Waiting lists / change of preference

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PlutoMum
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:32 am

Waiting lists / change of preference

Post by PlutoMum »

Please could someone summarise how the offer and waiting list process works in Herts.

Our first choice (semi-selective) school is no longer our first choice - after long consideration we have realised that it is too far and DS would never be able to get there under his own steam, we would have to drive him there and back everyday for 7 years. He probably won't get offered a place there anyway because there are only 3 out of catchment places and we were very under-prepared for the entrance test (it was his first one and didn't finish the VR).

We are hopeful that on 1 March he is offered a place at our second choice which is a super-selective. In hindsight we should have put this down first.

If, by some chance, we get offered our original first choice, what do we need to do to try to secure a place at our second choice? Will the super-selective write to us anyway telling us where he was placed? Will they try to "poach" him? Do we need to act immediately by phoning the school on 1 March? Thanks.
KS10
Posts: 2516
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 am

Re: Waiting lists / change of preference

Post by KS10 »

Hi PM,

Sounds like Parmiter's and QEB!

2 years ago, our choices in order were:
1. Ricky
2. Parmiter's
3. QEB

- Ricky said no, and DS was no. 1 on waiting list.
- He got Parmiter's (out of catchment, supposedly 3 places, but we know of at least 5 who got in, some from waiting list, all academic and no siblings). DS did not finish VR either. (If it's WGSB, then I know of one person who got in after about 2 weeks, but obviously there were others too.)
- DS got through QEB too, but because it was only no.3 on our list, they sent a letter asking if we wanted to go on their waiting list. Obviously, this would send you to the top, but how near the top is anyone's guess. The year DS took the exam, they sent out 50 such letters. If he had been one of the best of those 50, he may very well have got in, but I don't know if he would have got in if he had been no. 49 for instance.

If you look at my earliest posts, you will see the letter they sent.

Hope that helps.
KS

Sorry, I meant to pm that. :oops:
PlutoMum
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:32 am

Re: Waiting lists / change of preference

Post by PlutoMum »

Thanks KS10, that's really useful. You're right about which schools!

When did you get the letter from QE? Did it arrive on 2 March? Did it not tell you what number you were on waiting list? (sorry, have searched but can't find your post with letter).
KS10
Posts: 2516
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 am

Re: Waiting lists / change of preference

Post by KS10 »

I'll try and post a link.
The letter arrived with all the other letters - I think it was a Tuesday.
KS10
Posts: 2516
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 am

Re: Waiting lists / change of preference

Post by KS10 »

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 18&t=13920" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

see page 6
Daogroupie
Posts: 11101
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Waiting lists / change of preference

Post by Daogroupie »

I would write to QE now and explain and ask to go on the waiting list if you are given your first ranking. If you do get Parmiters next week turn it down and ask to go on the waiting list for QE. You will need nerves of steel as you will have no school for a while! If you get QE next week great but make sure you write now to Herts and say you dont want to be on waiting list for Parmiters. I know someone who got their second choice, was happy with it but Herts kept them on list for first and when they got it Herts cancelled their place at second choice. DG
londonmum35
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:16 pm

Re: Waiting lists / change of preference

Post by londonmum35 »

When this happened to us a couple of years ago, we were offered our first choice school (Latymer) and also got the letter from QE Boys (our second choice school) giving us the chance to go back on the waiting list. As it had been hard choosing between them in the first place, and felt unsure again, we did this. We did not get told what his position was in the letter form QEB. I phoned our LA (Enfield) and checked it all out with them. They told us we did not need to turn down our first place to do this. They told us to accept Latymer, go on the QEB waiting list, and then decide when our place came up at QEB, so that we did not end up with no school of our choice. As soon as the waiting list opened, he was immediately offered a place. We then had around a week or so in which to decide what to do. (We stuck with Latymer in the end and turned down QEB.)

Hope this helps - it may have changed over the last two years and also with a new Head, but from our situation we did not need to turn down any places until we were sure. However it was not the situation DAO Groupie is describing, where you may get offered the second choice but are on waiting list for first, and then if the place comes up your second choice gets cancelled...perhaps you should phone Herts admissions and talk it through with them? What if just in case you don't get QEB, then you need the Parmiters place?
mangomum
Posts: 137
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:33 pm

Re: Waiting lists / change of preference

Post by mangomum »

What a useful post.

I'm afraid we too are in the same position. I don't mind pref. no. 1 (though super selective) but nos 2-4 I don't actually want now (for various reasons). Instead we want no. 6. Although this will mean we will have to relocate, but its something we are willing to do if the indie we want doesn't come through. My fear is that if we don't get an offer from 1 then we may end up with an offer from 2-4. Pref. 5 is out of the question as he didn't finish the papers and said is very incredibly hard. I will email no. 6 and ask them if it's possible to be put on the waiting list.

Thanks for starting this post PlutoMum and those that have contributed.

MangoMum
MangoMum
WP
Posts: 1331
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:26 am
Location: Watford, Herts

Re: Waiting lists / change of preference

Post by WP »

Daogroupie wrote:If you do get Parmiters next week turn it down and ask to go on the waiting list for QE. You will need nerves of steel as you will have no school for a while!
Um, don't do that. You should always accept the school you are offered unless you're opting out of the state system. Accepting the offer doesn't affect your ability to go on other waiting lists (or to appeal for schools you missed out on). Rejecting the offer is a dreadful risk to take, and completely unnecessary.
Daogroupie wrote:If you get QE next week great but make sure you write now to Herts and say you dont want to be on waiting list for Parmiters. I know someone who got their second choice, was happy with it but Herts kept them on list for first and when they got it Herts cancelled their place at second choice. DG
Yes indeed. If you're in Herts and you don't tell them you've changed your preferences, they'll continue to act on the preferences you've given.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11101
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Waiting lists / change of preference

Post by Daogroupie »

WP, Surely you cannot go on the waiting list for your second choice if you have been allocated your first choice. We would have only been able to go on the waiting list for HBS, our second choice, if we had turned down our first choice DAO. The people who put DAO second because they don't understand rankings and then get their first choice but would have got a place at DAO are not allowed to go on the waiting list for DAO unless they turn down their first choice. I think we have had this thread before but as I understand it the only people who can go on DAO's waiting lists are people who have not been allocated a higher ranking. You can also not appeal for a school you put second if you have been allocated your first place because I know somebody who tried to do this last year and ended up appealing and getting a school that was not even on their list. DG
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