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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:
Gileswithachainsaw · 30/01/2018 22:36

Crawling? I swear they are going back wards Grin

GrockleBocs · 30/01/2018 23:11

I'm going to occupy myself in the last fortnight by gathering information for our appeal! How the winter nights will fly by... Grin

EightiesHairdo · 31/01/2018 15:25

Good luck with that GrockleBocs. Here's hoping you don't need it.
Plenty of grey cloud here right now to keep occupied til then - the joys.. I could try concentrating on work I suppose

Gileswithachainsaw · 02/02/2018 12:35

How is everyone doing today
...

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 02/02/2018 13:57

I feel physically sick when i think about the possibility of DD not getting her first choice....so not good. Not sure how I am going to cope on the 1st March as our emails aren't sent out until after 3pm.

When the school league tables came out this week 3 of the top 10 comps in the the country were from our town (including the school we want DD to go to at number 3)......no wonder there is so much competition for places as so many families move to the area for the secondary schools - we didn't I hasten to add and have lived here for 24 years.

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 02/02/2018 13:58

Ha yes we have 2 from our town as the worst performing.. ..

I'm bricking it to... Flowers

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

Eugh... that would be even worse. At least all our other options are 'average'. If we don't get our first choice there is no chance of getting one of the other outstanding schools as one is the wrong sex and the other is a state boarding school and has such a small catchment area that you need to live a couple of hundred meters from the school as it only has about 20 places for local children as it gives half its places for boarding, then after aptitude places and siblings it means there is not many left over (last year was 21 places).

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 02/02/2018 14:21

I'm arranging the day off work I won't be in a fit state to leave for work just two hours after the email.

It's so shit isn't it. We shouldn't all have to compete for just a few precious spaces..all schools should be good enough that it's not a worry where they go.

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 02/02/2018 15:13

yep am considering taking the afternoon off so i can pick DD up from school to tell her the (fingers crossed) good news.

OP posts:
GrockleBocs · 02/02/2018 15:43

I will at least be working from home that day and I shall be able to take some time out if need be. I keep hearing additional tales of children having problems at our catchment school every week. I just can't send her there.

Gileswithachainsaw · 02/02/2018 16:07

I will be drinking and eating chocolate for cake or whatever I've stashed away to drown my sorrows. There's going to be no good news and I'm trying to not talk to people about the school cos all I hear are horror stories and I can't take any nore

CountingDownToBedtime · 02/02/2018 16:43

Am also counting down to 1st March.1st or 2nd choices would be happy with either,but I only put a 3rd choice as in catchment area,rather than being sent halfway across the city.But since putting it as 3rd choice have heard tales of fighting & bullying there.So praying don't end up with that one nowSad.

Bunnyjo · 02/02/2018 23:00

DD passed the 11+ for our local grammar school, so she will be going there in September. Had she not passed the 11+, I would have been happy to send her to the catchment school.

I appreciate that we are in an enviable position and I hope you all get good news on 1st March.

megletthesecond · 02/02/2018 23:08

We're in a position where the 1st choice might be a bumpy start as so few of his friends will be there, but DS would be better off in the long run. DS likes 2nd choice as that's where his mates will go. 3rd choice is actually up and coming so I'd be happy with it.

Catchment school is one of the worst in the country so I didn't put it down. They don't seem to be able to get their act together at all.

androbbob · 02/02/2018 23:11

Oh I had forgotten about this - but sure my phone will be going mad on that minute! I guess it's a Thursday? 99.9% sure DS will get into first choice school.

Rewn7 · 04/02/2018 19:05

Good luck to everyone in their wait. I was waiting for this last year and feel your anxiety 🤞

OVienna · 04/02/2018 19:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Growingboys · 04/02/2018 20:54

Joining this! 1 March a long way away - why on earth can't they tell us sooner I wonder...

GrockleBocs · 04/02/2018 21:26

Growing it's probably people like me submitting exceptional circumstances that have to be considered by panels that take the time. Blush

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/02/2018 21:29

It's half term next week so any contacting schools would have to he done week after so that pretty late. I bet they are done now and they are all there. Just need to press send.... letters to send to school sorted out in next week or two ready for when they get back.

meditrina · 08/02/2018 07:27

It takes quite a while to do all the checking and verifying, then getting all admissions authorities to rank applicants, co-ordination between local authorities (when people live near boundaries) then playing the giant game of Candy Crush which turns that into a single offer, then checking it all again and actually preparing the letters/emails/website updates (and checking those are right too)

As the procedures are used frequently, then they work (clerical errors are mercifully rare) but I'd be nervous if adding more stresses to the systems by shortening timelines.

Original poster
Hersetta427 · 08/02/2018 10:02

3 weeks today !! Time is going very slowly.

I've only just thought that the day before allocations is my birthday. The only way i am going to get through it is to drink profusely !

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 08/02/2018 12:12
Wine

Incase you wanted to start early!!

Three weeks, seems a lifetime at the moment. Just want to be put out of my misery .....

WeaselsRising · 08/02/2018 12:51

We only get 3 preferences, which isn't nearly enough.

All but 2 of DD's class are down for the local school. We ended up putting down 2 lottery schools, which is not really recommended, and a school further away. That one had spaces after first allocation last year, and has always taken kids from our area. Of course at primary we lost out to a huge number of siblings, so I'm worried sick about a repeat of that.

There are another 2 schools we like that are always undersubscribed so I hope we can get one of them if we don't get what we have put in for. The local school is new and shiny but we really didn't like it and don't feel it would be a good fit for DD.

Gileswithachainsaw · 08/02/2018 14:57

I dont suppose anyone knows if you are automatically added to waiting lists or whether you have to call?

I will remove her from one of them as I don't think the school is worth moving her twice for (if we eventually get one of the ones places higher up)