preparing children for waiting list wait

[Mgnmum]

My daughter sat the south herts consortium exams and we are hoping for WGSG. Difficult to tell how she will fare due to the changes in the exam timing and reintroduction of the cross sibling rule. I think borderline is probably the best we can predict at present. she would have got in prior 5 out of the previous 6 years and from what i hear the scores seem lower this year but i have a small sample to assess that from. What i would like to know is how parents have prepared children for the uncertainty of waiting for waiting list places/ appeals etc when all their friends know where they are going and are talking about it. We are lucky that we are virtually guaranteed our 2nd choice but both my DD and I are really keen on WGSG

[Daogroupie]

It is a really tough time and we have known many in this situation. It is soon forgotten if they secure a place. In both my dd's classes the class academic prize was achieved by a dc who had been on the waiting list so nobody ever bothers about it once term starts. Our school is very clear about it being all about what you do when you get there and not about how you got there and with what mark. There is no kudos at all given to those who scored very high marks in the exams. It may be very difficult for a few weeks after March 1st as everyone talks about it, but it does soon die down. Are you reasonably happy with your second choice? Will your dd be able to talk about it with confidence? DG

[K1w1mum]

We are in a similar situation. We are in the outer area for WGSG so DD had to do well in the exams to get a look in. She would have got in every previous year by at least 7 marks, so we think she's got a good chance, but have prepared her for time on the waiting list as there is no way of knowing what will happen come March 1st.
We are pretty sure she'll get her second choice, a good state comprehensive 20 mins walk from us, which does have some advantages over WGSG but she's adamant she wants to go on the waiting list for WGSG if she doesn't geta place on offers day.
I guess at some point we will have to buy the uniform for our second ranked school and that might be the point we take DD off the waiting list. Or does it move even after the school year begins?

[Daogroupie]

It can move after the school year begins because some people do not turn up. There was a place at my dds school because somebody had moved to America and not bothered to tell the school and there was an older sibling! Also we know of two places in another school where two families had changed their mind and not bothered to tell the school. As the year goes on things change and people move so there are always places coming up. DG