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Secondary education

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

Original poster

School applications- in a huge black hole

22 replies

Howcananyone · 23/05/2025 21:03

So. I’ve fucked up. Massively. I’m here as I don’t have anyone else to talk to and I’m running out of ideas fast.
I realised in April that I had not applied for a secondary school place for my daughter. The reason why I hadn’t was I had thought it was automatic. We live in a tiny village and have a small village school, it’s a partnership school to the secondary school and my son is already attending there. The primary school in question did not this time send out any emails or instructions (they did when my son applied) so I’d stupidly assumed because of those factors it was automatic. Currently my daughter attends the partnership secondary school at least twice a term for various sports events and partnership days. The head teacher comes and talks to the older kids and we get emails and letters from them.
i started to think in April it was odd I hadn’t had any official emails and then the horror started to unfold.
I spoke to the secondary school immediately and with their help, made a manual application. The school said whilst they initially were full, they knew of spaces being given up etc etc and my daughter would be right at the top of the lists.
I found out today the application has been refused. They are already over subscribed.
I've been told I can appeal, which I will, and I have the support of CAMHs (separate issue with my son but they support fully my daughters application and it’s all linked ).
I’m not even sure I’m asking anything here. I am beyond devastated, I just wanted to vent, or just even write it all down

OP posts:
Original poster
Howcananyone · 23/05/2025 21:08

Added to this - we already have car pools set up between families in the village for school drop offs and pick ups and it’s organised around families work and shifts

OP posts:
TeenToTwenties · 23/05/2025 21:08

OP. Get this moved to secondary education, or repost there with Appeal in the title. You will get help from experts.

(Report your post to get it moved.)

Now you have been refused you can appeal.

On your next post wrote what you think your grounds for appeal are. Why your DC needs this school.

(In the meantime probably ask the LA what schools do have places and try to get somewhere.)

Lougle · 23/05/2025 21:12

Definitely appeal. Don't major on transport arrangements. Focus on the reasons that CAMHS support you.

Original poster
Howcananyone · 23/05/2025 21:14

Thanks have requested it’s moved

OP posts:
eurotravel · 24/05/2025 20:36

surely you’ll be on the wait list? Where bouts on it?

JessyCarr · 24/05/2025 20:48

Has she been offered a school place anywhere?

Where on the waiting list is she for the preferred school? Is being a sibling an advantage under their oversubscription criteria?

Littletreefrog · 24/05/2025 20:52

Where is she on the waiting list? They won't care about car pools at the appeal. Does she have any other school places offer or did you only apply to this school once you realised you had to apply?

Fiver555 · 24/05/2025 21:02

My guess is that she'll be at the top of the waiting list. Call the secondary school and ask where she is. Ask them how many, on average, withdraw their places each year, and how many have done so so far.

It's only May. You have the whole summer, but in the meantime yes, try and appeal. But I personally think you'll get a place with or without an appeal if she is at the top of the waiting list.

BangersAndGnash · 24/05/2025 21:08

Is this England?

If so They can’t refuse the application, though they can say no places available.

At this stage I think you need to make a late application via the Local Authority. The local authority handle secondary transfer applications.

You can make a late application just as if you had moved into a new home in the area.

And you will be put on the waiting list according to their admissions criteria.

Is siblings a priority criteria? And being in the partner school?

Get on to the Local Authority on Tuesday morning.

Though I wonder if the online admissions portal for secondary applications is still open for late applicants?

Original poster
Howcananyone · 25/05/2025 13:16

eurotravel · 24/05/2025 20:36

surely you’ll be on the wait list? Where bouts on it?

Yes if appeal is not successful can go on the wait list, apparently right at the top, due to being a category 4 (or what the highest category is), but as it’s technically over full now not sure how many would need to not take up a place before the wait list kicks in. Going to go for the appeal as soon as I can.

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 25/05/2025 13:46

Go on the waiting list now! You might even get a place before the appeal is heard! But if you aren’t on it and a place comes up, someone else gets the place.

Original poster
Howcananyone · 25/05/2025 16:49

SheilaFentiman · 25/05/2025 13:46

Go on the waiting list now! You might even get a place before the appeal is heard! But if you aren’t on it and a place comes up, someone else gets the place.

No one has said to me I could? I’ll add I haven’t had the office refusal letter yet, I’ve just spoken to the council and know it’s incoming at some point. I’ll message them again now and ask that in the interim we are added to any waiting lists! Thanks

OP posts:
BangersAndGnash · 25/05/2025 17:00

You can also apply, and go on the waiting list for, any other schools nearby that could work.

Being offered a place in another school, and accepting it, will not disadvantage you in appealing 'your' school or being offered a waiting list place.

But will give you a better chance of getting a place in the least worst / inconvenient school if your first choice does not come up.

Did you not receive ANY notification that you needed to apply for secondary transfer? Usually all parents get an e mail and letter form the Local Authority telling them how to apply and the deadline. And usually the primary school is offering info and support etc.

If you are very sure that your received no notification at all, this will be strong grounds for appeal.

Original poster
Howcananyone · 25/05/2025 20:07

BangersAndGnash · 25/05/2025 17:00

You can also apply, and go on the waiting list for, any other schools nearby that could work.

