Currently on a secondary school waiting list - moving child a few weeks into the start of term?

[Turquoiseturtle3]

Hi all, with 2 weeks to go in slightly freaking out about the start of secondary school. We are currently on the waiting list for our top choice. At one point we were 3rd at the start of July but have now slipped to 10th. So the chances of being offered before term starts is now extremely low. I was hopeful we would be offered in the summer holidays and everything would work out. So we are now potentially facing a dilemma if we are offered once term has started. Has anyone moved their DC a few weeks into term? I am gutted he will miss out on the “getting to know you” stuff. Of course he might not be offered at all and this is also semi wishful thinking. But I have to be prepared.

The school he is currently going to is further away but he will know quite a lot of people from primary. Our first choice school he will know practically no one. Im worried about him making friends when groups have already been formed. But know this is probably short term pain. Any advice welcome. TIA

Not heard anything yet either. I called on the first day and was told any no shows etc had to be checked and confirmed before they were able to offer anything out.
It’s been a week, I’m not sure how long these things take or if it’s already happened :(

My dd was 4th on the waiting list and has been really heartbroken all this past week attending the school allocated to her so really hoping for some good news soon x

Bad news for me. They’ve offered 5 times and everyone accepted immediately. Someone else has joined the list. We are now 8th. It’s a bit soul destroying that we would have been in during the summer holidays if there weren’t so many late additions. The council said it’s unlikely a place will come up any time soon. My son said for me to keep hold of the uniform we bought just in case. But he’s pretty settled already

I have everything crossed for you!!! My top choice school said it can take up to a few weeks to verify no shows if they can’t get hold of them/have it in writing about withdrawing a place.
The council said they were asking for immediate answers unless people requested more time. They’ll been keen to get places sorted because of the funding count in a few weeks

The council said it’s unlikely a place will come up any time soon
I'd take that with a pinch of salt... It's far too early in the term to make such an assumption.
Keep your fingers crossed.

I moved my daughter at the October half term because I was totally unimpressed with the school I had chosen and was given. I didn't have a school place anywhere else but told them point blankly she wasn't coming back. Fortunately, she did find a school with a wonderful school with a vacancy, I phoned them directly, and she slotted in no problem and enjoyed her five years there immensely.

All is not lost - there is movement. Keep ringing the schools and tell them what an asset your child would be to them. Don't give up.

Ah, that’s great. The problem now is that he is pretty settled. He knows lots of kids there and seems to like every one of his teachers. My worry would be moving somewhere where he doesn’t know anyone and might not like the teachers. I had always thought we would hold out for the place but really don’t know now. Part of me has given up after the council said unlikely for a place.

I do know that last year 4 places were offered in the first week and 21 places were offered overall in September so maybe a place will come up.

I’m waiting to hear back from the school directly. That might give me an indication of no shows they can’t get old of which might result in more offers.

Thank you. So difficult.

Ah @Turquoiseturtle3 If your child is happy and settled, of course that's a different matter. My daughter was bullied, had blazer set alight and was subject to racial harrassment. (Only English girl in class). By half term I'd had enough of it, as the whole thing was turning me into someone I didn't want to be - bitter, etc.

If he likes the students and teachers, that's great. I understand your concerns totally. Play it by ear, what will be will be, but it's great that he's settled in well and doesnt appear to lack confidence in his new surroundings.

Keep ringing the schools and tell them what an asset your child would be to them

And they will politely remind you that state school places must be offered strictly in accordance with the school's published oversubscription criteria.

Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry you all had to go through this. I would have pulled them out also! So happy it all worked out for you

If your son is happy and settled and made friends then maybe stop waiting for other school to offer a space

Take name off list

If the other school is objectively better, why should she? He'll make friends there too, he's only been at school for a week

Agree with @HarrietJet .. and especially as I think the poster has said she has younger siblings that she wants to go to first choice school also and it will be easier with the sibling link that most schools have.

Hang in there - it could happen yet!

Because he's happy there and settled in the other school

How long do you wait for a space once term has started

A week

A month

3 months

3 terms

I do think it's unfair to drop down the list though

We've dropped from 9 at the end of the summer term to 13 this week, very disappointing

Why do you think it is unfair?

Because they have joined the list and then say someone moved locally and they get bumped up

Think of it as a shopping queue at the tills

You are second then a family barge in front of you and you are then 4th

The op son was I think 3rd in one of her posts - then went down the list as others popped in

If they join the list later/after op ds did they should be further down

They've moved closer to the school than op is. It's nothing like barging to the top of the queue in a supermarket!
You clearly have no notion of how waiting lists work when the school has a catchment area.

Apparently not @HarrietJet

But if someone is on the list and gets bumped down as someone else has moved into the area I think that's unfair

I'm very thankful I live 5 mins walk from mini blondes primary school so in the catchment area

Never even occurred to me when I brought the house over 20yrs ago that it was so near a school

What should happen to those children who move into the area and need a school. then?

You can't seem to explain what's "unfair" about it?

Also, @Blondeshavemorefun , this did come up before on the thread on 21 Aug when you asked

What is unfair is that people move out of catchment (but still locally) but don’t disclose this to the school but keep their place. We know of one family who have done this.

I’m definitely not removing myself from the list - you never know what might happen in the future. But with every day it feels more unlikely we’d accept.

I know it did. Just saying seems unfair

The child who moves for example goes into the list yes , but under those on the list

Seems I am in the minority though. That's fine 🙂

My point was if op son Is happy and settled and happy at school and made friends and now further down the list , why not stay at the school he is at

Really sorry. That’s very frustrating for you. Keeping my fingers crossed for some positive movement for you.