URGENT! SOUTHEND WAITING LISTS INFO

Eleven Plus (11+) in Essex

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Chelmsford mum
Posts: 2113
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm

Post by Chelmsford mum »

Hi Kracken,

No- actually anybody cannot join a waiting list for a local comp until Sept.Exceptions are made for those who have moved house.However for everyone else, they cannot go on the waiting list of a comp that they did NOT name on their form, until Sept.
Someone I know is in this position.She named a grammar first,( did not pass), a high performing comp very out of catchment second, a local ish comp third and her catchment school fourth. She was offered her third choice.She now wishes she had put her catchment school higher ,as her ds had since decided would rather be with all his friends.She rang admissions and the school and was told she couldn't go on the list as she had not NAMED it higher than her offered school. Those are the rules for ordinary schools.
Silver29
Posts: 151
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:12 pm

Post by Silver29 »

kracken wrote:
Your DS never passed so perhaps waiting lists are a whole new beginning where preferences are no longer valid.

In a sense your preference order is no longer valid because you didn't pass.
Actually my son did pass!! The pass mark is set for Southend schools and if we had lived within catchment he would have been awarded a place. There will be boys at the school who scored similar or less than him. His mark still suggests his is academically able to attend WHSB and therefore he should be allowed to remain in an appropiate waiting list position.

I am not some Mum who thinks she has a bright son and is rather deluded! I have a daughter that took the test last year and now attends CCHS. She scored very highly so I have direct experience of how luck on the day helps. Yes, she is a bright girl but my son is not much different. He is scoring 97% in mock Sats maths papers and level 5s in English and Science. The divide between my daughter's score and my son's does not reflect the difference in their ability.

The whole 11+ entrance system is difficult enough as it is without this waiting list fiasco. Essex have realised it was wrong and as of this year have changed their policy accordingly. The people at Southend have admitted their wording was not designed with this situation in mind and I bet they change their wording for next years admissions. I may not have helped my son's case but hopefully my complaint (amongst others) will ensure this is not allowed to happen again.
Silver29
Posts: 151
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:12 pm

Post by Silver29 »

Silver29, I don't know you, but I really feel for you and your son. You have I'm sure deliberated, thought every scenario through and followed the rules and you are losing out to people that are not following the rules, I am gobsmacked.

It must be a bit hard if your child gets a higher score than someone who ends up with a place on a waiting list and you don't because you didn't put that school, but that is the whole point of having 'preferences'. If you did not have that school as a preference, then there is no way you should be able to add it later. It makes a mockery of the system.
Thank you! :)
kracken
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 4:34 pm

Post by kracken »

Actually my son did pass!! The pass mark is set for Southend schools and if we had lived within catchment he would have been awarded a place.
By pass I mean to have been awarded a place at the time of selection.

I take your point, there is a pass and there is a pass. I only see the pass if you actually get in to the school!
I am not some Mum who thinks she has a bright son and is rather deluded!
Nobody on here is suggesting any of that. The fact is there should be plenty more places at good grammar schools than there currently is.
Chelmsford mum
Posts: 2113
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm

Post by Chelmsford mum »

Its HORRIBLE to have one child get into grammar and one not, in your own family.However much you rationalise that your child will do well at their local school(which I know he will silver 29), you still feel raw about it.

Silver, I SO know and believe you that your son is right for grammar.My own dd , as you know, underperformed on the day , and now has scraped in. She was doing brill in prep but something happened on the day.This experience has taught me to have a more humble attitude to those children that didn't make it.There is an element of luck on the day.We all KNOW there are children IN grammars less bright than some who didn't make it.
It is a gutting , stressful experience to feel you have lost out and I can understand totally your feelings towards those who are exploiting a loophole that will soon be closing.
I hope your son gets a place , but if he doesn't, he will shine where he goes.
kracken
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 4:34 pm

Post by kracken »

Chelmsford mum

I take your point.

All I can say is we are in a certain London Borough who advised us to go on the waiting List for both Southend and Westcliff!!

The case you state is slightly different because a preference was allocated. If you haven't been allocated any of your preferences what then?

Either there is a rule or not a rule, it sometimes seems it is all made up from Authority to Authority.
Chelmsford mum
Posts: 2113
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm

Post by Chelmsford mum »

As you say Kracken, we need more good schools . We also need a more level playing field for all children but that day seems very far off. :(
Silver29
Posts: 151
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:12 pm

Post by Silver29 »

kracken wrote:
All I can say is we are in a certain London Borough who advised us to go on the waiting List for both Southend and Westcliff!!

I am sorry but I think that is absolutely shocking!
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Post by Looking for help »

It seems to me that until all the schools, LEAs and paerents all play fair, then there will always be people ending up in positions they are not happy with.

I agree with you Chelmsford Mum, the worst thing is to find yourself with older children at grammar and the youngest unable to go, when you know that there is no academic difference between them - its just that the goalposts have changed.

Well we live in learn - at least this is something I will never have to go through again.

LFH
Chelmsford mum
Posts: 2113
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm

Post by Chelmsford mum »

Silver 29, as I've said I agree its unfair.However reading over Kracken's other posts, it becomes clear that none of their choices were allocated which is shocking and unfair too.
We moved from another county two years ago and on their form you were allowed six choices.Again there is no consistent policy nationwide.Perhaps if people in Krackens situation had more choices they would have named Westcliff/ Southend etc.
I feel for both of you really but esp for you Silver 29 because it is SO hard to have the two different outcomes in your family.This is compounded by the queue jumping.
What a horrible, stressful time :cry:
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