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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Is it too soon to start a 1st March (secondary school allocation day) support thread?

569 replies

teddygirlonce · 03/02/2017 14:37

DD has six good options on her CAF - we will be happy if she gets any of those six but there are no other local schools we would be happy for her to be allocated/offered Shock - and private schooling is not an option.

So just a bit nervous and already counting down the days until we find out which school she's been allocated (if at all).

OP posts:
MrGrumpy01 · 25/02/2017 12:51

Ok thanks. I just presumed each London borough did their own.

We only have about 7 schools in the borough plus an 8th that it is a neighboring LA but catchment includes my borough. So not a huge massive number of pupils to place compared to other areas.

meditrina · 25/02/2017 15:24

You're not wrong!

Each borough + Surrey does its own admissions for its residents, but it's all under the pan-London umbrella, so they all do it the same way and to the same timetable (which given the volume of cross-borough applications, makes a great deal of sense).

They also share things like council tax information if proof of address is required.

(and of course they may be the admissions authority for a number of schools in their borough too)

Hoarybat · 25/02/2017 18:12

Just realised the next day is world book day too. Anticipate cobbling together costume one handed whilst pressing refresh!

Trb17 · 25/02/2017 18:26

Yes mustn't forget World Book Day in my distracted state or I really will be for it Confused ... just need these 4 days to speed up now as I'm thinking about it far more than I should.

Original poster
teddygirlonce · 26/02/2017 07:48

After 14 years of doing 'World Book Day' with the DCs I've lost the will to live!!! DD is not bothered any more - at this stage it's all about being able to shoehorn looking 'fashion forward' into some spurious YA fiction character.

Not long to go now - I'm fluctuating wildly between being optimistic we'll get one of our top 4 options to worrying about not getting any of those listed on the CAF - who knows???

OP posts:
Trb17 · 26/02/2017 17:08

Thankfully DD has picked super easy World Book Day costume so no drama there this year.

I've decided to stay up to midnight on Tuesday to log on to see results so I'm now thinking of it as the 'day after tomorrow' so not too long now (bites nails)

wangxiaosara · 26/02/2017 17:35

DS has got an offer from an independent school with a full bursary, so our wait is over now. Good luck to everyone here still waiting.

MrGrumpy01 · 26/02/2017 18:02

Ours can go in pj's which is good as the school pulls from a fairly deprived area. They can go dressed up if they wish so the 5yr old is going as Rapunzel but the big 2 (yr 4 and 6) will go in pj's I think.

I had wobbles a couple of days ago, if all goes wrong we should get our 2nd choice. I know we will get our 3rd but I don't want that one.

MagicMarkers · 26/02/2017 22:36

In London the results go on the website on the dot of 5pm. The emails arrive over the next few hours.

Luckily, we're not doing it this year, but I was a nervous wreck the two times I've had to wait for Offer Day. Good luck to everyone.

SoulAccount · 26/02/2017 23:05

Good luck Teddygirl - I still don't quite understand why you listed your favourite school last instead of first?

3asAbird · 27/02/2017 13:10

Allocation day and st David's Day march 1st.
World book day thur 2nd just incase I stress you send in costume on wrong day.
Ahh monday soon find out.

ParadiseCity · 27/02/2017 16:14

Good luck everyone. I was in your place last year and remember it well.

Wine It will all be ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not yet the end. Wine

Sillysausages007 · 27/02/2017 18:27

Thank you for the responses about the timings of the notifications. I've just been onto our local council website and it says that "results" are available from 12.30 am. I've no intention of staying up, but as I always wake up in the middle of the night, there is every chance that I'll be looking at 1 am or 2 am. :( I imagine I won't be the only one! Good luck all, not long now.

MrGrumpy01 · 27/02/2017 19:20

Final stretch. I am hopeful we will get our 1st choice and if not our 2nd should be ok, but I keep having cold sweats we will get our 3rd and I really don't want that (our banker because the alternatives if we got nothing would be worse)

thenewaveragebear1983 · 27/02/2017 20:20

Just found this thread! Do you know how they notify you? I've just checked the admissions website and it doesn't recognise my email address- but I know they've received my application because they've rung me about it. So should I spend tomorrow trying to sort that out or should I just assume they will email me?

Wasn't stressing until now!! Hope you all get the places you want

Original poster
teddygirlonce · 27/02/2017 20:22

Everyone, I think I had an 11th hour aberration when it came to doing the final CAF list Blush. I was intending to put the nearby one first (even though it really is a real rank outsider, despite its proximity) but somehow had a change of heart. I think that even though I understand how it works I momentarily lost sight of 'the rules'.

Not much to be done about it now Sad.

OP posts:
iMatter · 27/02/2017 20:26

Sorry if I'm repeating other posters (in a bit of a rush and haven't had a chance to check).

Hampshire goes online at just after midnight on the 1st and the email arrives at about 1am. We went through it last year and are doing it again this year.

Good luck everyone.

Original poster
teddygirlonce · 27/02/2017 20:31

thenewaveragebear1983 did you get email confirmation when you submitted your CAF, using the email address that now seems to be an issue? Any chance you've got more than one you use regularly and you're trying to input the wrong one?

Perhaps worth a phone-call tomorrow to the relevant council's education department to check they've got your correct details?

And good luck!

OP posts:
JustEatYourDinner · 27/02/2017 20:43

Just to remind everyone, accept ANY place you are offered then appeal or go on waiting lists etc.

If you turn it down the LA have satisfied their obligation to find you a school and you may be without a place if the waiting lists don't move/you lose your appeal.

I know it has been said, but with around 30 hours to go, thought it worth repeating!

justgivemethepinot · 27/02/2017 20:54

Very good point there justeat the number of parents who don't accept then end up with nothing is sadly quite a few.

giraffesarefab · 27/02/2017 21:01

I'm waiting too - midnight you say? Think I'll sit up and wait - fairly confident of 1st choice but still to see it in writing will be nice!

Trb17 · 27/02/2017 21:04

DD and friends have obviously been talking about it in school today so tonight she's been all stressed worrying about not getting 1st choice. I'd deliberately not mentioned it too. Roll on 27 hours Confused

MrGrumpy01 · 27/02/2017 21:10

Do people not accept the place in the misplaced belief that the LA will then have to give them a place at the school they really want?

YettiLegs11 · 27/02/2017 21:13

Oh my goodness I am so nervous.

I don't know if I should open the email or let her do it then tell me.

I pray it's the right school for her whichever one is allocated to her.

Trb17 · 27/02/2017 21:16

I think you're right MrGrumpy01 but sadly that's not how it works.

I feel same way YettiLegs11 but I'm going to login online and DD has asked me to wake her up to tell her if it's good news! Certainly won't if it's not 1st preference as it'll be tears all night Sad