WHSB Waiting List - Please Post Info Here.......
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FUZZFUZZFUZZ
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 11:42 am
To be honest I am in total agreement 
that it appears unfair that parents/DXs, who join the waiting lists 'late', can jump the queue 
- but my point is, the rules are the rules and you cannot blame those parents who have exercised their right to do this. I would be very unhappy if my DX was going down a waiting list - but I do believe that those parents who are moaning would have taken advantage of this had they been in the same position 
. What also seems unfair is that Southend can nominate six schools including Chelmsford schools and keep all of their options open but Chelmdford can only pick 4.
that it appears unfair that parents/DXs, who join the waiting lists 'late', can jump the queue - but my point is, the rules are the rules and you cannot blame those parents who have exercised their right to do this. I would be very unhappy if my DX was going down a waiting list - but I do believe that those parents who are moaning would have taken advantage of this had they been in the same position . What also seems unfair is that Southend can nominate six schools including Chelmsford schools and keep all of their options open but Chelmdford can only pick 4.Five schools for Southend (from personal experience it is much more difficult in Southend to find 5 than it would be in Chelmsford, which has so many excellent comprehensives).
Six schools for East London boroughs.
Edit: Many parents find the CAF difficult; far too little information is given. I assume that many in Essex are not aware that they can apply to the Southend schools until the office in Essex tells them that they qualify for a place after the results have been given.
Six schools for East London boroughs.
Edit: Many parents find the CAF difficult; far too little information is given. I assume that many in Essex are not aware that they can apply to the Southend schools until the office in Essex tells them that they qualify for a place after the results have been given.
A lot of what is written above, makes sense. Unfortunately the whole system is not set up so that everyone has an equal chance. It should definately be made clearer when the CAF forms are filled in that that is not your absolutely last chance of naming a school (i.e. it seems most people, if this forum is anything to go by, are totally unaware it is possible to add preferences after the CAF forms are submitted).
I do find it hard to believe that people in Essex that have looked into the possibility of getting into a grammar school, and thereby will have received relevent information from CSSE, are not aware that they can opt for Southend Schools on the CAF form. In fact at that point for most people it is a bit irrelevant that they are administered by Southend Council, as that is the whole point of everyone using the Common Application Form, and not having to go through a separate route for those schools. I think anyone saying they did not realise they could apply for Southend Schools from Essex, is clutching at straws to make their blatant, if not somewhat understandable, queue jumping seem more acceptable.
I do find it hard to believe that people in Essex that have looked into the possibility of getting into a grammar school, and thereby will have received relevent information from CSSE, are not aware that they can opt for Southend Schools on the CAF form. In fact at that point for most people it is a bit irrelevant that they are administered by Southend Council, as that is the whole point of everyone using the Common Application Form, and not having to go through a separate route for those schools. I think anyone saying they did not realise they could apply for Southend Schools from Essex, is clutching at straws to make their blatant, if not somewhat understandable, queue jumping seem more acceptable.
Here is an update on the WHSB waiting list situation.
The list is still moving up despite the said late entries into the waiting list.
I think 3 places up overall, including something like 6 new entries. Obviously, there is no telling where those 6 came in at. They could have been above the initial cut-off mark and hence are above all in the present waiting list and got in straight away or could lie below the cut-off mark, at any position amongst the original waiting list candidates. There is also the posibility that some of them may still get through to their initially chosed schools.
Let us hope that more gets into KEGS and CRGB through their waiting list and the upward movement continues.
The list is still moving up despite the said late entries into the waiting list.
I think 3 places up overall, including something like 6 new entries. Obviously, there is no telling where those 6 came in at. They could have been above the initial cut-off mark and hence are above all in the present waiting list and got in straight away or could lie below the cut-off mark, at any position amongst the original waiting list candidates. There is also the posibility that some of them may still get through to their initially chosed schools.
Let us hope that more gets into KEGS and CRGB through their waiting list and the upward movement continues.
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chafford_dad
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:43 am
EKK - Thanks for your valuable info...i will give them a call in the morning. My DS was 13th on Thursday, hopefully he may have moved up a little. Will keep you posted.EKK wrote:My apologies to everyone.
My previous post was not quite clear.
