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Secondary education

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

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Original poster

March 1st - Offers Day

27 replies

mumwithtwokids · 02/01/2013 16:33

Just wanted to wish lots of luck to those of you who are patiently waiting. This time last year I was literally tearing my hear out with worry.

OP posts:

mankyscotslass · 02/01/2013 20:10

Thank you.

I am driving DH mad - he is so laid back about it he is almost horizontal. He is totally bewildered by how worried I am about it - whether we made the right choices in the right order for DS, and whether he will get in or not....8 weeks to go!

Did you get the allocation you wanted?

Original poster

mumwithtwokids · 02/01/2013 20:46

Hi mankyscotslass - yes we were fortunate enough to get the allocation we wanted.

I completely understand how you are feeling and I think I used to drive my DH a bit mad too with my constant worry. I know it's really hard but try to stay positive, hope you get the news you are hoping for. Last year a support thread was started around this time and I found it really helped.

OP posts:

FiveHoursSleep · 02/01/2013 21:33

We are waiting to hear too. DD1 sat for a selective place in a not so local kind of grammar school and got a good mark, but who knows if it'll be good enough to get in this year?
Our fallback school is very good and much more local, but DD (and I) fell a little bit in love with the first one when we visited it.
I think she ought to get in and keep reminding myself it's not a disaster if she doesn't, but I think we will both be a little disappointed.

hoodoo12345 · 03/01/2013 10:22

This was me last year and can really relate to the stress of it all,truly awful the uncertainty.
I will have to do the whole thing again next year and i'm concerned already!

mankyscotslass · 03/01/2013 10:29

I've resurrected the thread from last year when we all put our application for this year in. here

Original poster

mumwithtwokids · 03/01/2013 11:07

I know hoodoo12345 I found the whole waiting game complete torture and we have to go through it all again in 3 years time. I'm also absolutely dreading it as no doubt by then it will be 100 times worse

OP posts:

mankyscotslass · 03/01/2013 11:13

I get to do it again in 2 years time too, then 2 years after that!

tiggytape · 03/01/2013 11:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mumslife · 05/01/2013 22:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EllenJaneisstillnotmyname · 05/01/2013 23:18

It's not a low birth rate year in my town, unfortunately. It is in the LA as a whole, but all the local primary schools are full in Y6.

My DS3 hopes to go to the same decent, out of catchment comp that DS1 and DS2 go to, but it doesn't have a sibling criteria. DS1 got in in a local low birthrate year and DS2 has a statement of SEN which named the school, so DS3 will have to take pot luck.

He's got another out of catchment comp as second choice and the next town boys grammar school as 3rd choice. He's pretty much guaranteed the grammar, but we'd all prefer a more local comp, TBH.

Waiting on 1st March...

areyoubeingserved · 06/01/2013 14:49

Good luck everyone! I was waiting for a thread like this to be started so I can pop by every so often. I have an app counting down the days, 53 to go ;)) Trying to not think about it too much but with so many ???? regarding where she may get allocated and how that decision effects possible appeals etc makes the wait even more anxious. She is hoping for a GS. Passed 3 and faced with a possible appeal at the one she didn't pass ( is her top choice) She has the strongest support from school, target levels of 6, was only handful of marks away and documented extenuating circumstances. Although in my opinion a really strong case is a notorious school for not upholding many appeals, maybe a couple or so a year and obviously we would have the over subscription as well as the non qualification aspect too.

Anyway possibly facing more than one appeal due to over subscription on the ones she did pass. Am expecting the local comp to be the school she gets allocated. I spoke to their admissions before doing CAF about her doing GS exams and am limited to how many schools can put on CAF form and they said there are ALWAYS spaces there so even if I didn't list it and she didn't get any of the GS options, she would be allocated it anyway.

Keep hearing it could be just after midnight that they come through, does this depend on different LA's.

ohforfoxsake · 06/01/2013 14:51

Oh bloody hell I hadn't given it a second thought until I saw this.

Don't get worked up two months ahead. You'll drive yourself mad, and everyone around you.

LadyIsabellaWrotham · 06/01/2013 14:58

I quite agree. It's early January; if I start to worry now I'll have no hair left by half term, let alone March.

mankyscotslass · 06/01/2013 15:03

Last low birth rate year here too - and also, at least from our school, very girl heavy.

And a lot of parents were so impressed by the facilities at the new build school that they put that as first choice, so hopefully we stand a really good chance of getting in the boys school.

areyoubeingserved · 06/01/2013 15:13

I think the build up began on here around the same time last year, perhaps it helps the time go faster? Hopefully by sharing thoughts we can make it a little less stressful for everyone :)

ohforfoxsake · 06/01/2013 15:44

Or work each other up into a frenzy?!!

We did entrance exams and waiting to hear about DS1s place at GS. DS2 will be sitting his this September. Gah! Why do I do it to myself?!

I shall see you at the end of February!

Good luck to each of you. Hope you all have good news

areyoubeingserved · 06/01/2013 16:22

Ha ha yes there is that too ;) I'll be popping in and out, hopefully not often enough to get too much of a frenzy going. Good luck with your allocati

areyoubeingserved · 06/01/2013 16:22

Ha ha yes there is that too ;) I'll be popping in and out, hopefully not often enough to get too much of a frenzy going. Good luck with your allocation.

foxache · 06/01/2013 20:51

I'm waiting too, for ds. After much agonising (and some great help from here under a nc) we applied for an out of catchment comp and ds took a banding test.
Ds hates school and has set his heart on this one, but I think the two choices below are really good, even the unpopular local one which I wish I'd pushed more for now.

Funny how preferences change once the form is sent

mankyscotslass · 06/01/2013 20:56

It must be even worse if your child has their heart set on a school. DS1 isn't that fussed, so will be okay with either. Though he has recently found out that the new build has links to his favourite football team, so he may be harbouring a secret preference.

ohforfoxsake · 06/01/2013 21:42

Ooh hello foxache

foxache · 06/01/2013 23:26

Hello foxsake !

How funny to have similar age dc too. Good luck with GS, I hope you get what you want.

foxache · 06/01/2013 23:37

Manky, yes it's the secret preferences that make it hard. I don't think my ds put much thought into it all and the fact he was enthusiastic about any school was enough.

mankyscotslass · 07/01/2013 10:36

Hmm, well I found out today that my preferred school is advertising for a new Head - the Acting Head who has been in place for 18 months has apparently left.

I'm not sure how I feel about that - I have a friend who loved the school but said the acting head was not her cup of tea at all, so maybe this will be a positive step for the school.

But it's unsettled me.

FiveHoursSleep · 07/01/2013 16:21

The head of our preferred school has been there for years and is going to have to leave at some point. Our 2nd choice school has had a very good acting head for ages but he doesn't seem to want to step up and become head at all :(

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