Waiting List Traumas

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dc1401
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 4:08 pm

Waiting List Traumas

Post by dc1401 »

Hi,
Can anyone tell me how the waiting list allocations work? I am aware from searching through 1000's of posts that waiting lists are maintained up until the end of the Autumn term and if a place becomes available they are offered to candidate at the top of the waiting list. However what I can't find out from talking to the school or the council is when places start to be allocated from the waiting list, if someone doesn't take up their place now will a place be offered now or do they hold them back until after appeals have been heard ? Nor will anyone tell me how many people have been admitted off waiting lists in the past few years.
Any information greatly received as this is turning into a bit of a marathon.
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Waiting List Traumas

Post by Alex »

Once the late allocations have been done then the LA allocates any places which become vacant as they arise. They cannot keep places back for appeals. If you do not get a place from the waiting list before appeals are held, of course you end up with less of a chance of getting a place if there are successful appeals - which is why it is always advisable to appeal rather than just hope for a place from the waiting list.

The LA admissions department should be able to tell you where you are on the reserve list and how many they have already allocated for that school from the reserve list. You have to realise too that it is possible to move down a reserve list as well as up, if, for example, someone submits a late or revised application who meets the oversubscription critera better than you do.

It would not be possible for them to tell you how many were allocated from the reserve list last year, I think, but they would be able to say, for example, if the final criterion was distance from the school, how far the distance went out on March 1st and on one or two subsequent dates, including by beginning of September just before the term started.

The problem with looking at what happened last year is that it is not always a very good guide to what will happen this year as there can be quite big variations.
dc1401
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 4:08 pm

Re: Waiting List Traumas

Post by dc1401 »

Thanks Alex,
The thing I dont understand is that we were second on the list on 2nd March and were still 2nd yesterday. Second round allocations, if any were made have gone out according to the council - that suggests that everyone who was offered a place has accepted it which I just find a little strange as everythingelse I read suggests a fair degree of movement can be expected after intial allocations.
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Waiting List Traumas

Post by Alex »

dc1401 wrote: that suggests that everyone who was offered a place has accepted it which I just find a little strange as everythingelse I read suggests a fair degree of movement can be expected after intial allocations.
It does not necessarily mean that everyone has accepted - they do a fair amount of chasing up people who have not accepted or declined an offer to make absolutely sure before they withdraw an offer and reallocate the place - that process is still ongoing.

The degree of movement varies tremendously between schools and sometimes year to year as well. Some schools "share" a lot of applicants and movement on one's list means movement on the other's - other schools are very much "stand alone" and often have less movement. If there are a lot of successful appeals for a school that can have an impact on other schools as well as the one in question.

Second on the reserve list is a nail-biting place to be - good luck....
dc1401
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 4:08 pm

Re: Waiting List Traumas

Post by dc1401 »

Thanks, it is certainly a tense time :(

I would be intersted in hearing if anyone has been offered a place off the waiting list either this year or in the past and when between March and September (or after) this was received. Might enable us to keep an optimistic perspective on things !
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Waiting List Traumas

Post by Alex »

Which school is it you are hoping for?
dc1401
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 4:08 pm

Re: Waiting List Traumas

Post by dc1401 »

Gainsborough
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Waiting List Traumas

Post by Alex »

I think it is possible that there is less movement on the list for Gainsborough because it is the only Grammar in the area. Not many of its applicants would be trying for an alternative Grammar so movement is possibly restricted to those who move out of area or who have an independent school alternative - but this is surmise rather than fact.
dc1401
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 4:08 pm

Re: Waiting List Traumas

Post by dc1401 »

I found this document on the Council Website showing allocated places as at 1st March last year. I am not sure whether the second page 'waiting list' is allocations made off the waiting list or the numbers on the waiting list.
http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Download/9734" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I read it as allocations made after the 1st March but I may be wrong.
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Waiting List Traumas

Post by Alex »

The second page is showing the people on the waiting list on March 1st, not those allocated off it subsequently.
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