dilemma - can reserve dates be requested?

[londonmum35]

I have a dilemma - because of the snow the schedules are now all changed. QE Boys is our true first choice, but my DS is also due to sit three private schools as back up. Originally the exams were spread out, but the new schedule is now Thurs Highgate, Fri Habs, Monday City, Tues QE Boys. My fear is he will be burnt out by the time he gets to QE Boys.

What would any of you other parents do? Withdraw from City? City is attractive as a back-up school as my son really liked it and they offer more generous scholarships than the other two (I think). Can we request he does the reserve date if there is no actual same-day clash? (QE Boys moved their postponed 2nd round to make sure no clash with City so not sure if either school would be understanding).

Is there any point at all talking to City admissions dept? Any advice would be appreciated, my son has taken Latymer, DAO and not been completely exhausted by them but these private schools are full days and not sure if it's all too much.

[hermanmunster]

I would have thought that your son is taking far more exams (sounds like 6 to me) than most kids and there are plenty of back ups there! My DDs school limited it to 3 schools and that worked fine if they were chosen properly in the first place.

If QE boys is very important to you then it may well be better to miss City (or ask for a delay - they can only say no) and have a break for the day , so long as you will be happy with some of the other back up schools you are looking at.

[Daogroupie]

Oh, I so feel for you LondonMum35. We avoided this by the very narrowest of margins. We sat HBS on Tuesday and the weather closed in that afternoon and school was cancelled the next day onwards. Then we managed to get to CIty yesterday even though they did offer an alternative date of thursday 14th Janaury. But if we had been forced to that we would have had exams Tues, Wed, Thurs and Frid of next week, two of which would have been all day. I think you need to call City, explain the situation and ask for the alternative date. Having said that, we sat DAO music on a Thurs, DAO verbal on a Frid and DAO English and Maths on a Sat and then HBS on the Tues morn, and we will have St Pauls and then Habs on Tuesday and Wednesday and they are both all day. But the big difference is that we got to do the one we really cared about first. Though I have to say I am thinking that we might have been better off if we could have done the one we cared about last as we have got into the swing of it all now! I think City will let you do the alternative date because it is QE that has thrown the curve ball not you. How important is Cirty to you? Is it your first choice back up? Can you get a good early night after City and not too early a start for QE?

[londonmum35]

Thank you both for your replies and advice. I think I will phone City then tomorrow and be honest and see what they say. I'll let you know the outcome. Thanks again.

[londonmum35]

just to let you know, in case any parents are interested for the future, I left a message on the City answerphone and sent an email but with no reply. I did not send him to the exam. They rang me this morning, a few days after the original test date, offering us the reserve date. So it all worked out well, except he's at school thinking all his exams are over and doesn't know yet!

[naxa]

Hi Londonmum, when is the city reserve date?

[londonmum35]

This coming Monday.