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Secondary education

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

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:
LittleFluffyMoo · 27/02/2015 09:44

Nooo...don't tell me people are already getting their offers!

Knowing my luck, we won't get results until the 3rd, but now I know people have started getting offers I'll be running to the door every time the postbox makes a noise and checking emails hourly. I have to find something distracting to do...

Miele72 · 27/02/2015 09:48

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tiggytape · 27/02/2015 09:56

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Miele72 · 27/02/2015 10:03

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tiggytape · 27/02/2015 10:07

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18yearstooold · 27/02/2015 10:08

Miele -the head teachers do know but they can't say

minifingers · 27/02/2015 10:10

"mini - I assume school number 4 is less oversubscribed, quite local or in some other way a "safe bet"?
And numbers 1-3 are more popular or less certain in terms of distance?
If so, you have done what all sensible people should do - filled in your true preferences with a back-up option in case you qualify for none of them"

They're all oversubscribed, but the 4th choice is closest (0.25 of a mile) and takes in incredibly large numbers of kids, especially this year as it's merging/taking over another failing school.

But I shouldn't have put it down as I have no intention of sending my ds there, even if I don't get another offer. My dd went there (it was our first choice for dd - very good OFSTED, and very close) and I ended up removing her in year 8 because I felt the school was awful, really uncaring. All of dd's friends who are still there think it's a terrible school. It's only OFSTED love it though because it gets exceptionally good results for its intake mainly achieved by removing underachieving children from the rolls

Miele72 · 27/02/2015 10:11

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Miele72 · 27/02/2015 10:15

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LocalEditorEssex · 27/02/2015 10:17

I am nervous !

1st choice has sibling but not catchment 2nd choice also sibling but in catchment, I so want ds to go to the first choice, much better school and will get her away from the girls around here who are quite mean to her most of the time. I really want her to make some new friends.

LocalEditorEssex · 27/02/2015 10:17

Dd not ds !

tiggytape · 27/02/2015 10:18

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JugglingFromHereToThere · 27/02/2015 10:18

Can I just say how good it is to see your calm, wise advice on here tiggytape MN expertise is fab! Good luck to you all and I hope all DC will be happy with their next steps into those teenage years

tiggytape · 27/02/2015 10:33

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Miele72 · 27/02/2015 10:36

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minifingers · 27/02/2015 11:05

Yes, thanks from me too Tiggy Smile

And to the OP for starting it. This thread is my safety valve for the next few days.

var123 · 27/02/2015 11:15

I'm waiting. We meet the 3rd criteria (after SEN and foster children) as DS1 is already there. So, I know DS2 will get a place and if he doesn't we'll appeal and win. However, I am still nervous!

The parents who only have one good option though and can't be certain though - you have my deepest sympathies. The waiting is a real killer.

cagsd · 27/02/2015 12:21

CheekyBanana and Flossiechops, you're not alone in the lack of sleep / nightmares - I've been the same all week. I lie there wide awake, worrying, and when I do eventually close my eyes I'm plagued with dreams where we get allocated the special-measures school, or worse - in last night's dream, we didn't get any school at all! (Not actually sure whether that WOULD be worse?!)

I'm expecting the council website to go live just after midnight Sunday night / Monday morning, and going by last year (my friend was in this situation last year) they send emails very shortly afterwards - she received hers at 12:50am.

I'm in turmoil as to what to do for the best: do I sit up and wait, but then if it's bad news what am I supposed to do in the early hours of the morning? But if I go to bed and plan to look in the morning, I know I'll never get any sleep anyway! Aaaargh! I feel I'm going mad!

minifingers · 27/02/2015 12:57

At least we've all actually applied in time.

At the school I visited on Wednesday (for 'fishing' exercise - see below Hmm the head explained that they were still fielding calls from parents who hadn't worked out that they had to get their application in last term.....

MirandaWest · 27/02/2015 13:49

I must look and see how I get to find out on Monday Blush

Is a bit odd that Leeds have been given their places already.

MirandaWest · 27/02/2015 13:59

Have looked - I should get an email in the morning and the children get given letters at the end of the day at school. So no issues with postal services.

ragged · 27/02/2015 14:18

I bet I'm the only on thread who will be happy if we don't get our first choice, lol.

ragged · 27/02/2015 14:18

oh, we didn't get to apply online, the system was bust, so good old post will have to do.

Flossiechops · 27/02/2015 14:20

Cagsd - you sound exactly like me! I may have to take a few sleeping tablets as I'm on a ten hr shift on Monday. My nerves are in tatters I should have booked the day off work Blush

smellylittleorange · 27/02/2015 22:23

Just seen announcement on first preference school website that some parents out of catchment will not have been allocated to them as their first choice but they know they have space for anyone who wants to go them and will make offers after the two week grace period for those who want to go there. Guess that verifies that I should not be worried then and whatever the email says on Monday we are in ! Very lucky to live in this area and have a choice rather than preference. Good luck all for Monday