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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

Anyone else waiting for offers day - March 2nd here?

523 replies

cece · 22/02/2015 11:12

We have put an out of catchment school as first choice. Second choice is our catchment school. Some years we would get into our first choice, some years we would not. So we are anxiously awaiting the email...

OP posts:

minifingers · 22/02/2015 20:12

My ds doesn't have special needs, but he's got a brother a year behind him who has ASD and who I want to go to the same secondary, so this year's wait is doubly hard.....

I've also experienced what it's like to put a child in the wrong school and have to take them out and put them on waiting lists - did this with dd in year 8. She was out of school for two terms, but luckily eventually got an offer from a decent school out of borough.

Slightly weirded out by an invite to ds from his second choice to a 'tea party' this Wednesday. He's got a bursary there (which he can obviously only access if he gets a place), and they're doing a 'bursary tea party'. I think it's a bit bloody cheeky to invite children to find out about all the great programme of events that will be laid on for them as bursary award winners when I suspect some of them won't end up getting a place.... Really undecided whether to take him or not. I really want him to go to his first choice school, because he'll get free one to one instrument teaching there, which is worth about 1K a year. grabby Unfortunately his first choice is obscenely oversubscribed..... 7.7 children for every place. His third choice is worse - 12 children for every place

Miele72 · 22/02/2015 20:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Flossiechops · 22/02/2015 21:18

Yep me too - been on countdown since Christmas. Our first choice is over the local over subscribed comprehensive, last yrs last child was 1.8 miles & we are 1.7 miles. Dd will be devastated if she doesn't get in as the majority of her friends are going.

LittleFluffyMoo · 22/02/2015 21:56

The next few days are going to be very long. 1st and 2nd choices are two of the most oversubscribed schools in the country, though I think DS has a fair chance at both so fingers crossed!

Needless to say, DS has changed his mind 3 times since we put in his choices (mostly depending on which of his friends has applied for which school).

swampster · 22/02/2015 22:13

Every time anyone mentions secondary schools I feel like I'm about to start hyperventilating. Trying not to think about it. Failing miserably.

ChippyMinton · 22/02/2015 22:48

To everyone that us stressing, read tiggytape's first post. The offers are just the start, be prepared to be pro-active, get on waiting lists ASAP, think about appeals etc.

On here it feels like you must get the best school or fail your child, but it's really not the case. The vast majority go to their local schools and thrive. My best advice would be to prepare your DC for the likely scenarios and stress only the positive aspects of each option. Sob in private

pourmeanotherglass · 22/02/2015 23:47

We're waiting, am 90% sure DD2 will have got into DD1 school, but it will be a relief to have it confirmed. I've managed to put it out of my mind up to now, but now we're close to offers day I've started worrying a bit.

minifingers · 23/02/2015 09:01

You're right of course Chippy, but I've had my fingers burned on this one. I know lots of clever and resilient children who would do well in any half decent school, but I'm not sure how clever, or resilient mine are!

What's making it extra nail biting for me is the fact that ds has got an offer of a music scholarship and bursary, so if he doesn't get into his top two choices it also means he's missing out on a lot of extra music input which other schools won't be able to replicate. He's spent a lot of his music lessons in Juniors helping other children, or stapling handouts together with a TA because he's got a rubbish music teacher who isn't able to differentiate properly. I really want him to join a school with a vibrant music department - it's an important part of his life and identity.

DH and I have made the decision that we'll home school if he doesn't get an offer from his top three choices, and we'll wait for something to come up through a waiting list. I have confidence that it will.

GaryBaldy · 23/02/2015 09:35

Another waiting. 1st choice is single sex, always oversubscribed 2nd choice is oversubscribed but we are in catchment so would get in.

Can't lose really except DD now wants number 2 as all her friends are going there so will be mighty sad if we get first choice.

squiby2004 · 23/02/2015 10:15

yup nervously biting nails here. We moved 29 miles to have a shot at our 1st choice, will be devastated if she doesn't get in. It's a massively popular single sex and has been outstanding for 18 years. This last week is going to drag!!

