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

[Hersetta427]

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.

[Shattered04]

Thanks tiggytape - that's what I thought. I seem to recall primary school information came out quite quickly in our area in the past (maybe at the same time as the offers) but this is another county, so..

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I have another question sorry tiggy

I know that I will be added to waiting lists automatically. But obviously people apply for second and third rounds. If soaces become available when people reject are they given to those on waiting lists first? Or those who apply in second and third rounds first?

[SheilaFentiman]

Shattered04, apart from a few private schools where it is first come first served with paying the deposit, the private school acceptance deadline is often 5th March so it's possible to know the state outcome before your final decision.

[gussyfinknottle]

We get to hear by logging on at midnight on 1 March. Just double checked. What a lovely way to run a stressful process.

[Shattered04]

Thanks SheilaFentiman, that's interesting. I guess it was after I read the thread on exploding offers and I thought whoa.. I had no idea that kind of thing went on! Still, I guess you lose your deposit (the schools I looked at here require a deposit to even apply) if you get the state school you want.

I've just found out that Bucks usually has the furthest distance information on their website by around 2pm. So it looks like I'll hopefully know if we've got our first choice or not four hours early - giving us time to deal with the disappointment, so we can be more positive about whatever school she does have.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

So what happens witg the secind and third round allocations then? My email said that I'm added to lists automatically unless I infirm them other wise so I will be removing dd from one list. And I did indeed apply for one in Herts so know I need to think on that school and make sure I remove myself from that list as soon as I get somewhere else.

When I applied for the deck d round in.primary I checked admissions tables as.to where had spaces and then applied but as I got in to a good school deck d time.around I was taken off any lists (at that point I didn't even know I was on them )

I just meant would it he worth applying for secind rounds or would it make no difference if I'm already on the list anyway and I know the school is full.

Thank u so much for the xmas warning I will certainly be sure to 're sign onto . Huge thanks

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Thank you tiggy

I will definateky be speaking to the LA as i want dd taken off one list so can check then with regards to what happens with the out of county school. Certainly don't want to forget about it then sudden.lose a place some where

[GuestWW]

In Northants and Warks there is 'implied' acceptance so you are assumed to have accepted your offer. This means that those who decide not to take that place MUST decline it and sadly that doesn't always happen. There have been cases of a school not realising that a child isn't joining them when they don't turn up on the induction days later in the summer term.

[EightiesHairdo]

A lot of really useful information above. I find the admissions process quite fascinating though still trying to shake the nerves off for 1st March.
Does anyone know if "last distance offered" refers to initial allocations only or does it include the distances after waiting list applicants have also been offered, i.e final acceptances taken into account?

[Shattered04]

EightiesHairdo - it's both. The councils I've looked at (Herts and Bucks) release new tables after every round of allocations including the initial one. You can view all the tables on the council website although sometimes they are very well hidden. They are usually quite explicit what the date of the table is and which round of allocations it applies to.

If more children end up at a school, the last distance offered increases. I think the last round is in September possibly? I've never seen data for after that point.

Last year it stayed the same at the school we want to get into so I'm guessing there was no movement at all

[GuestWW]

Just want to correct my mistake - it looks as though Warks are asking for confirmation of places this year.

apps.warwickshire.gov.uk/api/documents/WCCC-699-600

[EightiesHairdo]

Thanks Shattered04 and tiggytape
Quite interesting to see how it varies between councils. It looks like Herts & Bucks are quite forthcoming with this information which I suppose can be helpful to those on waiting lists.
I don't think we get as much info here in Sutton during the process itself but the distances were published in the admissions booklet for 2018 intake.

[EightiesHairdo]

Thanks again tiggytape. That is very useful indeed to know.

It's the second time I'm going through this but very different circumstances to last time. I may well be clinging onto those waiting lists..

[Fourmagpies]

I'm glad I found this thread. I'm starting to get anxious about next week. Secondary schools here are generally not great except the single sex schools which are fantastic. We only get 3 choices, we've put the single sex school as our first choice, it's also our nearest school, not that that counts for anything with this school. I'd be happy with our 2nd choice as results aren't too bad and new management team who seem to be making good changes but I think we may be slightly out of the catchment. 3rd school - the recently published results were dire and I'm regretting putting it down. Our 4th choice (not on application ) is 2nd nearest school and has been in special measures.
I have a plan in my head depending on what we get but I'm still twitchy! We don't automatically get put on a waiting list but if we don't get school 1 or 2, I'll be putting DC name on the list for both schools.

[Hersetta427]

1 week to go ladies (well 1 week and 7 hrs for me). We are on the home straight. Gather here for wine and sympathy.

[MedusaBadHairDay]

Time is just dragging

[Shattered04]

I really don't feel I can relax at all until I know! This has been something I've been anxious about for over five years now, knowing the score with distances and DD's personality.

She was just diagnosed with ASD yesterday (this is good news - I long suspected even though most people thought I was bonkers) which makes it even more imperative that she gets into a good supportive and academic school with her best friend. Argh.

[Gowgirl]

Waiting here, the banding test clashed for 2 of our 6 schools so ds sat the closer schools test, along with the rest of the area, it probally would have been better to sit the holland park test in hindsight, too late now...
Im comforting myself that any school is better than the 1 terrible comp he would have ended up in had we not moved...

[Gileswithachainsaw]

One week... it's going so slowly now..

[GrockleBocs]

Shattered I know this might not be what you want to think about right now but if you don't get your choice, the diagnosis could be helpful at an appeal.
How do you feel after diagnosis? I was a mixture of relief that we'd finally got it and sadness that it was true.

[Shattered04]

Grocklebots - it definitely crossed my mind. Especially if her best friend gets in and she doesn't. The two from her school are fractionally closer than we are, and as we're all borderline it's not an impossible outcome.

I'm massively relieved. Her teachers and even family members all thought I was being ridiculous (although they didn't phrase it quite like that!) so it feels good to be validated. The ADOS really pulled out her social issues, which I've always been aware of. She is going to struggle at secondary as she has such a nurturing school right now which is why they didn't believe me I think, as she seemed fine to them. So when something inevitably comes up, having the school able to make allowances for her and guide her will be so important.

My younger and much more challenging DS was diagnosed a few years ago. I think I went through the grieving/adjustment process with him so I don't feel it really with DD.