Secondary School Allocations 2019

[echo]

Up very early! Just waiting for that email....

[hazelnunhead]

Good luck to all parents and children waiting on their secondary school allocation - fingers crossed for a happy outcome!

We went through this last year, and what was really good was that within a couple of days, all the sschools we had applied for emailed us to let us know where we were on the waiting list / distances they offered to / what to do if we wanted to stay on the waiting list - so we had a clear idea of what to do. As you ahve probably heard, there is much movement and changes during the next month or so

[Monkey]

Good luck to everyone.

[mich]

6 minutes to go! Its felt like the longest day EVER!

[newtose22]

We've just heard we got Sydenham School which was our first choice. So relieved as very close to last years cut off.

[hpsaucey]

It the website down for anyone else? Tried multiple devices and browsers...

HP

[Bumpkin]

Is down for me. Had a text just after 5pm saying I've been sent an email, but no email yet and website down.

[Bumpkin]

but is up now!

[hpsaucey]

Definitely down for most then. We have a Whats App group for our class and only one person's posted to say what they got and others report can't log on. Not good on offer day! Renata - if you're checking in - do you know what's going on?

HP

[johnie]

Ah well, as expected nothing from our list, instead Harris Acedemy Peckham. Didn't want that for our dyslexia challenged girl.

Here come the waiting lists.

I'd suggest the oversubscribed schools really shouldn't bother with open days, there is no point. It is just a lottery, and is just will upset kids who then set their hearts on something. I also think the sibling thing is quite unfair at secondary. By then all kids are making their own way to school.

Spitting feathers, we have had this fiasco for 15 years with our kids. Invest and build more schools you austerity obsessed tossers.

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Johnie,

I'm sorry that you didn't get any of your choices. If you think of other schools you would like to consider, you can be added to their waiting lists. There is usually significant movement on waiting lists between now and September. Unfortunately LAs can't open any new schools themselves.

I have reported that there is an issue for some parents to log into the system (yes HPSaucey, I had spotted this thread!). I suspect that there may be some IT issue as I have received no emails since 5.15pm. Usually we get some information on this year's stats but I haven't received this yet.

Renata

[hpsaucey]

Renata Hamvas Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi Johnie,

> I'm sorry that you didn't get any of your choices.

> If you think of other schools you would like to

> consider, you can be added to their waiting lists.

> There is usually significant movement on waiting

> lists between now and September. Unfortunately LAs

> can't open any new schools themselves.

>

> I have reported that there is an issue for some

> parents to log into the system (yes HPSaucey, I

> had spotted this thread!). I suspect that there

> may be some IT issue as I have received no emails

> since 5.15pm. Usually we get some information on

> this year's stats but I haven't received this

> yet.

> Renata

Thanks Renata.

HP

[sleepy-li]

Does anyone know if you can you add your child to a waiting list for a school that wasn't one of your original 6?

[mrsw]

I still haven?t got email but got a message via the app at 6.45. So stressful waiting I was beginning to wonder whether I?d applied at all! Got St Thomas the Apostle.

[kristymac1]

sleepy-li Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Does anyone know if you can you add your child to

> a waiting list for a school that wasn't one of

> your original 6?

You can add your child to any waiting list - irrespective of your 6 'choices'

X

[Monkey]

I see Lewisham has published distance information:

https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/education/schools/school-admission/applying-to-start-secondary-school/Pages/default.aspx

[carlybloom82]

My heart goes out to anyone that didn?t get there choice of school tonight, this was us last year.

Sydenham was our first choice school and was offered Harris academy peckham!!

Please hang in there, there will be lots of movement especially after the Easter half term.

To see my daughter so upset everyday broke my heart as I felt like I had no control over the situation.

It worked out ok in the end for us and my daughter moved down the waiting list and get her first choice school at the end of April.

Stay positive and hope it works out for everyone that didn?t get a place they wanted

[kristymac1]

johnie Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Ah well, as expected nothing from our list,

> instead Harris Acedemy Peckham. Didn't want that

> for our dyslexia challenged girl.

>

> Here come the waiting lists.

Really sorry you're in this position today - very stressful for you and your daughter.

Our daughter started at Harris Girls last year - it wasn't her first choice (although me and husband were impressed when we visited). It is a very good school, very pastoral (despite the Harris reputation) - have you considered it for your daughter? It's reputation from yesteryear still seems to follows it around and lots of folk turn it down when allocated so a waiting list position might be a shout?

Hope everything works out and sending uber good vibes in the mean time

I also think the sibling thing is quite unfair at

> secondary. By then all kids are making their own

> way to school.

>

Totally agree!

[echo]

We got Deptford Green it was our second choice. It seems a good school for our girl who is dyslexic. The school was very impressive on their open day.

Jonnie- Do go and visit- It's a community school and lewisham seem to have put a lot of effort and money to develop it. Current parents appear to like it too, including teachers at my daughters school in camberwell. Ofsted seems not to agree- but he ho isn't that all about the government wanting to accademise every community school in the land!

[telemum]

Thinking of you all. We had a very similar experience to Carliebloom above this time last year, after expecting to get Sydenham and receiving none of the schools on our list (35 metres too far away!). The lists do move (though Syd was very, very slow after an initial flurry and there were children near us who didn't get in until after September). We eventually won on appeal- although that was totally unexpected. But we also loved Deptford Green when we went to see it after our daughter's allocation, and it was a tough decision to accept Sydenham when the appeal was won. The head is very inspiring, and I loved the range of subjects. I would have been happy for our daughter to go there. So do add yourself to waiting lists and consider some other options if you've had a shock. It can be a horribly tough time- but most people I know were happy by September.

[johnie]

Hi Renata, Khristy, Echo

Thanks for your kind words and sorry all for my minor rant. I'm just so frustrated as this has happened on every primary and secondary admissions day we have suffered. Our kids are 9 years apart, so never benefited from the sibling thing. We know most of the secondary schools pretty well, as we know friends' kids who went.

I know it is a waiting game, we have been there and done the tribunals and all that. It has worked out for us in the end before, it is just a dull slog and stressful for the kids.

All we want is localish schools that aren't a real slog to travel to, where there may be a few friends from primary. Echo, I know Deptford is good, a friends son did well there, but his mates don't live close by so he always came home on the bus alone.

Anyway, as I said, it isn't the end of the world, just really really annoying. Good luck all.

[Monkey]

I agree, Johnie.

I have a friend whose daughter is dyslexic and couldn?t be happier with Harris Girls ED, if this helps.

On another note, do we know what the distance is for Charter ED this year?

[colabottle]

I was in the exact same position last year, having Sydenham down as our first choice, and getting none from our list, and offered Peckham Academy. I really understand how stressful this can be and upsetting for your daughter. I would also advise calling Harris Girls - they were so lovely and understanding when I contacted them in a panic last year.

What I didn't know then, which I wish I had known about, is that there are specialist lawyers who can help you put together a case for appeal (even though they don't go to the appeal with you). If your child falls into an SEN category then I think there is also legal aid available. If you'd like any more information please feel free to message me.

From my experience of last year it does eventually work out, but it's so hard waiting. Good luck and try to stay positive.

[Monkey]

Surprised not to see more posts. Is the Southwark school allocation website still down?

[Andrea2881]

My daughter was allocated St Savoir St. Olaf at New Kent Road. Not the worse school but not thrilled either . We really wanted Harris ED as they came across as so pastoral, especially for children who have may SPLD's. Does anyone have any experience of St. Saviours?