Waiting List for Tiffin

[DIY Mum3]

Confused....how can someone who has accepted offer of a state school then say they want to be placed on the tiffin waiting list...is that allowed? ...if they don't accept higher preference offer but ask to be put on list then aren't they risking losing all possible offers? When do you have to accept state school offers by?

My understanding is that they can accpet the place at whichever school they have been offered and also add themselves to the waiting list of lower ranked schools e.g. Tiffins. If they are subsequently offered Tiffins, they simply withdraw the place they have accepted at the higher ranking school and accept Tiffins.

[Doblinski]

Yes in the Tiffin prospectus for this year, I read that you can accept a first choice offer elsewhere and still put yourself on the Tiffin waiting list too, (and if their DCs score happens to be higher than your DCs then unfortunately they do jump ahead n the WL)

We also had the choice on edamissions website to accept Tiffin and still remain on the WL for the good local comp too. But in the end it boils down to people having to pick one school - even if very inconsiderately that's on the first day of term

[JGBallard]

To me that makes a mockery of the whole system - quite unbelievable.

[Doblinski]

JG I dont' wish to get your hopes up but I was thinking about the fact you're DC's 5 points under 235. In past years offers were given out up to a few points below the cut-off, but it does vary every year, up to 4 points in recent tests. There is a teeny bit of a chance that all DC's results falling between 235 and 230 may be from fewer children this year, statistically it is possible. In this way the list could move to those getting 230 - perhaps you should call the school to see where you are on the WL etc. This will give you a much better idea. Might be worth a try anyway

[JGBallard]

Doblinksi thanks for that...I do have to say that I think I have become quite curious about how the system works, I would probably not take a place if offered as have a great indie...but still nice to know.

[Louise2]

All I can say is I'm glad this wasn't happening 4 years ago when we were in this position as it would be unlikely my dd would've have got a place, her position on the waiting list never went down and I was checking every week, she was 2 under cut off and number 15. Very very very unfair situation for parents and kids to be in this year.

[JGBallard]

Is this a Tiffin policy or Borough policy. If it is Tiffin then clearly it is their way of taking the highest scorers and not having to take children too far down on the waiting list. If a Borough policy ....doesn't surprise me in the least...

[cinnamon]

You really don't have much time looking in year 6 and deciding the future 7 years of your DC's school life.

True, but I'd be amazed if there were more than a handful of the 1000+ applicants at each Tiffin school who only started looking at schools in Year 6. The majority will have been tutored/otherwise preparing for months or even years.

We made sure we looked at some schools during Year 5 so we could draw up a short list to focus on the following year.

[JGBallard]

Same here.

[Bilu]

I'm inclined to agree with JGB & Cinnamon the vast majority of parents would start preparing/choosing their first/second preference schools very early, like us. Even using tutors who were geared towards a particular school. Even so, it is clear it is the system which needs fine tuning an we can't really blame parents for wanting the best for their children.

Anyhow as we move into the unknown I've been dissecting TGS historical data re cut off/ waiting list intake etc, in between helping DS make his Greek vase for art land mark, due to be in for tomorrow!

When I phoned the school last week I was told there are quite a few children still on 235, and my own analysis in tending to trend that the final cut off may not move very much. Interestingly, this year the initial cut off is 2 marks below last year, even though only one additional applicant at 1171. Suggesting this is reflected by one paper NVR Found by most takers to be the more challenging of the two. Since 2007 whilst the number of applicant had increased by 300+, the initial cut off has pretty much stayed more or less level. With a general and gradual convergence between initial & final cutt off over last 3 years, hence I think if at all the final cut off may only move 1 or at most 2 points if at all. Hope I'm wrong though! The steepest rise in applicants was during the year 2009-10, and this years appers to suggest a peaking, and may also suggest that more parents may be feeling more confident in the economic climate & hence in Indie schools, if so we could begin to see an even lower final cut off.