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. 🤞🏼🤞🏼

We just got an invite for a music test for DD…. For tomorrow!

The school fills music spots even if the school is oversubscribed.

I guess this is good and bad - it means they likely don’t have any regular spaces, but they have a music space…. 🤞

How exciting, good luck. 🤞🏼

Thanks! She should do well, she’s good at this kind of thing. But it’s just frustrating we didn’t get in normally and she’s missing the first day of school today.

That is very frustrating for you both and a shame it wasn't offered last term. She won't be the only one missing the first day of it helps, there's always a bunch on holiday and a few off sick. Settling in will last a few weeks.

Wishing you the best of luck and I'm looking forward to your update, I'm sure it will be positive. 🙂

Just heard that on regular spaces the school is 8 over capacity. It feels unlikely that 8 didn’t turn up today…

How did it go? @Rhayader

It went okay!

it was pretty emotionally rough as it was just after the end of school, so as we were walking there we saw all her friends walking in the opposite direction after their first day in their uniforms and they were all asking why she wasn’t there.

Hopefully we hear back today - there is a second round if she passed but the second round is all stuff she is good at. Singing, rhythms etc

Ive decided to submit an appeal so I’m scrambling today to get letters of recommendation. Today is the deadline!

She passed. Final round on Monday.

That's brilliant news, well done. So would that mean a potential start date of next week?

Sorry to hear about your daughter seeing her friends come out of school. Hopefully in a few weeks it will all be a distant memory and she won't even remember starting later.

Potentially - the music space is a bit of a weird one. Essentially ~70 or so kids applied in the main round admissions and then ~20 get spaces. One of the kids has not turned up so there is a space. They fill these spaces even if the school is overallocated in other categories.

When she gets her score she will be placed on the list and if she’s number 1 out of the ~50 she would be offered the space. But many of those 50 will have already started at sister schools that use the same test or private schools so may not be interested in moving now. Some of those 50 will have failed the first round, I would guess a reasonable amount? maybe even >50% as round 2 takes 20-30mins of a music teachers time so they won’t want to do those for unrealistic candidates.

Given all that, even a top 5 or so position might end with a space but that would take a lot longer if it did come through as they would need to get everyone to decline in order. If she is 10th or so then is probably not going to happen at all.

The appeal is on the 20th and so if it’s not sorted by then, I will have to do that. The school are also currently tallying up and chasing up the kids who didn’t turn up to school (private/moved away/accepted out of LA). So once they know how many there are there is a chance we get a regular space as she is still no1 on the main (non music) list.

It’s all ridiculously complicated.

That sounds so frustrating and stressful but at the same time it seems like there are potentially a few routes in. I'm hoping for you that she'll be in soon one way or another.

Yep we are fortunate to still have routes open to us - even if individually they aren’t high chances.

We’ve just been offered our second choice school. It’s a really good school, +1.3 progress score and above 80% 5+ in Maths and English.

It’s 5-10 mins further away but is a really amazing offer. I don’t think we will hear back in time from the first choice before we need to accept. Considering just taking it and not sending her to no1 choice. She still prefers no1 but I don’t want her jumping around diff schools (although they are the same trust so it’s all v similar in terms of curriculum, they have the exact same end of term tests etc)

Oh this is great news! I'd be tempted to take that just to know you're done and dusted and no longer have the uncertainty hanging over you.

All the best for you and your DD.

Ok. This is crazy but we’ve been offered our first choice school for a regular place AND DD also scored top position on the music test so they’ve offered her a music space too 🥹

It’s all happened at once!

Oh that's great. Pleased it worked out for you. What will you do?

DD wants to do the music stuff so I think she’s going to take that space. We have until the end of the week to decide

Fantastic news @Rhayader! You must be delighted. Hope the transition is smooth and your DD loves it.

So so so relieved. What a mission it’s been 😅

So pleased for you @Rhayader what a journey. So pleased it all worked out!

Love a happy ending!

@Rhayader Oh well done! You must feel exhausted by this all. I know only too well how exhausting all of this is but you and your family had to suffer for three months more than us!

Amazing news @Rhayader what a relief for you.
I'm so happy everything worked out. 🥰

Such amazing news @Rhayader
Holding thumbs for everyone else still waiting on a place.
Did anyone decide not to take up an offered place and home school instead?

Thank you!!

We were actually homeschooling while waiting for a space to come up. I also homeschooled my son for a term while we waited for a space as we knew one was coming up in September for him (y4 now). Happy to answer any questions :)