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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Who else finds out about their dc's secondary school place next week ??

132 replies

CrackerNut · 26/02/2009 14:16

We find out via email on Monday. Emails will be sent at 00:01 but it will take some time for them to get through a list I suppose.

I am really nervous about it even though we are in catchment and should be ok.

Dd didn't agree with the school I put for 2nd choice though so her reaction will not be good if she doesn't get first choice.

OP posts:
hennipenni · 03/03/2009 11:23

We're still waiting for snail mail to arrive, I and DD2 are hoping that she has got into the school of our preference as it's not our catchment school. her older DD is there at the moment so we are hoping that the sibling rule applies otherwise we are going to struggle.

lulu41 · 03/03/2009 11:23

Cherry yes south london - of course system crashed as expected but got on at 8.15 got 2nd choice - knew we wouldnt get no 1 live too far away no siblings etc plus its a faberooney school - very happy with 2nd choice - good luck and commiserations to everyone who does or doesnt get what they want - we were told to fill our forms in as otherwise would end up with local dump - so glad I did that now

hennipenni · 03/03/2009 11:24

Sorry should read oldest Dsis

annh · 03/03/2009 11:33

And exhale! Have just ripped the admissions letter from the postman's hand. DS1 got his first choice which is a fab school so we are very happy. We were fairly confident he would get in but there's still a big element of 'phew' after all that.

Commiserations to anyone who did not get what they wanted, it's a horrible state of affairs that so many end up unhappy.

elsiepiddock · 03/03/2009 11:34

Senua - it is awful, I agree.

We have been allocated out nearest mixed school which is about 1.5 miles away. It's an undersubscribed school which has a bit of a bad name, rightly or wrongly - I don't know. We didn't even go to see it! It's next to a dodgy estate

Our numbers 1 (single sex)and 2 (mixed)are about 2 miles away and our 3rd choice is a hugely popular faith school which I knew we wouldn't get (although we are catholic, but it's highly selective and you practically have to have a reference from the pope to get in).

I have registered for continuing interest and will appeal, fwiw. My fabulous ds has been great although he's a bit worried that he's the only one going to this school . Just typing that has made me cry!

Any advice from appeal veterans will be gratefully received!

Northernlurker - how did you find out where you are on the list?

Good luck to those still waiting to hear!

2plus2 · 03/03/2009 11:43

Hennipenni, my Ds2 didn't get into the same school as Ds1 as we don't live in the catchment area. Does your sibling rule apply to any siblings regardless of where they live. We are trying to gather some facts for appeal. Thank you.

senua · 03/03/2009 11:49

elsieP: remember that the family has a huge effect, despite the school. In fact, I have heard some say that good pupils at poor schools get star treatment because the school's only hope for results all hangs on them!

I'm way past this (thank goodness) but I gather that UQD is your man for appeals and there are some websites out there.

hennipenni · 03/03/2009 11:57

2plus2, iirc the sibling rule was about rule 6 out 8 rules for elligability(sp) so it's actually quite far down the list. I'll try and find all the paperwork later and let you know.

Northernlurker · 03/03/2009 11:57

I rang the education access team at the council and they told me - yes it is good news - just seems quite hard to have come so near - anyway we only need one change for her to get in so I think we have to be optimistic.

2plus2 · 03/03/2009 12:07

Hennipenni, Thank you, Siblings outside catchment area come after everyone else in our area. Admissions told me he was 58th on the list, but not sure if all 57 will appeal.
I spoke to Ed Balls on 5 live and he said that all siblings should be able to go to the same school regardless of where they live and I can quote him on this.

lilacgirl · 03/03/2009 12:49

Yay! We got our first choice, hands shook as I opened the envelope this am.

Commiserations to those who didn't get their preferred choice, good luck in getting up the waiting list/appealing!

serenity · 03/03/2009 13:17

We got first choice too, but I was fairly confident as we live very close. DS1 will probably be the only one from his primary school though as pretty much everyone else is running around manically trying to get into the local Catholic school (which has good results but I wasn't keen on)

hennipenni · 03/03/2009 13:36

2plus2,good luck with your appeal, it's excellent that you can quote Edd Balls. Sorry I can't find the paperwork (have filed it "somewhere safe") I can't remember what rules came after the sibling out of catchment but I remember thinking that they seemed fairly "petty".

DD has got into our preferred school Yay!

ElsieP, for what it's worth the school that DD1 goes to and DD2 is going to is not the best school in the area by a long way but DD1 is doing extremely well there as she is self motivated and we give her good support at home. One thing that swung in the schools favour when we first looked around for DD1 was the excellent pastoral care that they have. Overall we are glad that we chose this school and not the best one where pupils seem to be pushed all the time beyond their capabilities, which reflects well in the league tables for GCSE's but then they seem to struggle with A level results. HTH

mollyroger · 03/03/2009 14:21

we got our third choice.
Feel a bit disappointed as my friend got into our first chouice - but they only had it down as their 2nd choice.

Blossomhill · 03/03/2009 14:26

OMG my heart is pratically going to burst!!! Ds got in to first choice on ability test. Can't believe it

Northernlurker · 03/03/2009 16:12

mollyroger - that's terrrible - how on earth is it fair that you don't get that school when it was your first choice and they do although it wasn't their first choice??

mollyroger · 03/03/2009 16:17

they live nearer...
When they say 'social grounds' on the appeal form, I wwant to rant about fricking selection on nice address grounds. 'Cause that's what it boils down to.

gypsyme · 03/03/2009 18:56

well I don't know what to do. DD is beside herself at the prospect of going to our local comp. Am wondering why I ever put it down as third choice? Stupidly thought we'd get our first or second by some fluke. London schools are just so heavily over-subscribed. Our first choice had over 700 applications for 90 places.

Her biggest concern is that no one else from her lovely primary will be going there and in fact this school is used to throw insults in the playground! "You're going to Blah Blah school!"

Called first choice to enquire fter waiting list and was told to call back in September (hmm)

Feel like a useless mum right now.

SparklyGothKat · 03/03/2009 19:01

Ds1 is the only one in his school going to our first choice, other children were declined. We applied under rule 2 'medical and social needs' as Ds1 has Cerebral palsy and the school we wanted wasn't a catchment school for us, but is fully adapted so we are very pleased he got in.

Chalkpink · 03/03/2009 20:57

2plus2. Sorry slight hijack but I have a friend whose 4 year old has not got into the school her 5 year old brother attends (they are out of catchment)
Can you say exactly did Ed Ball told you - my friend is appealing and needs all the help she can get.
Thanks

MoominMymbleandMy · 04/03/2009 01:12

We are so gutted. We are out of the catchment area for an excellent, ridiculously oversubscribed school and she didn't manage to get one of the few places for out-of-borough children.

The school's announced it's abolishing catchment areas...from 2010.

Ta ta £80,000.

2plus2 · 04/03/2009 11:03

Chalkpink, You can hear my conversation with Ed Balls on the radio 5 live web site. It's about 2hrs 20 mins into Mondays Victoria Darbyshire show. He agreed that it was unfair for siblings not to go together. Hope this helps your friend.

LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 04/03/2009 13:26

Got into the school 50 yards away. Didn't even bother putting a second choice.

Really glad the next 6 six years are sorted

MadreInglese · 04/03/2009 13:30

DD got our 2nd choice school, we're all happy as really it was a joint 1st choice between two schools IYSWIM

(although we are very fortunate to live in an area where all the schools are good)

She's finding out today which of her friends she'll be with next year.

Cannot believe my baby is going to secondary school

Blaadyblah · 04/03/2009 13:32

Gah! Looks like I'm going to be putting together an appeal.

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