has passed or failed and some of them won't even disclose the number who've sat the 11+ exam and how many of passed for fear that one might (mis)construe that one's DC has got a place!!!!

Well good for your DD that her place 'is in the bag' - it is bad enough for the parents but really feel for the children having to wait all this time.

Our DS isn't really talking that much about it to us but he came home today joking that everyone had got letters to say they'd got into their last and sixth choice schools so it's obviously on his mind!

We are nearly there now.... only another 8 days to go

OP posts:
kravings · 21/02/2012 21:39

The whole system is messed up, the decision making process should not prolong all the way to March! All exams should be done in Jan-Feb and results released in March. It is not fair on the children that they sit exams in Sept-Nov and then wait all the way to March, at this early stage Yr6 syllabus is not even fully covered yet! Parents who are aware of the system prepare their kids for exams in Yr5, parents who are not - suffer!

justmumof1 · 22/02/2012 09:12

Yesterday, whilst waiting to pick up my DS, the Deputy Head approached me in the playground.

After some general chitchat the conversation got round to next year and secondary school places. She asked about my preferences and I asked her directly whether the school already knew about allocation of places.

She seemed a little flustered but said no they did not....Confused

dandelionss · 22/02/2012 11:24

Gazzalw- so do you have to 'spend ' your preferences on schools that your child might not even have made the grade for? There really has to be a better way.

CustardCake · 22/02/2012 13:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

prh47bridge · 22/02/2012 14:10

That is changing. For 2013 admissions selective schools will have to tell people whether or not their child has passed the test before the closing date for applications. It will, however, mean that the wait from getting the test result until you find out whether or not your child has a place will be even longer, so I'm afraid kravings will be unhappy.

dandelionss · 22/02/2012 14:13

make the grade was the wrong way to put it.

CustardCake · 22/02/2012 15:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
gazzalw · 22/02/2012 16:05

Justmumof1 it sounds as if your Head was sounding you out to see whether your preference is the one your DC has been allocated....hmmmm!

I guess they have to deny that they know but it's all a bit underhand.

Yes, CustardCake when you look at it like that we have five selectives that might have been totally wasted in the event Sad

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 22/02/2012 17:50

I can confirm that secondary schools have got their lists of new recruits. But it is, of course top secret till the 1st Smile I don't really think it's underhand - I think it's so Primary schools can check that all their Y6's have been offered places.
And obviously it takes ages between October and March because it's such a complicated system.

I took the 11+, but I can't remember how long between the exam and the places letters - has it changed recently to be a longer time?

madgirl · 22/02/2012 18:09

how do you know bTM?

bigTillyMint · 22/02/2012 18:15

Well, maybe I should have said at least one sec has got their list! Insider info

Original poster
gazzalw · 22/02/2012 18:48

bigTillyMint you tease!

Are we talking London or elsewhere???

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 22/02/2012 18:49

London.

Original poster
gazzalw · 22/02/2012 18:49

I guess the secondary schools need to know with some advanced warning because don't they have to coordinate to send out supporting letters to 1st preference applicants to arrive just after the offers are made 'public' to parents?

OP posts:
Original poster
gazzalw · 22/02/2012 18:50

bigTillyMint that is an even greater tease now Grin. Can we ply you with Wine by any chance????!!!

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 22/02/2012 19:10
Grin

I'm afraid it has to stay top secret.

Only 8 days to go now? It's 5pm when it goes online, isn't it?

Cat2405 · 22/02/2012 20:30

It says 5pm in London. Should we expect a text or just log on at 5pm? Or will it crash and we'll be waiting for the postman on the 2nd...?!

Original poster
gazzalw · 22/02/2012 20:44

I have some London based parents who reckon family members knew first thing on the 1st not at 5.00 pm.....Do you think it depends on the Borough?

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 23/02/2012 06:52

Well when DD got hers 2 years ago it crashed - couldn't get onto anything!

We got an email / on just before school (think the time-slot was 8am?) But I think it was the 2nd, rather than 1st (they are doing it a day early this time?). And then the letter came in the post while she was at school - all on the 2nd.

Waiting for 8am was bad enough, but all day till 5pm will be very hard work!

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 23/02/2012 07:17

I'm starting to lose my nerve. I know if DD doesn't get her preferred choice we will win on appeal because of her current School's breach of confidentiality with girls in her class reading files which led to bullying. But next year I have to decide which Middle school for DS and again might apply to an out of catchment one as a result of this and have to go through the flipping waiting all over again.

DS needs an MRI scan as might have Perthes Disease, DH's Dad is 85, living abroad and not doing so well plus my Dad's partner has become unwell. I'm really really stressed and the idea of having to stand up before an appeal panel makes me feel a bit sick.

I guess we're nearly there, a week today, sorry to whinge. Fingers crossed for us all.

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