So it's the big secondary school allocation day. The 2nd March is the day your child's future is potentially made or broken...right? Or that's how it can feel, and it's no surprise that there's a certain amount of stress around school allocation days. Think back to primary school allocation...some of us never thought our kids would settle, make friends or even like school. Now fast forward to Year 6 and they are embarking on the next step of their education. We look at some things to keep in mind to make the allocation day stress less, well, stressful.
Okay, you've either had a letter through the post, logged onto the admissions portal, or opened an email today. Depending on whether or not your child got their first choice school or not, there will be questions. Will you accept the school place? Is the school you've been allocated right for your child? It can suddenly feel overwhelming for you...and your child may be aware of it too, or, like my son, your child may not know today is Monday!
If you know you want to accept the place or reject the place, here's a great article from inews about what to do next. If you do want to look into the appeals process, there are several sites worth taking a look at:
The official line: Most local authorities have their own appeal sites and guidance, which are worth a look at, as well as the UK government site:
The parent-friendly versions: Two other sites we think are worth a look and give a very easy to grasp run down of how the appeals process works are:
Parental choice, which provides a thorough overview of the whole process, as well as further links to useful resources.
The School Run, which provides simple set by step guidance, as well as link to a template appeals letter.
We're guessing that this whole secondary school announcement has made you realise your child isn't so small anymore, so if you're looking at your 10 or 11 year old and thinking, "my baby is growing up!" you're not alone! Secondary school feels like a huge next step for so many of us (and our tweens). In the next few weeks, we'll be publishing some articles about ways to prepare your child for big school.
For now, talk to your child about any concerns they have. Hopefully you're excited about the school as is your tween. If not, consider your options and try not to panic.
For a start, remember your child is lucky to have a parent caring about their education. Get in touch if you have any advice you'd like to share on secondary school allocation day. Good luck!