Independent school waiting list - not what I thought it was

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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muffinmonster
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Independent school waiting list - not what I thought it was

Post by muffinmonster »

We received a letter from our preferred school, a lovely local independent, on 22nd Feb, saying my daughter had been put on 'a short waiting list'. The deadline for acceptances is 10th March, by which time everyone will have a school offer and you would expect the list to have moved considerably. But today I phoned the school to ask how the situation is looking for us, to be told that 'we don't expect to have to go to the waiting list at all'.

How can this be? It implies that EVERY SINGLE GIRL who was offered a place has taken it up, or is expected to do so by Monday. Most of the children applying would have applied for two other good local independents as well and many will have received two or three offers, and by now some will also have received offers for the grammar school, too (there's one girls' grammar school in the borough). I personally know of three girls who are turning down offers for this particular school, and that's just in my own small circle.

Could it be that the school are over-offering and the waiting list is a red herring? I feel that I've been strung along for another week of anxiety and sleepless nights for no good reason.
hermanmunster
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Post by hermanmunster »

First thing that comes to mind is that they are over offering.
Came across a school like this before who HATED to be turned down by anyone so they over offered (having grilled the parents about whether they were 1st choice beforehand!!).
They tended to be able to work out how many they would lose through places at other schools.

sound slike you need them to be a bit more forthcoming methinks.....
Bexley Mum 2
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Post by Bexley Mum 2 »

Muffinmonster - we looked at an independent along with grammar schools this year. The HT at the independent said during his open day talk that he would make, I think, around 150/160 offers for 110 places. I guess lots of people, like us, apply to independents as a safety net in case their child fails the 11+ or gets an offer from a school they prefer, and, from past experience, they must know roughly what sort of take up they will get. I guess they pitch their initial offers at a safe number and then have a waiting list in case the take up is lower than they predicted.
simon
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Post by simon »

That's exactly right. If they are looking for 100 kids, they will offer (say) 150 places and only get to the reserve list if they get a higher number of refusals than their past experience would indicate. You may need to be a bit pushy to ensure that if a single place comes up, you daughter will get it.
muffinmonster
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Post by muffinmonster »

Thanks for all your replies.

Yes, I suppose over-offering is the only explanation. I'm really shocked, though - why bother telling people they're on a waiting list if there's only a remote chance that it will move? And what if they had more takers than places? I suppose they must be able to predict pretty accurately what the take-up will be, though.

I think it's very important that anyone applying for an independent school should understand this. We certainly didn't, and I know from other threads on this forum that most people seem to think that waiting lists move a lot once all the schools have made their offers. I think it's really unfair practice on the part of the schools when many people will be faced with a firm offer from a less favoured school and a waiting list place at their first choice.

As far as being pushy goes ... this school know that they're our first choice (at the interview we told them - perhaps unwisely - that they were our only choice, which is the truth). Would it help our cause to write a letter reminding them of this and saying that we are still very keen? Or is there anything more we could do?
londonparent
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Post by londonparent »

guess what - my cousin's daughter has same experience - it is channing you are speaking of are you not ?
their first choice school was channing and from what I read - an exact replica of the situation you describe as my cousin has been on the phone ever since
interestingly, and the school bein quite unaware, we were one of thos who turned channing down. my cousin went to the extent of informing them (without naming us) and asking whether her daugher may ahve a go at the seat. She was first asked who the person wah (which she did not name), but then told 'it is irrelevant' to yr situation
so it is perhaps a case of oversubsrciption as explained, but my cousin also thinks that it was a nice but not clear enough way of saying your daughter is not high enough on the waitlist
it is possible also that this year, channing has had fewer turn-downs, as I noticed when deciding between highgate and channing, that channing had an exceptional A level results on 07 - due to Geography! wherein their standard # of As jumped from 58% to 74% - which I did not believe is a sustainable position given their past record
which other schools, if I may ask, did you consider ?
by the way, unconfirmed though it is, some other girl or even girls, in my daughter's school on waitlist for channing are now eventually going to channing. I say unconfirmed as I have not had a chance to speak to them or their parents - it is hearsay from around 22nd Feb that they were on waitlist
muffinmonster
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Post by muffinmonster »

No, it's not Channing - it's Forest School in Snaresbrook, east London. I did wonder whether it was just a polite way of telling us to get lost. Does your cousin phone Channing regularly so they don't forget about her? I'm a bit nervous of mounting a telephone campaign because (a) in my present state I'll just burst into tears and convince them that I'm NOT the sort of parent they want and (b) I might antagonize them and convince them etc. How bolshie can I afford to get? I'm not very good at this.

A complicating factor is that my daughter has been offered a place at a state school that she's very happy with because quite a few of her friends are going there. She was very keen on Forest beforehand but she's adjusted very readily and is looking forward to starting at the state school now. It's quite a good school and many of my friends are delighted to have got their children in there, but it's a Catholic school and I have a big problem with that, as does my husband. And even putting that aside, it's just not as good as Forest.

So I'm starting to feel that if my daughter's happy I shouldn't fight the situation. But I can't bear to give up on Forest since I think it would suit her so well and I really believe she would be happy there. I don't even care about the money any more - we'd already spent it mentally, if you know what I mean.

I need to pull myself together now and go and make the dinner.
londonparent
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Post by londonparent »

no advise really, the good thing is that you can wait and hope it comes through; I think it always helps to make the school aware of your continued interest - perhaps check every week - maybe also why specifically it suits your daughter's needs and preferences. my cousin has done exactly that
at some point in time they will be more forthcoming - I dont understand why can they not say anything more now
interesting also is that both forest and channing have had the same approach, so not unique
best of luck
beenherebeforebutnoeasier
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Location: london

Post by beenherebeforebutnoeasier »

I don't know how comforting this is - and I do really feel for you mm- but three years ago wait list places came up at Owens as late as mid April and at that point one of dd's friends gave up a place at Camden, and another at City (lost a terms fees but so what), so movement does keep happening. And I think if you write a really positive letter, outlining exactly what you like about Forest for your girl and why she's a great fit for it, then if a place comes they will increasingly look to you. Lots of people also on the waitlist become happy with their decisions/don't want to lose a deposit/ start making connections and so positions on it do move.
Don't ring incessantly, but do ring fairly regularly - if it matters to you (and it sounds like it does). I also saw that the girls who suddenly changed direction soon adapted to a new prospective school and have both been very happy there. Once they start - wherever - all this will be but as a dream (for them if not us!)
Finally two years ago at CLSG they had fewer applications than usual - post 7/7 - and so offered more places than usual. They ended up with a bumper year (which never reached the wait list I believe) - presumably those who had applied were all very serious about the school. Last year wait list places came up there and at Channing quite late on so it is hard to know.
So hang on and write a considered and positive letter over the weekend and stay in friendly contact - and keep your d positive about both options if you can. Good luck.
mumoffour
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Post by mumoffour »

We are in exactly the same position with our first choice school - 8th on the waiting list but were told on Tuesday (after the state school allocations were known, and after our preferred school's deposit deadline had passed) that they haven't had to go to their waiting list.

As I understand it, most if not all schools over offer, and the extent to which they do so depends on their place in the pecking order of local schools. The ones lower down the pecking order will over offer to a greater extent than the most popular schools, as clearly they expect the greatest drop out.

Having been originally optimistic about being so high up the waiting list I have now all but given up hope, really.
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