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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Anyone else stuck in waiting list limbo?

133 replies

AmeliaEarhart · 08/04/2022 18:16

… And haven’t gone the appeals process? We were offered our third choice school back in March 1st. DH and I are happy enough; it’s not perfect but has enough going for it that we’d be okay with DS going there (walking distance, good facilities, great SEN support) but DS is completely against the idea. He has ASD and can be extremely rigid so we’ll be in for a tough time changing his mind. It doesn’t help that only one other child from his class at primary is going there.

So he’s on the waiting list for choices 1 and 2. Number 19 for school 1 and 9 for school 2. Neither is straight forward as both schools have multiple waiting lists (1st choice because it’s an academy and faith school with different admissions paths, and second choice because it has a banded intake). Everyone keeps assuring us that, being in central London, they’ll be lots of movement before September and DS might still be offered a place at either school. We didn’t consider appealing as our reasons for preferring schools 1 and 2 (other than DS’s insistence that he’s not setting foot in school 3) are that they have better results, which doesn’t seem like a strong argument!

Is anyone else in a similar situation? How are you feeling about it? Are you prepared to hang on in there until September, hoping until the bitter end for a place at your first choice, or preparing your child (and yourself) to settle for what you’ve got?

OP posts:
hayh · 27/04/2022 09:15

No movement still. But appeal date next week…..

ColdHappyBap · 29/04/2022 16:16

Nothing is shifting here. I need to stop checking the online waiting list.

Original poster
AmeliaEarhart · 29/04/2022 16:48

I’m kind of glad I don’t have access to any online lists or I’d be obsessed! The only progress here is that yesterday DS said he supposed going to his allocated school wouldn’t be so bad “because the uniform is pretty cool”. I guess that’s a step in the right direction.

OP posts:
JulieBeds · 29/04/2022 16:59

We gave up a state school place at the beginning of August a few years ago. Don't give up hope.

ancientgran · 29/04/2022 17:05

AmeliaEarhart · 29/04/2022 16:48

I’m kind of glad I don’t have access to any online lists or I’d be obsessed! The only progress here is that yesterday DS said he supposed going to his allocated school wouldn’t be so bad “because the uniform is pretty cool”. I guess that’s a step in the right direction.

That's a good sign. Ihope it all works out.

Bellawella1978 · 29/04/2022 17:44

All I can say is the next 4 months are going to be long, hard and full of anxious phone calls to see what position we are on the damn list! Making that call gives me a large knot in my stomach as if she doesnt move up and get a place she wont be going to school come September!
Although saying that I know in reality she may have to for a while but at the moment I kind of have my head in the sand pushing it to one side otherwise Im obsessed!

drinkwithanumbrellainit · 29/04/2022 18:32

@amelia I wonder if you are near me. We missed out on close by first choice due to banding and got in the big comp that has a cool school uniform! In our case we decided to go for it and not have the stress of waiting lists.

Bellawella1978 · 29/04/2022 20:12

Im in Birmingham @AmeliaEarhart .

Bellawella1978 · 29/04/2022 20:14

Ive just realised you weren't wondering if it was me near you!
Sorry 😊

Original poster
AmeliaEarhart · 29/04/2022 21:18

@drinkwithanumbrellainit we’re Hackney / Islington border. The funny thing is that the uniform of allocated school is nothing special; the usual blazer and stripy tie combo. But seeing as DS is likely to be going there (based on lack of waiting list activity) I’m glad he’s starting to come around to the idea.

OP posts:
Original poster
AmeliaEarhart · 29/04/2022 21:21

Thanks @ancientgran and@JulieBeds. I swing between feeling sure he’ll be fine at allocated school, and just wanting him to go to his first choice with his friends.

OP posts:
Harridan1981 · 01/05/2022 10:05

To give perspective from a year on, last yr my daughter was one of only 2 or 3 of her friends not to get into the local school, which was a massive deal locally especially with covid having restricted visits etc.