What I meant was: the list moved up by 3 places overall since last Thursday.
Total amount of overall upward movement so far seems to be 6 places.
chafford_dad - I think EKK means WHSB (boys) not sure about girls, hopefully you will have good news. Keeping our fingers crossed for your DD, keep us posted we need good news on the forum now........
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FUZZFUZZFUZZ
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 11:42 am
I think a lot of this could be avoided if people were not allowed to 'hang on' to places for so long ! - Essex apparently have offered 8 places at KEGS from the waiting list - 4 of which have not accepted yet - they are given two weeks - if they don't respond they are written to with another deadline - if that expires they receive a phone call - if that expires they get a final letter 
- no wonder there is no movement ! - meanwhile everyone waiting for KEGS (including us) are holding at least one place somewhere else - which they won't release until the chance of a place at KEGS has gone - also (apparently) parents know they are going to and independant but keep their KEGS place 'in case their circumstances change' - this could go on until the start of Autumn term - ridiculous ! 
- People should be given a deadline to accept and that is it - if you have not replied you are off the list. That would benefit everyone - whatever school you are waiting for !That is a very valid point, and one which I had forgotten about. Yet another blip in the system. When we were waiting for there to be a small amount of movement in the first two weeks, I did bring this up with the lady at Southend Borough Council. We were so worried that if it got to the 22nd my son could move down the list that I did point out to her that in theory we could be at the mercy of people, who for whatever reason, may not bother to inform the council that they are not taking up a place.
When you are offered a place initially by Essex you are told you do not have to accept it, they assume you want it. They request that you tell them by a certain date (15th I think), if you do not want the place, but let's face it what is going to happen if you don't bother, or just decide to hold onto the offered place for longer? Nothing.
I completely agree with above post, that this is another rule which needs to be changed, and one which affects all schools, not just the grammar schools.
When you are offered a place initially by Essex you are told you do not have to accept it, they assume you want it. They request that you tell them by a certain date (15th I think), if you do not want the place, but let's face it what is going to happen if you don't bother, or just decide to hold onto the offered place for longer? Nothing.
I completely agree with above post, that this is another rule which needs to be changed, and one which affects all schools, not just the grammar schools.
'Parents have every right to try and get their children to the best available schools,' goes without saying.
No one in their right mind can dispute this. However, the problem here is to do with the actual admissions system.
Firstly, there is no standard procedure as far as different authorities are concerned. I can understand the private sector school to have autonomy in deciding these issues, but here we are talking about state schools. Hence, one would naturally assume that there must be some sort of standardised allocation policy across the board. What we see here is quite the opposite. Even two partners of a common application system making arbitrary decisions. Makes one wonder, whether we are suffering from the consequences of political conflicts between the central and local government allegiances.
Furthermore, as had been said before, parents go through great anxiety and deliberation before deciding their preferences, as this is restricted to less than the available options (4 in Essex, 5 for Southend etc.).
How can the future of a nations can be so arbitrarily and subjectively decided. Of all sectors, education sector should be the most transparent. What we have here however, is like the blue print of a contract - most controversial rules are to be discovered after serious research into their literature.
Of course, we all champion freedom of choice, but sometimes we forget, in democracies, your freedom stops when someone else's freedom starts.
No one in their right mind can dispute this. However, the problem here is to do with the actual admissions system.
Firstly, there is no standard procedure as far as different authorities are concerned. I can understand the private sector school to have autonomy in deciding these issues, but here we are talking about state schools. Hence, one would naturally assume that there must be some sort of standardised allocation policy across the board. What we see here is quite the opposite. Even two partners of a common application system making arbitrary decisions. Makes one wonder, whether we are suffering from the consequences of political conflicts between the central and local government allegiances.
Furthermore, as had been said before, parents go through great anxiety and deliberation before deciding their preferences, as this is restricted to less than the available options (4 in Essex, 5 for Southend etc.).
How can the future of a nations can be so arbitrarily and subjectively decided. Of all sectors, education sector should be the most transparent. What we have here however, is like the blue print of a contract - most controversial rules are to be discovered after serious research into their literature.
Of course, we all champion freedom of choice, but sometimes we forget, in democracies, your freedom stops when someone else's freedom starts.
