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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Daughter is no. 2 on waiting list for her 1st choice.. when will I hear?

27 replies

claudib · 07/09/2020 22:54

If I hear anything.. I heard that some people just don't turn up to take their places. She was no 2 on the waiting list in her band (of which there are four).

I'm just getting a little keen as she really didn't like her school today so I'm hoping we get an offer come in from this other one!

OP posts:
PettsWoodParadise · 07/09/2020 23:05

Sorry to hear your DD did not enjoy her allocated school. Settling in can take time so do try and focus on the good things in case your preference doesn’t come through.

Does the school you are hoping for have a large intake? That will affect chances, as will it’s popularity. If today was the first day they may need a few days to follow up with any non-attendees. The current situation makes it all the more complicated and less clear as to who has no intention of turning up as some may have to stay home as they have symptoms or choose to stay home temporarily. I hope it works out for your DD but do bear in mind waiting list places can go down as well as up.

Original poster
claudib · 07/09/2020 23:39

Yes you are right..
I believe it has about 1000 intake each year and 4 bands. She is band A so two people would have to drop out of band A for her to get a place

OP posts:
Meredusoleil · 08/09/2020 06:28

@claudib

Yes you are right.. I believe it has about 1000 intake each year and 4 bands. She is band A so two people would have to drop out of band A for her to get a place
A 1000 intake?!? Surely that's not right? Either 100 intake or 1000 over all the school? 🧐
JacobReesMogadishu · 08/09/2020 06:33

Hate to tell you but Dd was No2 on the waiting list for 5 years and never got a place. They rang us every year to see if we wanted to stay on the list.

Standrewsschool · 08/09/2020 07:02

We were number six on the waiting list and heard just after schools were allocated. Difficult to estimate how long the wAit will be, or even if you will get a place.

MsJaneAusten · 08/09/2020 07:11

1000 intake? In the uk? Are you sure?

clary · 08/09/2020 08:14

1000 intake must be for the school op, so about 200 a year if no sixth form.

you may be waiting for years or weeks, no way of saying.

Original poster
claudib · 08/09/2020 08:27

Ahh sorry I was talking roughly for whole school.. but that's not intake is itConfusedHmm
Forgive me, I'm new! 😂
Yes I think it's around 200-300.. I'll find out ( -how do you find out?)

OP posts:
Meredusoleil · 08/09/2020 08:29

@claudib

Ahh sorry I was talking roughly for whole school.. but that's not intake is itConfusedHmm Forgive me, I'm new! 😂 Yes I think it's around 200-300.. I'll find out ( -how do you find out?)
It should be on their website, under Admissions maybe? Also your home council (LEA) would have produced a document at the time of application - so back in September/October showing details of all the schools in your area. That normally shows how many places they have.
Meredusoleil · 08/09/2020 08:34

Or if the school is not in your LEA, then look on the website of the council under which the school is located!

Original poster
claudib · 08/09/2020 09:22

Ah thanks! Yes found it!! 255 intake

OP posts:
RedskyAtnight · 08/09/2020 09:45

I suspect it depends very much on your area. Are you in the sort of place where parents hold 2 offers till the last minute? Is there lots of mobility? The churn at DC's school happens before term starts, would be very unusual for them to take in an extra child until at least Christmas.

If there are 4 bands and a PAN of 255 that's presumably only 60ish places in the band that you're eligible for. Which isn't a lot if you're in a non-mobility area. Though I don't know anything about banding - does it definitely still apply for waiting lists?

Original poster
claudib · 08/09/2020 12:46

apparently banding still applies and we live in Stoke Newington so I would imagine a lot of people moving in and out!

OP posts:
Witchend · 08/09/2020 14:24

Just remember you can go down as well as up on the waiting list. Ds has a friend who has just moved school into year 9. They have been anything from 1st to 8th on the waiting list, and were 3rd at your point (5 form entry).
You also will be effected if any appeals got in as the extra children will need to leave too so that the school is below PAN. (as ds' friend was)

If it's banding, and 4 bands that's just over 60 per band, so the same as a 2 form entry. Do they keep bands for waiting lists? That must be a little bit odd because you could get loads leave from one band and none from another.

Original poster
claudib · 08/09/2020 14:42

Ah interesting! Yes the waiting list is kept by the band

OP posts:
MoverOfPaper · 08/09/2020 17:28

If I was a betting woman I’d say you’ll get a place in the next couple of weeks, but I’m not a betting woman! It depends what band your child is in too as the bands with children with more choices tend to move faster, in my experience and with a different school.
Do you know anyone with kids at the school? They may be able to tell you if there are empty seats!

Original poster
claudib · 08/09/2020 18:45

ooh good thinking..i know 3 people that are going there.

she's in band A

OP posts:
MoverofPaper · 08/09/2020 19:16

If band A is the highest achieving children then I’d imagine it would move faster than other bands. They’re more likely to have applied to indies or for specialist places at states. One Stoke child gets offered an independent place off the waiting list, or a music/drama/poker playing place comes up at Camden/Marylebone/Other and the chain moves.
Find out when the waiting list is cancelled. I think they’ve got to keep it until Christmas but, if it takes that long, you don’t want to fall off the list during the Christmas holidays and not realise.

MoverOfPaper · 08/09/2020 19:18

I’d imagine appeals are already accounted for so that’s one less worry. Also if it’s a school that the child has to have sat the banding rest to apply for that narrows the chance down of people turning up on the waiting list-in the short term-probably.

Tavannach · 08/09/2020 19:37

I'd just give them a week or so until things have settled a bit and then call the school and ask what they think the chances are of a place coming up this term. In the meantime encourage your DD to find something to love about her new school. She might be there a while.

Original poster
claudib · 08/09/2020 21:55

fab advice all xx

OP posts:
Original poster
claudib · 11/09/2020 15:31

UPDATE: she got offered a place today. We have till Monday to decide!
I think it's sensible to take it..!
15 mins away school compared to 30 mins bus journey seems a good reason to go for it.
The offer is mixed school compared to the girl's school she is currently at.. (who knows the wisdom on that one!)
Gonna tell her and let her decide for sure and I'm glad we have the weekend think it over before we have to tell them!! 😚

OP posts:
Meredusoleil · 11/09/2020 16:09

@claudib

UPDATE: she got offered a place today. We have till Monday to decide! I think it's sensible to take it..! 15 mins away school compared to 30 mins bus journey seems a good reason to go for it. The offer is mixed school compared to the girl's school she is currently at.. (who knows the wisdom on that one!) Gonna tell her and let her decide for sure and I'm glad we have the weekend think it over before we have to tell them!! 😚
Congratulations! So happy for you and your dd.
MoverOfPaper · 11/09/2020 17:37

Phew, congratulations.I should have bet on it and made some money!
Are you really going to let her decide? What if she decides she wants to stay ??

Meredusoleil · 11/09/2020 18:06

@MoverOfPaper

Phew, congratulations.I should have bet on it and made some money! Are you really going to let her decide? What if she decides she wants to stay ??
We let our dd decide. But presented it to her as a list of advantages and disadvantages for each school. So she could see that it higher ranking school had more positives than the other school we had accepted 😉