Reserve List

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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exampipe
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:33 pm

Reserve List

Post by exampipe »

Is the Reserve list at a school in addition to the school making offers to say 75 children for 60 places?

A friend of ours is very stressed as their DD is on the reserve list at Frances Holland...she has called the school and is advised to sit tight until Monday....but as the acceptance dates at the other schools is Wed noon time is short...she wants to know so she can switch to second choice etc...if needed...

has anyone any advice they can offer?

We are edging towards the Frances Holland offer and our DD would like her friend to be there too, but the Reserve List seems so vague...is it a lost cause for them..given the high level of demand this year?
hermanmunster
Posts: 12820
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Reserve List

Post by hermanmunster »

schools vary some offer just the right number and then have a reserve list, others over offer (some massively) and then only go to the reserve list if there are still spaces when all have responded.

I think they are going to have to open with both schools and explain the situation - other option is to take the second school and wait for FH -problem here is losing half terms fees or whatever the penalty is.
loveyouradvice
Posts: 160
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:24 pm

Re: Reserve List

Post by loveyouradvice »

She needs to ask them directly ... the most transparent Ive found is Highgate - very clear - Offered 130 places aiming for 75 acceptances and a very long reserve list.

Others may be this clear - but if not could just ask FH, how many they usually take off the reserve list and how far up DC is. Typically they seem to tell you either you're near the top, etc or actually place on list....Only the school can answer

But yes, all over offer knowing not everyone accepts - and all work with different ratios....
tigger2
Posts: 755
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:35 am

Re: Reserve List

Post by tigger2 »

Hi Hermanmunster...
My dc is on the reserve list for another school,apologies for jumping onto this thread but I have asked the school to try and find out how much the school over offer/length of reserve list etc and have had no luck. Can't even find out where dc is ranked on the reserve list :roll:
hermanmunster
Posts: 12820
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Reserve List

Post by hermanmunster »

tigger2 wrote:Hi Hermanmunster...
My dc is on the reserve list for another school,apologies for jumping onto this thread but I have asked the school to try and find out how much the school over offer/length of reserve list etc and have had no luck. Can't even find out where dc is ranked on the reserve list :roll:
What a pain tigger! Have you searched on here to find out anything?

is your DC at a prep school at present? if so, then sometimes the head teachers will be able to get more info out of their colleagues.
nonethewiser
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:52 am

Re: Reserve List

Post by nonethewiser »

exampipe, it might be good for your friend to get in touch with Ms Bailey, the admissions secretary. I have rang her and she was really good. I am sure the school would be able to say how far down on the waiting list.
another mother
Posts: 269
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:46 pm

Re: Reserve List

Post by another mother »

Keep asking - FH always used to move the keen up the waiting list.

And don't forget that there will be one shift on Wed, and another big one when the state schools results come out. A lot of people are using indies at back up and hoping for Hbs or Camden or Owens etc - and those lists also keep shifting, well into the summer.
Ellie
Posts: 103
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 7:53 pm

Re: Reserve List

Post by Ellie »

Any parent with a child on the waiting list should hold their nerve because as places are confirmed there is always a lot of movement up the waiting lists. In London most parents apply for multiple schools and a child can only attend one at the end of the day.
tigger2
Posts: 755
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:35 am

Re: Reserve List

Post by tigger2 »

Thank you...I know that I am not the OP but it has been an interesting topic for me. To move off the reserve list for my dc would be heaven sent so we will definitely stick with it. I doubt that there will be as much movement as dc needs a year 9 place and we are not in London but we will keep our fingers crossed for as long as possible. It would have been lovely though to have more of an idea though ...................
picasso
Posts: 55
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2007 9:46 pm
Location: London

Re: Reserve List

Post by picasso »

A friend of ours is very stressed as their DD is on the reserve list at Frances Holland...she has called the school and is advised to sit tight until Monday....but as the acceptance dates at the other schools is Wed noon time is short...she wants to know so she can switch to second choice etc...if needed...
I have a daughter in Yr11 at Francis Holland, NW1. I do remember the process very well and like some parents on here, feeling distraught at not getting the school we wanted. DD had three firm offers at 11 (one from another north london consortium school and the other two from other indies), but was put on the waiting list at FHS.

From what I remember, results came out on a Thurs and I called the school on the following Mon. I was advised to wait until the Thursday and on the Thursday we got the place. From my experience and speaking to other parents if you are told to wait at FHS, this means you are usually quite far up the list and your friend will more than likely get the place. I did feel that calling the school ( and I recall calling every day !!) did help in getting the offer- so its a good idea to keep calling. A friend of mine whose daughter was on the waiting list some years back was told by the school that she was far down the list and never got in, so I do think they are quite transparent. My youngest DD was also put on a waiting list two years ago for another school and got offered a place about a week after offers were sent, so lists do move ( albeit rather slowly for those waiting)! I do know of a few parents who did not let offers go until the last minute even when they knew which offer they were going to accept, so places do become available way past the deadline. Congrats to everyone on here whose DC have got into schools of their choice. For those on waiting lists who are despairing at the moment, (like I did with both my DC), it is worth holding out until just before the deadline.

After getting in through the waiting list at FHS my DD scraped through Yr7+8, performing quite badly in the end of year exams. She was very shy with very little confidence and towards the bottom end of the scale academically in terms of the girls in her Year. FHS, like most schools has its faults (and we have definitely had our ups and downs) but it is the most wonderful school in terms of getting the best out of its girls. My DD has grown into a confident, articulate young woman who is now at the top end of her year group academically. She will be leaving FHS at the end of the summer after winning a scholarship place at Latymer Upper. I am in no doubt, that the ethos and teaching at FHS has had a large part to play in this and I am sure that she will miss the school.

I am positive that having had to wait for the place ( and we were distraught at the time!) taught DD to refocus and become a resilient, adaptable and independent learner. Interestingly, some of those girls at 11 that got straight offers ( some with academic scholarships) are still at the age of 16 being tutored excessively in most, if not all subjects! I do feel the 11+ system is an unfair system on both parents and children and I just wanted to give those waiting for a place a little bit of encouragement. Good Luck to everyone waiting and if anyone needs any further info on FHS,NW1 please let me know. :)
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