Remind me again I have to...

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Put down the school I really don't want as a banker...

Applications for secondary open today and I know, I know i have to list it even though o don't want to...

Even though everyone else will be adamant they will get their kid into what school they want because they aren't listing it....

It's stupid I know but part of me feels I'm giving up even though im putting it last

But I'll just get somewhere else right? Somewhere just as bad and possibly much further away...

Yeah it's not that great is it.

But then I don't get the point of schools where people end up being shipped in all from all over the place whilst everyone local ends up being shipped out cos of lack.of space or like me merely trying to trying to a decent school...

Traffic round here is horrendous

Yet they always get what they want...

It's bizarre

You know, my whole knee jerk reaction has always been that the grammar system is so unfair and I agree with you completely that it is an awful system. Except. Except. Except ... both my children would have passed their 11+ (well, pretty sure they would have!) so I know that they would have benefited. I hate it when your conscience as at odds with wanting the best for your child so I suppose actually, really, I'm quite relieved that we don't have that as an option.

I'd not be putting my dd through it if itbwas the only shot she had at a decent school taht didn't require her likely spending time in a shithole waiting for a space to become available elsewhere and probably resulting in more upset when I move her...

hairy, I agree. Both of mine are now attend grammar schools, even though in principle I think the system sucks!

Op - there is a parent at our primary who STILL (year 5 kids) goes on about how she got the school because it was the only one she put down.

Mind you if she hadn't got it, you wouldn't hear anything from her would you?

In some areas they do have a system for people in school black holes, there can be an application criteria which gives you priority i fit is your nearest school over someone who is nearer, but has another option. (not explaining that very well)

Yet they always get what they want...

They don't. they're the one with sad faces in the local paper a few weeks after the places come out saying it's not fair as they put down

1. St. Leafy (no time in the last 10 years have they taken anyone further than 300m and they live 5 miles away.
2. The Academic Children Nurtured here Academy (last year they had 200 applicants for 30 spaces-they live 3 miles away)
3. Tremendously Brilliant Catholic School which has not taken a non-Catholic since 2001 and they aren't Catholic.

They will say in this article that they were misled in believing there was a choice, and they're being forced into homeschooling because they couldn't possible consider Doing Fairly Well in a Quiet Way school at the end of their drive.
Their MP (who has better things to be doing) will have raised a non-specific statement about either the council doing their best but not managing miracles (if they're in the government's party) or the dreadful state of the education system today (if they're not in power) which is all due to the current government.

Round here we just seem to be surrounded by schools with specific criteria (grammer/faith)

My nearest school is not my catchment

My catchment school is a longer bus journey than the one I want ( time wise not distance wise) and the nearest school she could walk to.

And I always somehow manage to meet people who applied late or live further away etc that somehow got a space when we didn't.. .

We are just unlucky here I guess

And don't worry I know these people just fulfil higher criteria in other ways however it doesn't stop it being disheartening sometimes

witchend

Definately not doing papers don't worry

who do I have to sleep with to get a space

My nearest school is not my catchment
In that case I would check the admissions criteria for this school and your catchment school very carefully. What is more important living in catchment or living closer to the school.
In our LEA (apart from the most high achieving oversubscribed school on the other side of the city), distance has priority over catchment.
We only have 3 preferences and didn't list our catchment school as 3rd preference. We listed our closest undersubscribed school in neighbouring LEA instead which takes 35% of dcs from our area. We were fairly certain that we would receive our first preference (and did) but this seemed a better 3rd preference than a school in special measures which no-one in the area really wants.
If you do live in an area where all Y7 school places are in short supply, then having this school as final preference may be the best option for you though.

It's the usual criteria. Distance being after catchment but we are within previous years distances

My nearest school isn't my admission zone school and people who go to that school live closer to my admission zone school then me. So it seems quite a usual occurrence.

I had the banker as 3rd (last) as I knew that that would have been better than the other schools I could have got.

I did for dc3 only put one choice for primary. It was a school that isn't historically over subscribed and I knew roughly where I fell in the over subscription criteria if it happen to be. I would never advise others to do likewise. I won't be doing the same for secondary.

Yy I can't face all that again either

Last time I listed three preferences got none got allocated a school that just wasn't an option turned down then got their school on second round.

Luckily dd2 got in on sibling link.

I can't cope with the stress again I just can't. Far more damaging to miss the beginning of yr7 than reception.

I'm resigned to the crap school and praying for waiting lists to cone good.

Where I live catchment areas may mean people further away get a place than those living near the school but that is due to rural villages needing to have school places for secondary and they don't want to have to run multiple bus routes. Nothing within 3 miles of some villages as all the secondary schools on opposite side of the city to them.

Whole thing is just so sressful.

It's all done now, application submitted.

Cant say I feel great about it all am bracing myself for a hectic yr of trying to get things sorted out.

I'm already exhausted through not sleeping very well... wish I could just be put out of my misery now and be told one way or the other