Being offered a place in another school, and accepting it, will not disadvantage you in appealing 'your' school or being offered a waiting list place.

But will give you a better chance of getting a place in the least worst / inconvenient school if your first choice does not come up.

Did you not receive ANY notification that you needed to apply for secondary transfer? Usually all parents get an e mail and letter form the Local Authority telling them how to apply and the deadline. And usually the primary school is offering info and support etc.

If you are very sure that your received no notification at all, this will be strong grounds for appeal.

Nope I did not. I have challenged the
primary school on this several times and they won’t really answer the question as to why this time they sent nothing out. They just said they no longer send anything out as it’s nothing to do with them.
When my daughter was in yr 6 a couple of years ago we were sent an email with the link etc and important dates. I’ve spoken to the teacher at primary school who mentioned it’s caught a few out as there have now been several late applications…. I spoke to a friend recently and the only reason she realised she could apply was a friend of a friend of hers had posted it on FB.

OP posts:
LIZS · 25/05/2025 20:26

Many areas do little more than advertise in libraries and online. Lack of prompt is unlikely to win an appeal.

EssexCat · 25/05/2025 20:33

Howcananyone · 25/05/2025 20:07

Nope I did not. I have challenged the
primary school on this several times and they won’t really answer the question as to why this time they sent nothing out. They just said they no longer send anything out as it’s nothing to do with them.
When my daughter was in yr 6 a couple of years ago we were sent an email with the link etc and important dates. I’ve spoken to the teacher at primary school who mentioned it’s caught a few out as there have now been several late applications…. I spoke to a friend recently and the only reason she realised she could apply was a friend of a friend of hers had posted it on FB.

Show quote history

Frankly it’s not their job. It’s yours. You are the parent and they’re your child.

Schools may tell Year 6 parents that they need to apply, they may even hold clinics or help you apply. Particularly for vulnerable parents/children.

But it’s not their job. Their job is to teach your child and help them with transition. It is not to do your administration.

LongLiveTheLego · 25/05/2025 20:36

I have never heard of parents receiving emails from schools or the LA. I would not use that in an appeal. Unless it’s a through school ie years R to 11 or 13 you would always apply in the same way as did a sibling. The appeal has to focus on why that school will meet her academic and/or needs in a way that others will not.

Original poster
Howcananyone · 25/05/2025 20:38

EssexCat · 25/05/2025 20:33

Frankly it’s not their job. It’s yours. You are the parent and they’re your child.

Schools may tell Year 6 parents that they need to apply, they may even hold clinics or help you apply. Particularly for vulnerable parents/children.

But it’s not their job. Their job is to teach your child and help them with transition. It is not to do your administration.

Show quote history

yep totally not legally obliged to send anything out. I’m not disputing that and never will. Whilst it’s part of the reason I genuinely did not realise I had to apply, I ultimately are fully at fault for that, not disputing that at all

OP posts:
EssexCat · 25/05/2025 20:41

Howcananyone · 25/05/2025 20:38

yep totally not legally obliged to send anything out. I’m not disputing that and never will. Whilst it’s part of the reason I genuinely did not realise I had to apply, I ultimately are fully at fault for that, not disputing that at all

Show quote history

Fair play for accepting that. I have just had a lot of experience of schools being blamed for stuff that is the parent’s job. So sorry if I jumped on you!

And absolutely good luck to you - is it a really popular school? Even our local outstanding schools do have a bit of movement and you will be at the very top as long as they have sibling priority as an admissions criteria.

Original poster
Howcananyone · 25/05/2025 20:49

EssexCat · 25/05/2025 20:41

Fair play for accepting that. I have just had a lot of experience of schools being blamed for stuff that is the parent’s job. So sorry if I jumped on you!

And absolutely good luck to you - is it a really popular school? Even our local outstanding schools do have a bit of movement and you will be at the very top as long as they have sibling priority as an admissions criteria.

Show quote history

No that’s fine, primary have been incredible and I’d never pin this on them. They are providing a letter of support as well for the appeal.
It is popular yes, even more so in recent years. DD would have been accepted without question had I applied on time.
Our primary is a partnership school and a feeder school to it, so that as well as CAMHs and school support is my last hope.
DD currently visits the school twice a term for an athletic program and the year head visits them termly to introduce themselves etc. No other kid in the village at the only primary school in our village has ever attended another secondary school in my living memory, unless moving areas etc. We as primary parents get sent letters and questionnaires from the secondary school (as a partnership school) and fill in questionnaires about important decisions like mobile phone usage

OP posts:
Vivienne1000 · 25/05/2025 21:02

Did you not go to any open days, where admission processes and deadlines would have been explained? Did your friends not ask you which school you had applied to? Do friends not remind each other?
schools will have strict admission policies at this stage, but it’s common for pupils to change their
minds and withdraw their place. If you are at the top of the list I think you will get in.

Original poster
Howcananyone · 25/05/2025 23:30

LIZS · 25/05/2025 20:26

Many areas do little more than advertise in libraries and online. Lack of prompt is unlikely to win an appeal.

yep legally that is all that is required so I won’t be using that in my appeal in anyway. Whilst it was part of my reason, I understand it’s not part of the wider reason

OP posts:
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