Nervous about Secondary School allocations out this week!

[PinotLover]

Just another to thing to stress about but it's for my PFB so never been through it before. We find out on the 1st March, am being a silly stress head on here rather than in real life. Any one else? We are in the same postcode as the school we prefer, so it's a big deal if it goes wrong!

KGS is a great school too. Friends have children there and they're very happy. Obviously Tiffin is free!

@Cariocbirello, in Kent the scenario would be DC narrowly fails the 11+ and is offered their back up option (leafy state). Parents are heavily invested in the grammar system and appeal or go on grammar waiting list for a non Super Selective and get a last minute grammar place which they leap at, opening a last minute place at leafy state.

Scenario 2 is that child doesn’t quite make the mark for the preferred Super Selective and goes on the waitlist whilst accepting offered place at a ‘normal’ grammar. The parents of a child who does get a place at the Super Selective decide instead to go Private as class sizes are smaller and the facilities are perceived as better. A place opens up at the Super Selective which is taken by the waitlisted child, opening up a place at the ‘normal’ grammar.

We got our 6th choice 😭
Yet 15th on wait list for our first choice. I know last year up to 54 got a place so hoping this year is the same

@IndecentFeminist

We applied to our local school, having been told by all the schools that our primary was a feeder etc. Everyone from our area goes to this school. But surprise surprise, she didn't get in! I was shocked to begin with, and worried that DD would freak. She had severe anxiety early in primary school that led to school refusal and we eventually home edded for a few years as she couldn't cope. Going to the high school that she expected, with her peers was massively important.

However she's been fine about it! Massively underestimated her. We will be appealing as the local school is more successful academically, it is closer and easier logistically and her best best friend is going. I've approached the GP and home ed contact at the council for evidence of her previous anxiety, and head teacher will testify to it. But I feel much happier to see her excited about another school anyway. She's currently watching the other school's online open evening video.

Just a word of advice, don’t say the preferred school is “more academic” as it is unlikely to sit well with the appeals panel, they may after all have close connections with the school already offered. By all means say if the school offers a club in a subject your child excels in, or has a jazz orchestra if your child is musical, or offers a certain sport. You need to put forward positive reasons for your child to attend the preferred school, not seem to be making negative comments about the offered school. Nor will an easier journey cut much ice unless your child has a specific disability that makes travelling difficult.

Also check the reason why your dd has been refused a place, if all the other local children have been offered from a feeder school make sure an error hasn’t been made on distance.

Hi,
Anyone here know Finchley Catholic High School, my son got in but we’re not certain if it is a good choice now.,

I work in admissions for a London local authority.

I should do an AMA at some point !

Rest assured, we will find 100 different ways of telling you that unfortunately there were more siblings, medical/social needs, and people closer to the school than you, more out of boredom than anything else. Quite a lot of the time we're not the admissions authority, so you're downloading to the wrong person.

But we'd really rather be telling you that you did get the choice, it's just if 1500 parents apply and put a first preference for a school with 240 places, that's over 1000 disappointed and occasionally hysterical people.

Every year I read these posts and am very glad in Scotland you are for most part put in your catchment area.

I don't know anyone that didn't get their catchment though do know some who asked for placement out with their catchment

All this applying seems so stressful

Hi my son attends FCH. It is a brilliant school. Excellent teaching and pastoral care. Would choose it again now. Produces lovely, well mannered boys with excellent values and high academic aims.

I was the same. There are several rather bad schools in our area - some of last years intake didn't even get any of their preferred choices.
There are a handful of children in DS's class that I really want him to get away from bc of bullying.
Thankfully he got his first choice and will be going to a good school with his best friend from nursery and the lovely little lady from next door who he's known since he was 3.
Panic, worry and stress over 🙃

DD is ok and seems excited about the other school. We are still going to appeal though, our GP and the local home ed liaison from the council are going to write and testify to her former anxiety issues and state that school 1 would be the better choice for her in that regard.

Thank you for your reply.. it’s making me a bit at ease now as for my son he’s sad that he didn’t get to a school where his peers got accepted..

@KitHenry

I’m in County Durham. I don’t know anything about waiting lists - there aren’t any grammar schools here.

Good luck with waiting lists. Sometimes it can work out OK I have seen people being offered jobs because they had to work harder at a not very good secondary school compared to kids who had better grades from very good schools.

I’m in same boat we have no other option live out in sticks there is only 1 secondary school option, 1 bus which leaves this village to a school. Sadly my son has special needs and I’m not so keen on this school I’m worried they not gonna be able to supoort him but all the special need schools for where I live are full and massive waiting list . So jus got to see how it goes .

My msg was in reply to someone else’s comment sorry that isn’t showing lol

I believe that all publicly funded schools should be compelled to admit whoever lives nearest and no one from more than five miles away
I suspect that parent and paranoid beginning with the same three letters may be more than a coincidence!

I believe that all publicly funded schools should be compelled to admit whoever lives nearest and no one from more than five miles away

Well that's all your schools serving rural areas screwed isnt it.

Missed the crucial word there RURAL SCHOOLS oops

@riceuten

I work in admissions for a London local authority.

I should do an AMA at some point !

Rest assured, we will find 100 different ways of telling you that unfortunately there were more siblings, medical/social needs, and people closer to the school than you, more out of boredom than anything else. Quite a lot of the time we're not the admissions authority, so you're downloading to the wrong person.

But we'd really rather be telling you that you did get the choice, it's just if 1500 parents apply and put a first preference for a school with 240 places, that's over 1000 disappointed and occasionally hysterical people.

This: I know people who think they can play the system. They can't

I believe that all publicly funded schools should be compelled to admit whoever lives nearest and no one from more than five miles away

I know plenty of rural schools with catchment areas greater than that. And some schools where children travel more than 5 miles away, through choice, because the school has places.

You can game the system, and it is quite hard for us to prove you have - bear in mind that most academies do their own admissions and have neither the resources nor the will to do anything about it (as long as the child is high achieving, of course...)

@PinotLover

We got our first choice - very bad nights sleep but so relieved.

Really pleased for you. I'd be anxious too. Hope all goes well.

@marktayloruk

I believe that all publicly funded schools should be compelled to admit whoever lives nearest and no one from more than five miles away I suspect that parent and paranoid beginning with the same three letters may be more than a coincidence!

Our nearest secondary school is 12 miles away!

Does anyone know when the waiting lists start to move?

@indie123
My LA has said:
Places declined by 15/3 and LA notified by school
LA checks all declines and reorders wait list with late entry preferences (people who missed deadline back in October)
Then new round of offers around April 16.

Not sure it's the same everywhere.

@Psychobobble ohhh OK many thanks..im a bit stressed lol, Hopefully its a bit earlier!