2024 waiting list/appeal support thread

[Hopeful88]

I thought I'd start a support thread for everyone in the same position - either waiting on appeal outcomes or hoping for a secondary school place from a waiting list.
I've read all the advice I can and I'm doing the best I can but I'm still struggling with the unknown.
We're currently in the 20s on the waiting list for our first choice school and an unknown number for the second choice.
Fingers crossed for everyone in the same position. 🤞🏼🤞🏼

@onwardsup4 I am not a crier at all but I feel like I am gonna burst in to tears when ever I talk about it

@Mummyk13 it's so hard. I deal with that by not talking about it , not told a soul except partner and spoke to sons school. Somehow makes it less real. Absolutely living on my nerves but trying to keep positive that this will work out.

We’ve just been offered a place! It’s our second choice - we’ve no hope of the first - so I’ve accepted and withdrawn from all other lists.
Very relieved!

Wow @KirriIrry congratulations I am so happy for you

Can I ask as would take for ever to go through where everyone was on waiting list and how long they have waited to be offered a place seems like quiet a few on here have been offered off wl

Well done you! So happy to hear this!

@Mummyk13 we were 3rd place and our offer came through a week after the second round of offers in our area - after the lists had gone over to school control.

In our borough you would automatically be removed from lower ranked schools

We have just had part one of our appeal. There were 12 appealing families.

It came up that only 3 places have been offered out since March in both continuing interest runs. That seems like a very low number and not what I was expecting.

Similar levels of movement here. We started 5th, made it to 3rd and have been bumped back to 4th due to a late submission. Argh, wish people would do their life admin.

We're not appealing as don't think we have any grounds and found out that in the last 5 years they've one had one successful appeal to the two schools we're hoping for.

Finally been brave enough to check waiting list positions - 28th, 29th and 36th - so not as bad as I expected but also not great.

We were a late application. Sometimes it just happens and it’s not the parent’s fault.

We have moved on the list to 7th now so moved 8 spaces forward which is good and no new children placed on the list

That's great news and this is the kind of movement I would expect but our 240 pan school has only offered 3 places since allocation day. It seems very low.

Do you know if they over-offered in the first place? Sometimes schools will offer, say, 250 on a PAN of 240, to ensure every local child gets an offer on offer day, on the assumption that people will decline and they will be back to 240 by Sept - but that means no places will be offered from the waiting list until they get back down to 239, so 11 declines rather than 1.

@Hopeful88 no I am not sure

i know we where told all the move about was o ly updated today due to bank holiday

and that it’s renewed every Tuesday normally x

They offered exactly PAN at 240. So they have had literally 3 declined places since the 1st March. It just seems very unusual with all the offers I'm reading on here but it must be accurate to be stated in our appeal meeting from the school.

@Fizzyrosie you'd be the same position on the list even if the late applicant had been on time , or it could have been a child with additional needs or that met another admission criteria

I think there are a lot of jittery private school parents holding on to the places longer than usual due to the VAT policy. Our first choice offered 2 over PAN and had 2 declines.

@Rhayader let’s hope your right and there’s more movement in its way 🤞

We're on a grammar school list and the applicant has taken the exam, has a better score and has applied to go on the WL after it was first compiled. I know we'd be in the same position if they'd decided to go on the WL before and got done in time but it is hard not to feel disappointed.

We've just had our individual part of our first school appeal.
I don't know what to think about how it went as I didn't feel like my reasons were enough. However, it was a fairly pleasant experience with a very accommodating and friendly panel - they really helped to put me at ease and made sure I had the opportunity to take my time and say everything I needed to. I cannot fault the experience. Hopefully it will lead to a place.

Thank you for updating us @Hopeful88 will you let us know when you have your outcome please?

we have our appeal 20 May so still a little way to wait.

We just got notification of an unsuccessful appeal via email. Very soon as it was only heard yesterday. I'm trying not to spiral. 😢

@Hopeful88 im so sorry must be a huge blow. We’re there any reasons or just an unsuccessful notification. Really am sorry