March 1st was National Offer Day which, to parents of 10 and 11 year old primary school children, was a nerve-wracking wait. With fewer non fee paying secondary school places available – in part due to a baby boom – the news wasn’t good for a significant proportion of parents. Locally, there was intense competition for the non fee paying grammar schools such as Altrincham Boys (and Girls) Grammar Schools and Sale Grammar and passing the entrance test was only part of the task. Even if your child passed the entrance test they weren’t guaranteed a place – the allocation of places was almost a lottery highly dependent on postcodes and living within a catchment area. Entry into local private and independent schools can also be intensely competitive, especially for the more academically selective schools.

At 121 Home Tutors we regularly hear the good news, that our students have passed the entrance test and/or got through the selection process but unfortunately we are aware that its not always good news come allocation day. If it was bad news and your child didn’t get offered a place at your preferred secondary/senior school - don’t panic! 1. You are not alone. 2. There are options. Also, the school place you’ve been offered may well work out perfectly and even be more suited to your child.

However, if you are still keen on getting your child into your 1st choice school then don’t give up completely. Some places may later become available as offers are accepted/declined by those parents offered places; so get your child on a waiting list. There’s also an appeals process so we’d suggest you contact the school, though we’d not recommend you pinning all your hopes on appeals and waiting lists. Another option is to wait and re-try for entry into year 8 or 9. For various reasons, places become available through the school year and we have found that there is much less competition for entry into year 8 or 9, despite far fewer places being up for grabs; also the entrance test is often the same as for entry into year 7 (ie your child is older and likely wiser!).  Whatever you decide and wherever your child goes to senior school in September it will hopefully turn out for the best and if there’s anyway we can help with your child’s learning. Please get in touch – www.121hometutors.co.uk