We made the decision immediately to keep the waiting list (we were #19) and subsequent appeal very low key, and let her get her head around the new school. Said school didn't have a great rep and was further away.

Give her her due, she went off and researched it, and got quite into the idea.

She is now 2 terms into yr 7 at the less popular school, and happy and thriving. She was offered a place at the other school a couple of weeks ago and declined.

So these things aren't always the end of the world, and I would really advise not making a big deal about the process to kids, as the last thing you want is them feeling like they're at a rubbish choice if the list/appeal doesn't come through.

Original poster
AmeliaEarhart · 05/05/2022 13:37

@hayh How did the appeal go?

OP posts:
RoseWindow · 05/05/2022 13:45

I do wonder that too- if the rocky economic situation is making some parents more wary to commit to private schooling for secondary- or they want more time to think it over. But surely the private schools can’t let them ponder for much longer? Don’t they have to accept or reject those places PDQ?

hayh · 05/05/2022 13:47

Hi

it was stage 1, group appeal. The panel explained their role, and the school gave their case as to why we (and the other people on the zoom call) didn’t get a place.
panel agreed school is at PAN limit, therefore we move to next stage of 121 appeal hearings.
there were approx 40 parents on the zoom appeal, so any little glimmer of hope I had, is now gone….
appeals are being heard over the next week….
school said currently all places have been offered, and whilst they don’t know, they don’t expect much movement on wait list.

ColdHappyBap · 05/05/2022 14:21

That sounds tough @hayh. If you've got some good evidence to base your appeal on it may still happen though.

I didn't bother going to appeal because I didn't really have a case. There has been some movement on our waiting list but still a long way off. I don't know at this point whether there will be much more movement. I just feel like now is not the time when parents are going to think "sod this, I'm going private".

asdjklasdjkl · 05/05/2022 15:52

In case helpful-we were 8th on waiting list last Tuesday-ready for appeal in 2 weeks time and got offered a place yesterday. Good luck everyone

hayh · 05/05/2022 16:53

@asdjklasdjkl that is great. Congratulations!

InkyPinkyParlez · 06/05/2022 23:16

@AmeliaEarhart it might be worth contacting the SENCo of 3rd choice school and asking if you can book in an early transition visit. They will probably do some extra transition stuff for DC with ASD anyway, but there's no reason why you can't ask for it now as he's struggling.

Though you might prefer to hold off until you are sure about the others.

FWIW with an autistic DC at secondary, good SEN support is the reason he is still in school, and is now way above academic results on my wishlist.

hayh · 11/05/2022 14:25

Anyone seen any waitlist movement?

Meadowbreeze · 11/05/2022 14:49

I don't think there is ever that much movement at this point in all honesty. The most movement is in the first two week/first half term. People turn down waiting list places as kids have settled etc.

I would add though, my DD has SEN and a school with an easy route, good support and even one familiar friend is better than one without good SEN support. This holds the same weight if your kid doesn't have SEN. The amount of distruption caused by SEN kids who's needs are not met is not to be sniffed at.
My DD ended up going with the same set up as you. She was distraught with our choice. Knew no one. Within the first half term it was ok. She's now y9 and wouldn't ever go to the other schools she wanted.

RoseWindow · 11/05/2022 15:04

The most movement is in the first two week/first half term. People turn down waiting list places as kids have settled etc

Did you mean soon after the National Offer Day or soon after autumn term begins?

Meadowbreeze · 11/05/2022 15:38

@RoseWindow soon after autumn term begins.

hayh · 12/05/2022 13:56

Our area are starting appeals, so expect slight movement….

ColdHappyBap · 12/05/2022 22:24

There was a flurry of movement on ours and we moved forward about 10 spots on the list. However I just checked and people must have moved or changed applications as we've gone back up 5.

I think I need to not check the list and just get a nice surprise if anyone ever calls me.