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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Waiting for that secondary school letter (1st march?)

362 replies

Enchilada81 · 12/02/2010 07:10

Is anyone else waiting for that letter with bainted breath? I'm terrified DS won't get into his first choice and don't know what we'll do if he doesn't.

OP posts:
GrungeBlobPrimpants · 12/02/2010 12:02

Yep

It's technically 2 March for us - letters posted on 1 March, online notification and letter receipt on 2 March

I know we won't get first choice, but would be very happy with second. If we get third, will go onto waiting list for second.

gingertoo · 12/02/2010 14:58

Yep, waiting anxiously here too.

We applied online so in theory we should get an email on 1st March with an offer.They send the letters out on that day too..

I'm in the same boat as you enchilada - not sure what I'm going to do if Ds doesn't get into out first choice of school...

With two weeks to go, I'm starting to think about what our options are going to be re appeal / looking elsewhere etc just in case we don't get first choice.....

busymummy3 · 12/02/2010 15:04

me too ! ours are posted second class on 1st march so probably will not get until 3rd/4th march. been through it once with older child so know what to expect really but still wish it was here and we know then we can prepare properly for secondary school !! ( worst part is dealing with the realisation with your child that this is it and some children in the class who have been with for 7 yrs will not see again ahhh!!! )

gingertoo · 12/02/2010 15:12

That's how I feel! I will feel so much better 'just knowing' where he is going to be next year..

There are only 3 children from ds1's primary who have applied for our first choice school so if he gets in, he'll be leaving alot of good friends although be fair, ds1 doesn't seem in the least bit concerned about that!

ampere · 12/02/2010 15:35

I'm a bit stressed and I live slap bang in catchment and am 100% sure that DS will get in... but what if their computer junked our on-line application? what if?

MaureenMLove · 12/02/2010 15:52

The list for Yr7 allocations arrive at my school during half term!

I have a very nervous friend and SIL who are gagging to find out if their dd's are on that list!

I won't be telling them and for this year only, I won't be looking at the list either!

It's a very, very nervous time for all and I'm so glad I don't have to do it again. Lots of luck to you all. I hope your lo's get the school they want.

roisin · 12/02/2010 18:13

Yes, we are waiting for letters here too. ds2 will get in to ds1's school on the sibling rule, but he's desperate to know which of his mates will have got in.

OrmRenewed · 12/02/2010 18:14

Yes. Although as DS#1 is at the same school I am hoping it's a done deal

doglover · 12/02/2010 18:57

We are waiting with bated breath, too. fingers crossed for first choice otherwise .............

TheArsenicCupCake · 12/02/2010 19:34

here too.. put ds2 in for an out of catchment area school.. but unofficially have been told the school are accepting him as it's dyslexia friendly and his SEN support team co work with that school as well as the one he is at at the moment... still have nerves and what if's though.

hippipotamiHasLost77lbs · 12/02/2010 19:38

Anxious wait here too.
Despite applying to our most local school (15 minute walk) and being slap-bang in the catchment area. I, like ampere, am fretting about our on-line application having gone walkies and it all going horribly wrong. (that should be [fret])

Greenshadow · 12/02/2010 20:00

Gingertoo - at least there should be a couple of friendly faces for your DS at his new school - my DS will be the only one from his - and doesn't want to go.
WE are lucky to live on the edge of the catchment for best comp in the area, whereas all his school friends live in a different the catchment and will be going to either their local comps or the grammars.
Was very difficult decision (actually it wasn't for us - just for DS) as he would much rather have gone to one of the other school with his mates, but would have been silly to choose a school on that basis alone and as he has mild ESN, our chosen school should suit him very well.
Having said all that, as we are on the edge of the catchment, there's always a small chance he won't get in .... (for us) (for DS)

elastamum · 12/02/2010 20:03

Have just received letters from DS's first choice school that they have been accepted We are trying to move and I still have to sell, but school have been really nice and said they will have places for them and not to worry if we dont meet their acceptance deadline. It is a very good private school and once in they can stay until 18 without having to pass common entrance, which is a huge weight off my mind.
School know I am a LP and have gone out of their way to be supportive

letsblowthistacostand · 12/02/2010 20:04

Yes yes, we were out of the country at application time, got leave to apply as we were gone on business and now back but what if they've lost/trashed/not allowed our application? DD1 will be given a place at a very bad school, very bad walk crossing several busy roads AND it has a bulge class so facilities will be stretched. So nervous.

UniS · 12/02/2010 20:14

Blimey- feb, march... we don't get told till April down here in the wilds of rural devon.

UniS · 12/02/2010 20:15

opps sorry. I'm wrong. primary is april 2ndary is earlier. Unis shuffles off the thread wishing she had read the header properly.

Ivykaty44 · 12/02/2010 20:40

I really want 2nd choice, first is ok and had to put it otherwise would have got a school that I don't like....

BakewellTarts · 12/02/2010 21:20

We have to wait until 30th April to find out. On the boderline for catchment so no guarantee that we'll get our first choice. The one we'll be offered if we get none of our 3 choices is dire so really worried. Hell I've still got 11 weeks to fret about this.

SexistDinner · 12/02/2010 21:52

It's a great shame you can't swap isn't it? Mumsnet could offer auction services. IN fact I think it's their future.

Who will pledge a Mooncup (bucketsized), a half eaten Greggs Sausage Roll and a place at St Shit's in exchange for an unused Boden returns label and a palce at Smuggy Comp?

pigtails21 · 12/02/2010 21:55

I just wanted to say fingers crossed for everyone that is waiting on secondary school places, and I hope you get the places thta you want..

I was in the same position earlier this month (but for primary places) - thankfully we got our first choice..

I do want to add though if you don't get your first choice, please don't think it is the end of the world..I went to a very bad school (if you look at the league tables)...but an excellent family background makes all the difference..my parents made sure I knuckled down, and I went to one of the best Universities in the country..I was the first person from my School to go to a certain Uni - what I'm trying to say is if you don't get your first choice, and your appeal is not successful, please don't think that is it. A bright child with the right family support will succeed, and I wish you all the best of luck

ByTheSea · 12/02/2010 22:04

Yes, baited breath. DD took the 11+ so we are waiting to see if she got into the super-selective grammar school or below average comprehensive. I'll just be glad to know.

Patch66 · 12/02/2010 23:21

Waiting on primary application in Surrey. Should find out by text and email on 26 Feb. First choice is our nearest school and we should be fine but I wont be happy until place is confirmed.

sprogger · 13/02/2010 08:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gingertoo · 13/02/2010 08:22

Our first choice for ds1 is an out of catchment faith school.
It is grossly oversubscribed (nearly 3 times as many applicants as there are places) but they allocate 80 'foundation' places for children of regular churchgoers before they even allocate catchment places so we've applied for one of those places.
We have regular, lifelong church attendance so we fulfil the foundation place criteria but if they have more that 80 applicants for those places they then apply the regular criteria (siblings,distance etc) to decide who gets one of the places...

So while we fulfil the criteria, we are definitely not guaranteed a place as we are just out of catchment, but we do have a chance so yes, baited breath here, definitely..

and the alternative that we will be offered if the faith school app is unsuccessful is worrying to say the least..

I hope we all get the places that we and our DCs want

jammydodger · 13/02/2010 09:07

Found out our primary school places yesterday - DS2 didn't get in to our 1st choice, don't want the 2nd choice and am now kicking myself for putting a second choice down at all.
We'll appeal and if that fails may have to go private. Aaargh...

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