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Secondary education

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

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Original poster

Great! Does anyone else think that 6 weeks isn't very long to decide about secondary schools?

27 replies

OrmIrian · 10/09/2007 10:08

Because I have just learnt that that is how long we have left. DS#2 starts school next Sept and we have to apply by 18th October. Only learnt by accident because I was chatting to a friend who's son is same age as mine. I have approx 1 week until the open evening of the school we want him to go to. We are having a 'discussion' with DS about this whole subject as he wants to go to the school where his friends are going and I'd rather have my arm chewed off by a rabid lion than let him! I rang the LEA whose attitude was that it was his primary schools fault for not passing on the documentation soon enough (he's been on a 5 day residential field trip since the term began) but totally failed to see that whether we got the stuff on 3rd Sept or 10th September makes very little difference - the deadline is too short!

Anyway. I will pause for breath now and try to stop panicking.

OP posts:

frogs · 10/09/2007 10:12

Ummm... Surely you must have known that if your child was going into Y6 he'd have to go to secondary next year? At my kids schools people have been muttering about secondary choices since Y2 or 3, and started doing initial look-arounds in Y4.

But we are in London, where the stakes are pretty high.

evenhope · 10/09/2007 10:12

I'd have thought that 6 weeks was plenty long enough, if they haven't already had their open evenings, sorry!

I would have a problem with having only found out by accident though.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 10/09/2007 10:22

We've been talking about it and have a pretty good idea. But why the rush? It just makes the whole process so stressful. We had about 4 months to apply to primary school.

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sugarplumfairy · 10/09/2007 10:29

We have to apply by 25th October for DS and have 2 grammar school exams before then as well. It's all a bit mad straight away when they go back to school and he's 11 today as well!! Then we wait until 3rd March for offers from the schools, obviously dependant on exam results. I thought this time scale was the same all over but don't know if it is.

portonovo · 10/09/2007 10:40

Agree with frogs, it's a long-term decision that parents know is coming! In Year 5 all the children have a full school day with their class and teacher at each of the secondary schools nearby, and they also bring home a prospectus for each school in Year 5. Year 5 is also when the first open days/evening are held. So it's not as if it's a shock to anyone. Most parents did the open days in June this year and have spent the summer making their decision ready to apply in Sept/Oct. Each school also has a last open evening in September, but I reckon by them most parents will be re-affirming their decision rather than making up their minds.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 10/09/2007 10:45

"In Year 5 all the children have a full school day with their class and teacher at each of the secondary schools nearby, and they also bring home a prospectus for each school in Year 5"

Well that would have helped! But nothing last term! Nadda! Not a squeak from any of the schools. I even rang LEA last term to check and was told not to worry everything would arrive in plenty of time

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christywhisty · 10/09/2007 16:56

We did it last year and 6 weeks is plenty of time, we visited 4 schools out of a possible 7 and its quite tiring especially for the children. My son only got to visit one of the secondary schools in year 5, but they were given lots of leaflets from the other schools in September with the open evenings/mornings etc

KTeePee · 10/09/2007 17:02

i have to say that most parents I know tend to look around secondary schools/go to their open evenings when their kids are in Yr5. Too much of a rush I agree if you leave it until Yr6

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 10/09/2007 17:06

Our LEA encourage the Yr5s to go to the secondary open evenings because there is such a short time scale for the forms.

We've given out application packs to our Yr6s today and the first of the Open Evenings is next week.

serenity · 10/09/2007 17:07

I'm going to go to some open evenings this year (DS1 is in YR5 atm) because I don't want to make a rash decision, but then I've been panicking about secondary schools for the last few years (in London, like frogs) I suppose though that i've been lucky in that I have friends with older Dcs, who've been through this already, and who have advised the earlier start. I've learnt never to rely on the school or the LEA to prompt you on important things like this!

wheresthehamster · 10/09/2007 17:10

Here it is all done in a mad few weeks. Some of the secondary schools even have their open evenings on the same night .

