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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Secondary disappointment

16 replies

OhnowhatwasIthinking · 01/03/2016 19:38

So DD didn't get into our choice of school. I am a bit confused as to what we do next. I'm not sure I have grounds for appeal so do I just go on the waiting list? Do I decline the place we've been offered? Confused and very out of my depth.

OP posts:
meditrina · 01/03/2016 19:42

Do not decline the place (unless you have a private school place lined up, or are ready to HE at secondary age).

This is because if offering you a place, the LEA has fulfilled its obligation and does not have to offer you another.

Accepting this place makes no difference whatsoever to outcomes of either waiting list or possible appeal.

Most LEAs will add you automatically to the waiting list of the schools you listed as higher preferences than the one you were offered. It is worth checking that this has happened.

Messedup2016 · 01/03/2016 19:43

You should accept the place you've been offered and go on the waiting list for all your higher preference schools.

You can call your local authority and find out where you are on the waiting list.

BennyTheBall · 01/03/2016 19:44

Yes, go on the continued interest list - there is always lots of movement and all of my friends have been lucky and ended up with what they wanted.

We were not so lucky, but I am the only one I know!

Katenka · 01/03/2016 19:44

Accept the place. Unless of course there is no way she is going there.

But the advice is always to accept the place.

Some areas put you in the wait list automatically, some you have to put yourself on it. You should be able to find out where you are on it.

I would start the appeal paperwork anyway, just in case.

At our secondary each year has 365 pupils. 17 got in off the wait list.

So it was definitely worth doing.

Original poster
OhnowhatwasIthinking · 01/03/2016 19:48

Thanks so much I will accept. We've got the second place so we aren't in a bad position I know a few who got their 4th or 5th. I will try and call the LEA tomorrow.

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sadandblue1 · 01/03/2016 21:16

DC didn't get any of our 5 choices... Any advice re appeals?. Have been offered nearby school by LA

RandomMess · 01/03/2016 21:18

Blimey sadandblue - I'd start a new thread.

I still think the same applies - accept the place offered and then put your name down on the waiting lists for all of the schools you would prefer over the place you've accepted.

Original poster
OhnowhatwasIthinking · 01/03/2016 21:29

Sadandblue sorry to hear that I hope you get it sorted soon.

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mummytime · 01/03/2016 21:44

The LA phone lines will be very very busy for the next couple of weeks. They probably can't tell you your waiting list place for a little while yet. Do double check you are on any relevant waiting lists (I nearly didn't get DC3 on the one for her top choice school because the LA implied everyone would be placed on them automatically, but the top choice school was its own admissions authority and only put you on the waiting list when you asked).

My eldest got a place at his chosen school via the waiting list, and he started at at least 25th place.

You may have grounds to appeal, but whether or not you will win is pretty unpredictable.

tiggytape · 01/03/2016 23:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tiggytape · 01/03/2016 23:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
OhnowhatwasIthinking · 02/03/2016 04:57

Thanks for all the help. I really don't think I will appeal because I have no grounds at all. I'm going to endure I'm on the waiting list. The phone lines are open for 3 hours a day so it's going to take a while.

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Katenka · 02/03/2016 06:16

We live over the council bounty to our chosen school. It's an academy and by their admissions policy that should matter. But we discovered their software for measuring distance was wildly inaccurate when used to measure over the boundry.

Dd should have got place as we lived closer than some other people who got and we won the appeal based, in part, on this.

We wouldn't have ever know that if we hadn't started an appeal and looked into it all.

It's hard work but definitely worth doing.

wannabestressfree · 02/03/2016 06:40

Ohno I pmed you

mummytime · 02/03/2016 07:22

I have known people win appeals based on grounds such as: a child's artistic ability and it was a specialist art school, a language being offered that other schools didn't, emotional needs of the child (although how they judged this I'm not sure as another child with very similar needs didn't get accepted).

I do regret not appealing for my son, although he got a place from the waiting list, if he hadn't got it just before the appeals were heard it would have been less likely (they accepted about 10 appeals for his school that year).

Original poster
OhnowhatwasIthinking · 02/03/2016 10:29

I will think about the appeal thanks everyone.

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