IdespairIreallydo · 23/02/2015 10:19

We endured the secondary school place nightmare last year and all came good in the end - we had to move house, but our son started at the school of our first choice in September after not being offered any one of our 3 initial preferences. Remember, you have a preference, not a choice. IME, if there are places at an under subscribed school, that's where your LA will try and get your child to.
Appeals are horrendous, we endured two (both unsuccessful despite months of homework) but study the over subscription criteria carefully and follow the rules, taking what action you deem necessary to get the result you are happy with.
Just waiting to hear for our daughter now, although she has won a scholarship at a local private school - waiting to hear from the bursar then decisions to be made.

LittleFluffyMoo · 23/02/2015 11:34

I think the waiting is the worst part, once we know where DS1 is going, we can deal with it! Wish I had a crystal ball...

We did consider moving to the gates of one of DS's schools at one point, but we have such a lovely community where we are that it would be hard to move away. Sometimes, though, I wonder if we made the right decision. All the schools are far away (closest school has issues) and DS1 (ASD, ADHD) will find it hard traveling to school on his own on public transport. At least the first choice is only one bus ride away, but very difficult to get in to unless you live next door.

Notinaminutenow · 23/02/2015 13:35

Good luck to all - it's a nail biting time.

If you don't get your first preference, don't panic! As someone said up thread there is a lot of movement between Offer Day and September. Get on waiting lists but in the meantime try to be as positive as you can about the school allocated, for your child's sake.

DS was allocated his 3rd preference initially last year. We joined the waiting list for first, but were not remotely hopeful. Were 7th on waiting list in his band, then 5th. Stayed at 5th for ages. Pretty much put it down to experience and moved on. We embraced the allocated school, went to induction days, bought uniform etc.

He is now at first preference. Those waiting lists do move!

MelodyAngel · 23/02/2015 17:04

Everything crossed here as it really isn't a given that we will get any of our preferred schools even though we are in catchment for two. Just so stressful.

ChaiseLounger · 23/02/2015 17:39

Very worried here.
I hope he gets in, it is his feeder school.
More worried : primary refused to accept his AS diagnosis , thus failed him miserably. Hoping secondary will be more accepting.

sunnydayinmay · 23/02/2015 18:00

Just had an email reminding me of my parent id for next week. Actually felt sick! Must be more worried than I realised.

Flossiechops · 23/02/2015 18:51

God it's agony isn't it?! Hoping Birmingham LEA don't keep us waiting until 3.30pm (they state we will get an email prior to this time on Monday). Dd is nervous too - if we could get in through worry we'd be top of the list!

Original poster

cece · 23/02/2015 19:16

Last time I just logged in on the day without waiting for an email.

OP posts:

Flossiechops · 23/02/2015 19:19

No doubt I'll be checking every minute after midnight, in fact I should book the day off work as I won't sleep . Our letter states if you applied on line you will receive an email on the 2nd by 3.30pm I so hope it comes before work!

TheFirstOfHerName · 23/02/2015 19:20

With DS1 and DS2, we had to wait until after 5pm for the email (Hertfordshire).

minifingers · 23/02/2015 19:22

She we all check in here daily and work ourselves up into a frenzy of anticipation by next Monday?

Gawd - I'm obsessed. Wishing the time away. DH is so calm about it, damn him. Thank goodness for some other finger chewers to share my school places angst with!

TheFirstOfHerName · 23/02/2015 19:25

we all check in here daily and work ourselves up into a frenzy of anticipation by next Monday?

Yep!

sunnydayinmay · 23/02/2015 20:18

Some people in SW Herts didnt hear until midnight last year! They say 6pm, but emails dripped out from 4pm...

woodlands01 · 23/02/2015 20:42

Our county replies via e-mail if you apply on-line. I think they were normally sent about 3pm. However, if you logged onto the website you could see what school had been allocated. I did this at 7am and knew my children had a place in a school in the next county. The ridiculous thing was the next county told everyone by letter so they didn't know until next day (if lucky with first class post).
So don't necessarily wait for email - log on and you may see allocation quicker.
Good luck to everyone. I know how stressful it is having 2 children in an out of catchment school. I also went through appeal process for a friend - OMG awful BUT successful.

Flossiechops · 23/02/2015 20:59

Yes let's all stress together! Woodlands I'll be logging on from midnight onwards

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