I think it would be a good idea when the children start year 5 for the schools to advise PARENTS ONLY to look round the secondary schools at the open evenings coming up. Then at least you have an idea and can start looking at admission rules/entrance tests/performance tables/specialisms etc. Then when year 6 starts you have a good idea of where NOT to go and look at with your dc.

The reason it needs to be done so early in the year is that it is a truly lengthly process!

Original poster

OrmIrian · 10/09/2007 17:32

Ah well..

I guess I'm just lucky that I already have a good idea where we want DS to go. And it's our catchment school so probably no problem. But it would have been good to have more time and more guidance.

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annh · 10/09/2007 17:47

Omairian, it can't come as a shock that after year 6 comes year 7 and you must surely have been thinking about secondary schools before now. Around here, lots of parents go to the open evenings when their kids are in year 5 so that by year 6 when it is getting close to applying, they have pretty much made their mind up.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 10/09/2007 17:54

No obviously. But as I've said there were no open evenings for our children in Yr5. Even after requests for info from the LEA there was nothing forthcoming other than 'wait till next year'.

Please don't talk to me as if I'm stupid annh.

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ladymuck · 10/09/2007 17:54

Round here it is not that unusual to consider which secondary schools you are interested before you choose the primary school. The idea of not having any clue ebfore reaching Year 6 strikes me as either incredibly sad or incredibly funny.

Even then 6 weeks should be enough time.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 10/09/2007 17:57

OK. Whatever.

So sorry to have bored you all with my dim and pointless wittering. I'm glad you are all so organised.

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jalopy · 10/09/2007 18:10

FWIW, I'm doing this secondary school process for the second time and I'm daunted that I have to make a decision in 6 weeks. And yes, I've done tons of preparation.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 10/09/2007 18:15

Thank gawd for that jalopy

We were spoon fed with primary intake which gave me a false sense of security I suppose. Luckily I did a bit of snooping around amongst my friends who are teachers in the area so I'm fairly sure what we're doing, but I envisaged having the time to visit all the schools with DS to let him get a proper feeling for it all and feel that it was as much his decision as ours. Will have to stick to just one or two. I just don't know why none of the schools got in touch earlier. And why the LEA put me off when I enquired about the process earlier in the year.

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Peachy · 10/09/2007 18:17

Go on then- which one you after? (initial will do)

Dont think its long when you have as much choice as you do- us, if we were still here there's just one option (a shit one)

Original poster

OrmIrian · 10/09/2007 18:19

RB . Smaller school, new keen head, overall Ofsted mark as high as the 'best' school (you know the one I mean), improving results. I haven't even seriously considered the other two schools - all DS's mates are going to CT so he thinks I'm cow-mummy

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Peachy · 10/09/2007 18:23

Good choice I think- I was at CT and so couldn't possibly choose that again.

Good community links etc at that school, and not as weirdy as H.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 10/09/2007 18:48

I'm guessing that you were there a few years ago peachy? .And since then, from what I've heard, it's not improved. And DS being what he is (somewhat of a delicate flower emotionally no matter what he likes to think) I'm not at all sure such a large school would suit him. Also I mentored there for a while (a very brief while) and it wasn't a comfortable place. So many of the families here seem to simply choose the nearest and hope for the best . So because they all live along Bristol Road and environs they got to CT. DS feels as if he's paying the price for my not doing the same thing .

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Peachy · 11/09/2007 09:18

What are you implying!!!!!

OK, just a few LOL- not taht old though (well 32)

I think it was basically decided on day 1 there I wasnt worth botherng with because I was socially awkward (my form tutor still there). I used to get disciplined because my bag wasn't good enough (from the amrket); when a friend verbally abused a Teacher I got the flack for it, and when they had to grudgingly accept it wasn't me after all that led to 3 years teacher bullying- one teacher even referred to me as a Moron in front of the whole school! A friends Dh is officially a teacher there and hates the place as well.

So there would be NO BLOODY WAY! LOL.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 11/09/2007 10:07

Poor you! I'm sure that I don't want CT but I just have to persuade DS now.

32!!! A mere child....

OP posts:

Peachy · 11/09/2007 10:55

(I'm not 32 really.....)

OK 34

Pg brain not working today

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