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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:
Dinnerisburnt · 27/02/2018 22:12

The waiting is unbearable. My child came home today and told me that someone in the class whose parent works at the council have said that only 10 places (for the sort after school in the area) have been allocated to their school There are approx 14 siblings applying for this school, not to mention the ones without siblings. Part of me is livid that this breach of information has been shared, the other part of me believes this is a load of bollocks and surely no one would be that stupid to have discussed such confidential information with their child. Roll on 2moro at midnight when I can log in to see what we have got. I wasn’t that stressed until tonight Confused.

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2018 22:24

Oh god all this "extra Info" people seem to know makes it so much worse doesn't it.

How do they know this stuff.

Dinnerisburnt · 27/02/2018 22:28

I don’t know, the parent is a councillor.....maybe it is accurate. I hope my child will come out of school (whichever it will end up being) with a better grip of grammer than I have though Grin.

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2018 22:32

I do sometimes wonder if people just like to play a bit. Like crush your hopes just a teeny bit. No one should be telling anyone anything.

If they did then that makes them u trustworthy surely and the info dodgy by default?

Dinnerisburnt · 27/02/2018 22:41

Makes a whole mockery of the system if it is true. I don’t trust anyone in these situations, especially what 10 & 11 year olds repeat! I expect every child has gone home this evening and shared the information with family members......I think will avoid the school gates for the next 24 hours, thankfully it’s bloody freezing and I can drive by and drop off in the morning. I’m pretty sure the data will have ‘changed’ by 2moro evening Wink

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2018 22:44

Oh don't talk.

That's where you find out people lied and that's where you find out that despite living ten miles away they got in when your neighbour didn't.

A million things that seem really unfair come out and unless you want to be seriously angry for weeks keep your head down Grin

bellabelly · 27/02/2018 22:55

Gileswithachainsaw - voice of bitter experience?

I agree with ignoring the voices of doom. One friend who has a dc already at our preferred school mentioned that applications are "up" this year. NOT what I needed to hear! She's a lovely woman though and I really don't think it was done out of malice but I still hated her a little bit. Grin

The voice of doom inside my own head though - that's the one I find really hard to switch off.

bellabelly · 27/02/2018 22:57

Dinnerisburnt - I would strongly suspect that the child has simply made that up. Everyone knows that kids repeat stuff they shouldn't!

Shattered04 · 27/02/2018 23:20

Even if applications are up, siblings could be down. I'm always amazed at how much the number of siblings varies each year - you'd think it would be fairly consistent!

I noticed that the results for SW Herts for Bushey Meads are slightly up on last year. That probably means the results are up across all school applications, which could well rule DD out for her #2 school as she was very very borderline.

Hopefully it won't matter one bit as fingers crossed she gets #1.. 38 hours or so to go!

GrockleBocs · 28/02/2018 00:03

Oh Giles I know someone who's done something dodgy around admissions. Doesn't affect us directly but it's annoying.

bellabelly · 28/02/2018 00:11

Shattered04 - sadly, there's no sibling priority for school no 1. But thanks for trying to lift my spirits!

bellabelly · 28/02/2018 00:12

Oh wow - 38 hours to go? We need a countdown clock...

CalmDownAndBreathe · 28/02/2018 07:40

This is it! The day before allocation.

We have all been through some tough times during preps and now for the wait. The kids have been to hell and back. So here is wishing you all a very best of luck for your DCs. Keep calm and soldier on.

:)

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 28/02/2018 08:23

Arghhh. Still 30 hrs here (Herts emails are sent out around 3pm).

Its my birthday today so that is a distraction - hopefully will get a belated present tomorrow with our first choice !

OP posts:
Trampire · 28/02/2018 09:13

Yes, try and ignore voices doom. People love to scare people and say they know a friend of a friend who knows. It's bullshit.

Way back in the mists if time when I was applying for Primary with my youngest I had several people, including a nursery teacher saying the admissions policy had changed and siblings were no longer a consideration. It was total crap.

gussyfinknottle · 28/02/2018 09:15

Happy birthday- ours is a midnight thing. Setting my alarm because I'm usually asleep by 10 pm Grin.
Good luck everyone.

GrockleBocs · 28/02/2018 09:31

Happy Birthday Hers!

I had a massive anxiety dream last night. Dreamt I was trying to get dd into a school 200 miles away and couldn't remember if I'd put it 1st or 3rd. Woke up in a panic and it took a few minutes to realise I hadn't applied to a school 200 miles away Confused

MedusaBadHairDay · 28/02/2018 09:51

14 hours now....just want this day over and done with Confused

Gileswithachainsaw · 28/02/2018 09:52

Happy birthday!!! Cake

Shattered04 · 28/02/2018 09:53

Happy Birthday Hersetta!

I saw the headteacher this morning as I dropped the children off, she was very happy and smiling at me. MUST NOT READ ANYTHING INTO THIS. After all, it was a beautiful sunny morning with fresh snow on the ground and the schoolchildren were all happy!

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 28/02/2018 10:14

Thank you ladies !

Doing bugger all at work - think this is going to to the story until the end of tomorrow !

OP posts:
thesockgap · 28/02/2018 10:41

Oh bloomin' heck. I've been geared up to finding out at midnight, and counting in hours... but I've just found out that our LEA have advised people the website / portal is not working and that they should wait for an email "some time tomorrow" :o Not what I needed to hear! :(

thesockgap · 28/02/2018 10:42

Don't know where that grinning face came from ^, it was meant to look shocked!

EightiesHairdo · 28/02/2018 10:45

Happy Birthday Hersetta. It is DD1's birthday today as well.
Yipes - it is looming now. No blissful ignorance bubble to hide inside anymore. Good luck to all DCs Flowers

ineedamoreadultieradult · 28/02/2018 11:03

So I was going to use work to keepy mind occupied today then after school.clubs etc then it would only be a matter of hours until I found out. Work is closed due to the snow but the kids school is still open so now I'm home alone with nothing to do but wind myself up about what the decision will be!