Secondary Admissions

[Doodl]

I’m after some advice please. We got our DD’s place through today and while she’s happy with the school offered, I’m not. She has her friends going there which I understand is important and to be considered but the school itself is not great. It has recently been ofsted inspected with an outcome of requires improvement with heavy emphasis on bullying and attendance issues. Do I keep my DD happy or apply to waiting lists? If we are successful with a waiting list place our current allocation is removed so we can’t make our mind up then, we have to decide now if we wish to be placed on the waiting list.

On a side note, when we visited the schools, this particular school (the non favourite!) showed a PowerPoint stating “fact” if you don’t put us as first choice you won’t get a space. This influenced our preference order as I didn’t want my DD being sent further or to another not so good school. Although I didn’t put it as first place, we risked and put it as our second option. We missed out on our first choice but have since found out if we’d put our third choice in second place we would have gotten it. I can’t help but feel really gutted. Are there any grounds to appeal on this basis?

So frustrated, looking round secondaries snd out of last years cut off distances for schools less than 1.5miles away from me.
The ONLY two undersubscribed schools have been rated inadequate teaching snd learning.

@Jugglineverything

You might be better off starting a new thread.

Are you about to apply for a secondary school place starting 2024?

Would you have met the criteria (distance etc) for admission to any of the oversubscribed schools in the year you're looking at, and do you know whether your DC's year cohort in your area is the same size, smaller or larger?

What action are two local "inadequate schools" taking?

I’m out of last cut off distances by as little 90metres on one then around 400/500metres on 5 others.

Yes applying for Sept 2024. Have done 11plus, so might be lucky. Considering an Independent.

I think I probably do need to start a new thread.

Inadequates have to focus on pastoral care, quality of planning and delivering lessons, improving assessment for learning etc etc

On top of that their facilities aren’t great and don’t appear to have a lot of cash to remedy it soon.

You might be surprised. The school I wanted mine to go to haven’t offered a place as far out as us in over 6 years. We are 5 miles out. They got in! We were on waiting list but got a space. There is quite a lot of movement with secondary school places. Good luck x

Hi am in desperate need of guidance

my son has been offered a school 12 miles from home which he Will absolutely not be able to get to and from alone

this will mean myself taking him in effect loosing my job

when I applied for his preferred school i only put the one we wanted thinking if he didn’t get it he would be offered one within our area

this process has backfired

I now have waiting list and it’s not looking good

1st choice 13th
2nd choice 11th
3rd 30th
4th 32nd

i am so worried and have appealed all

just needing some re-assurance on what to expect what I can do advice with it all

I only have one child so completely new to all of this process
thanks

Does LA not offer transport? Why was he refused your preference?

No only public transport which would be 3 buses and he is just not able for that alone

he was 100yards from the furthest person offered a place

So what is your appeal based on? Could you take him part way to begin with?

@Activitieslifestyle this is an old thread. You'll get better help if you start your own thread rather than using someone else's. If you scroll to the top of the page you can select "Start a new thread" from the dropdown menu.