Offer Letter

hbsmum · Post by **hbsmum** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:12 pm

A boy I tutor has been offered a place at an independent school. He has to accept by the 28th February, but he won't have heard from the state schools by that date. We are worried that the school won't allow them to delay their reply. Any help would be appreciated.

doodles · Post by **doodles** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:16 pm

I would contact the school and ask for a couple of days extension - it is only 48 hours really and I would hope that they would be accomodating.

Ed's mum · Post by **Ed's mum** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:18 pm

My take on this is that some independents are so desperate to ensure that they are full that they put pressure on parents to reach a decision quickly (before national allocations day).

On the other hand, they need to be careful that they have good customer service in order to attract others in the future. It wouldn't look good if they weren't a bit flexible.

My opinion, definitely worth asking them to be lenient. Other schools I know around where I live bend over backwards to be accommodating.

Post by **hermanmunster** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:27 pm

I have come across this before. The indies try it on but know that they aren't going to a get a sensible answer before March 1st / 2nd....

Just get them to say that they are waiting on other results and it is not fair after all the work the child have done not to have the results from all the schools available to them.

wasting away with worry · Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:31 pm

hbsmum · Post by **hbsmum** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:41 pm

Thanks everyone for your good advice.

Amber · Post by **Amber** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:12 pm

28 Feb is a Sunday, so in practice they are asking for you to reply by 26 Feb. I wonder perhaps if it is just an arbitrary date and no-one has really checked the calendar against when the state schools issue places. Sounds to me like an admin oversight rather than anything else, but maybe I am naive?

ealingmum · Post by **ealingmum** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 1:17 am

This is one of those deliberate ruses by some independent schools to squeeze cash out of people in the name of education.

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 10:34 am

It may be that some independent schools are oblivious to allocation days. Just as independent parents live in their own little world so do independent schools.

They have every right to remove a place if it is not accepted before the deadline and lots of parents have to lose a deposit. Unfortunately this whole business is a bit of a game and we all have to play it. But, there is no harm in asking the independent school for an extension and it is perfectly fair and correct if they say no. There are other pupils who may have applied to independent schools only and currently do not have a place so accept a second choice, then to find that a GS pupil who accepted turned it down and they could have gone to a first choice had they known in enough time.

Thea · Post by **Thea** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 1:02 pm

Agree with Tipsy - you could just as easily say the state schools ought to get their act together earlier to make offers.
My DS has just been offered a place at a leading indie, after being tested on a Saturday, interviewed the Tuesday and offered arrived Thursday - 5 days, start to finish.
The grammar school tests beginning of December and the children ( and parents!) are left hanging on till March 1st.

No reason why an Indie should have to pander the inefficiency of a local authority which has no pressure to move faster and so simply doesn't. One of the reasons for moving to the independent sector is to get away from the endless bureacracy.

You could always of course ask the Local authority to let you know on the Friday instead of the Monday as a special case, on the same way you are asking to Indie to make you a special case - since they obviously know the result before then.