My DS is on the waiting list for MTS. Does anyone know the chances of getting a place when on the waiting list? Thank you.

We would declining our place and I know at least 4 others who will be doing the same. People waiting for grammar results etc. So waiting list will move.

Best of luck.

I don't think the waiting list for independent schools work in the same way as the waiting lists for state schools.

In (almost) all state schools, the schools will make offers to exactly the number of children they want to admit. For each child that declines, a new child is offered the place from the waiting list.

For independent schools, most will make more offers than they really want to take. Eg for 150 places they may make 180 or 200 offers, in the expectation that some children will turn them down and they will end up with roughly the right number of children at the end. They make a judgement on the number of offers they make based on the pattern of acceptances and declines in previous years.

So it may be that even with several people definitely declining a particular school, the school might still not make offers to its waiting list.

What position are they on the waiting list ?

I haven't asked the school yet due the Half term.

I suggest you email the school and do not wait until the end of half term.

It is very likely the admission team will be reading email at this crucial time.

They certainly do at other schools.

If it is your first choice and you would take the place if offered let them know that and a phone number where you can be reached. DG

My daughter was on the waiting list for our local indie school. I emailed them straight away and told them it was my first choice school and I really wanted the place and would say yes immediately to any place offered. I read a number of posts here advising that. I emailed every other day and was offered a place by the end of the week. I do think they would rather give the place to people who are definitely wanting the place than going through the list from the top down. Most kids are half a mark between getting a place and not and they just want the places filled, so I would say get emailing and pestering and show you want that place when it comes up. My daughter is doing really well and top of the class in a number of subjects.

But to which one of the DC of parents who have read and followed the very same advice on a public internet forum, have emailed them every other day etc etc, do they award the place?

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So glad you took the advice and it paid off for you.

Make it easy for them to choose you.

Why would they go down a list phoning people when you have already told them you would take the place and pay the deposit if they just made one phone call to you?

I circumvented a whole waiting list once by hand delivering a note to be on the doorstep of a sold out course the next day with my phone number and a pledge that I would take any spare place and turn up within thirty minutes.

Bang on nine the phone went and thirty minutes later I was sitting in the course. I wasn't even on the waiting list because they had closed it. But they knew one phone call would fill the slot so they made that call and I got the space. DG

My son was also on a waiting list two years ago and I was told very near the top of it and I should expect an offer. He also had a guaranteed offer for his current school which we accepted and we didn’t hear from the other school again and I do think it was because i didn’t follow up a prompt email. What have you got to lose by getting in and pestering. Having put three kids through system with all three having different experiences. I would say schools want keen parents. And I also run my own business and recently trawling through application forms the one we hired was the one who pestered us the most who met the criteria. Go for it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.