Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

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

Original poster

Its 2018....countdown to 1st March secondary school allocations!

632 replies

Hersetta427 · 02/01/2018 12:10

Well two months down and two to go to 1st March. I have been fairly chilled since applications were submitted however now that 2018 is here it is creeping into my thoughts more frequently.

We are truly lucky to live in a town with very good secondary schools but I know DD would be heartbroken if she didn't get her first choice (a top 10 non selective girls school).

Realistically we should be virtually sure of a place as if we don't qualify on distance within our feeder school group then she should get a sports aptitude place (she score 10 percentage points higher than the required score for the last 3 years). However a part of me is still nervous as I imagine what if all 200 girls taking the aptitude test got amazing scores too. Logically I know this isn't the case as other girls at her school score 20-25 marks lower than DD but there are only 9 places available so the margin of error is small.

Anyone else beginning to get jittery? Please tell me I'm not alone.

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2018 10:58

Loving that idea Grin

Shattered04 · 27/02/2018 11:03

Thanks tiggytape, that's what I hoped would happen. It shouldn't be necessary, but if DD gets #2, she may want to go on the waiting list for #3 as well as #1 as none of her friends will be at #2 which has become more of an issue since application due to her ASD diagnosis. However, as we're Hertfordshire, we're not going to have any time to consider any potential offers as we'll just get allocated them!

Fingers crossed it won't come to that.

Cotswolds - I can relate - our nearest and only 100% school is very much not suitable for DD at all, has the lowest Ofsted and is the worst in terms of results and popularity locally. As the crow flies it is closer, but we live on a cul-de-sac and can't get out at the end. In terms of getting there, it's a busy main road and a long steep hill and actually twice as far on foot than the school most of her classmates will be at. I didn't even list it, because I'd rather homeschool her (somehow!!) than send her there!

TeenTimesTwo · 27/02/2018 11:29

Is this a good time to remind all parents that they need to appear to be generally positive about all possible schools to their DCs?

This is so that

  • their DC isn't devastated if they don't get first choice
but also
  • so their DC doesn't go in saying 'oh you're going off to X, my mum say's that's rubbish' or whatever.

We kept up the mantra, 'different schools suit different children. All schools have their good points.'

thesockgap · 27/02/2018 11:38

Just over 36 hours to go, I'm absolutely bricking it! I keep feeling sick every time I think about it :( I lurch from thinking he's got a decent chance of getting our first choice, to remembering just how many people didn't get it last year :(
I just wish the wait was over and I knew one way or the other!

gussyfinknottle · 27/02/2018 11:41

It's really hard to do it but don't let your kids see your anxiety. Don't slag off other schools to their face.

Gemm1 · 27/02/2018 12:17

Hi everyone Just want it to ask what time 1st of march we will receive an e mail this my first application for secondary school I hope u will all get your 1st choice

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2018 12:23

Which county gem?

Shattered04 · 27/02/2018 12:34

Indeed - I'm always careful to stress that our less-than-ideal catchment school "is not really suited to DD" when discussing it. It is good for children into sports though, so I sometimes mention that. Many of their extra curricular sports teachers go or went there so I'm always careful!

That said, we're one of the few not in catchment for our #3 school, which is pretty decent. So most will be going to #3 anyway - I doubt many, if any, will be at our catchment school.

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 27/02/2018 12:37

Gem it does depend. many release at midnight, some mid-afternoon like mine in herts) and some (London boroughs for example) not until 5pm. It should say on your county council website.

OP posts:
Frickles · 27/02/2018 12:53

Joining in as another Hertfordshire one! I'm SW Herts and DS1 did well enough in the consortium test that he should get a place at #1 choice but you never know! According to the website of one of the secondaries, the email goes about 4pm. I was going to leave work early to pick him up from school and tell him the news (and have a nosey at everyone else too tbh!) but probably won't be out by then. Come on Thursday!

marytuda · 27/02/2018 13:34

Exactly teen I keep reminding myself that all 6 schools are pretty brilliant so it really doesn't matter . . . DS seems to have forgotten about it for now but will remember later this week for sure . . Also, 1st March not necessarily end of story. Here if you don't get first choice you are automatically on waiting list for higher choices and given dense population, number of schools and so on - not to mention private school parents waiting on Grammar School/scholarship places whatever - I would expect quite a lot of WL movement over spring and summer.

Gemm1 · 27/02/2018 14:05

North London enfield

KittyBelle123 · 27/02/2018 14:06

Can I join too? West London here, literally on my mind every waking minute Confused DD is my first to go up. Anyone else wondering how on earth it's already time for them to leave Primary School?!

marytuda · 27/02/2018 14:09

Thanks tiggytape for clarifying WL situation upthread, you obviously know a lot about it.

mastertomsmum · 27/02/2018 14:21

Hi, just on her to put a little supportive message for all but in particular anyone who has to wait a little longer than 1st March for their news. We had to wait for the result to arrive in the post as my son is an out of year placement (Aug birthday and could be in the year above the one he's actually in). The extra 2 days felt like a very long time.

CremeBrulee · 27/02/2018 17:20

Another anxious waiter here. We are in Essex but our first choice is just across the border in Herts. Hoping DS will get a place OK as DD is already there.

Not sure what time allocation will be available to view on the website. With DD 4 yeas ago I logged in at midnight and found out then, this time website is a bit vague.

bellabelly · 27/02/2018 19:43

TWO MORE SLEEPS! Unless your council is kind enough to post results at midnight, in which case, it's only one! Can't bear the waiting now, just want to know, even if it's not what I am hoping for.

BeesAndChiscuits · 27/02/2018 19:46

Ours posts at midnight, apparently, and the emails arrive in the wee small hours. So one sleep for us. I will be staying up. Eek.

bellabelly · 27/02/2018 20:09

Oh, Bees - fingers crossed for you, hopefully you can log on at 00.01, breathe a sigh of relief and have a wonderful night's sleep. AFTER updating us all on here, of course! Grin

I'm assuming Kent won't post until the afternoon as that's what happened with the 11+ results. But it won't stop me obsessively checking from midnight...

ineedamoreadultieradult · 27/02/2018 20:10

One more sleep for us I think but I cant really tell from the council website. Will they tell us under what criteria a place has been allocated?

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 27/02/2018 20:17

No they just tell you that you have a place. Dd is very likely to get an aptitude place but we won't even know that, it's just a yes or a no.

OP posts:
Sittinginthesun · 27/02/2018 20:20

Just read on 11plusforum that one SW Herts school has put it's 2018 data on it's website already!

starryeyed19 · 27/02/2018 20:22

Herts have said the allocation emails will be going out in the afternoon of 1st March which feels unnecessarily harsh. JUST TELL US ALREADY

Good luck everyone

sphynxx · 27/02/2018 20:45

Aargh! I can’t take the wait!! Everyone knows except me!

Hello everyone, I am trying to stay sane waiting for Thursday. DD did well in her 11+ but she is my eldest & so researching and reassuring myself frantically. She couldn’t care less, (but very much wants her 1st choice school). Good luck everyone.

dipsydoo22 · 27/02/2018 22:03

I cannot take the wait . 2 more sleeps for me find out at 5pm 😓

Swipe left for the next trending thread