How to cope till March?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Kent

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neurotic kent mum
Posts: 970
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:40 am

How to cope till March?

Post by neurotic kent mum »

o it is possible that - given distance - we may not get a place at non-selective grammars and also given mark we may not get selective grammar. And I have to live with this until March. I appreciate that she passed - and I went through huge doubts over this - but now I have to eat my nails for 5 months! I know no one can tell me it will all be fine- but how do I stop obsessing about this? And please could some one out there tell me that I am not the only person worrying!
Lass
Posts: 88
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 12:21 pm

Post by Lass »

I'm worrying!

Up until a few hours ago we thought our DD choice of schools was a pretty safe bet. We understood we met the criteria for our first 2 choices and as she has a high score we felt this improved her chances further. However we have just discovered that the criteria has changed since the printing of the booklet on our first choice and if we lived a mile in any direction she would be likely to get a place. But we live where we live and they have now deemed our village outside of the catchment area. Now her application will be classed along with all other OOA applications, regardless of distance.

Our 2nd choice school is still a possibility, but actually is the only grammar now that we are considered in area for. However, people in neighbouring villages are falling into the catchment area for 3 or more grammars!

3rd choice is Newstead Wood which (a) is extremely difficult to pass the selection test and (b) we weren't keen on.

4th choice is a non grammar because we've run out of other options!

I think the next few days will be spent looking into this further, and then after that we will have to make our decision :!: and hope for the best. Hoping that once the application is in I will be able to forget about it for a while, then prepare to fight if necessary when March comes around.

Best of luck, I hope you get your choices. Stupidly I thought all the anxiety was over when the results came through ...
familyinthevalley
Posts: 245
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 7:43 pm

Post by familyinthevalley »

It's going to be hard isn't it! I'm hoping I can put it out of my mind, as we are only in the catchment area for one grammar school, and it is our first choice. However, I'm ONLY in the catchment area by a block or so, and last year, even though they took on an additional form group of 30 students, and they have to keep that increased intake for this year as well, kids a mile closer to the school didn't get in last year based on oversubscription/distance from school rulings. So....we're pretty much resigned to the fact that we will have to appeal anyway and keep our fingers crossed on our specific reasons for the appeal process. I think that's an easier position than most - as we are expecting the appeal already.
Snowdrops
Posts: 4667
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Post by Snowdrops »

It's a long hard road to travel, but you will get to your destination.

Your time now will be geared up to putting the right selections on the CAF form and getting it in on time. You'll then spend a week or two worrying about it, by which time Christmas will have reared it's head and everything will be on a back-burner and almost forgotten about (but every now and then you'll get a sharp stabby sick like feeling in the pit of your stomach as you suddenly remember what's around the corner) until the New Year.

Once the New Year kicks in the full time worrying will start again, I would suggest you start to look at building your appeal. It's always best to think the worst and be pleasantly surprised when you open the letter. But use the intervening time wisely as building an appeal can take a long time - at the very least make a list of evidence you will need to gather and what reasons your child needs your preferred school over any other (refer to the stickies on the Appeals section). You also need to 'big up' your fall back school - the one you put on your CAF should you fail to get the prized grammar!! - ideally your child should be equally happy to go to any of the school choices you have made.

It's not an easy journey and at times it's like waiting for a kettle to boil, but all of a sudden that day will be here and it will all be over for you.

Good luck to you all.
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