Second Preference School is First

Eleven Plus (11+) in Surrey (Sutton, Kingston and Wandsworth)

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Sun&Sky88
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 1:00 pm

Second Preference School is First

Post by Sun&Sky88 »

New to the forum so I'm really hoping someone will reply. Any DP's that have been through this maze, please can you help to shed some light?

My DS has been offered first preference. However 2nd preference has written to ask if he wishes to go on their reserve list as he has passed their entrance test. I'm completely lost in that I assumed the 2nd preference is deleted off our list. I didn't expect a letter from our 2nd preference school. I assumed that all 2nd/3rd/4th and so on preferences are ignored/deleted if your first preference school accepts your child (ie. they are able to admit your child based on whatever their published criteria might be). We only put 2 schools down on our list.

Now I have a big problem in that DS would like to go to the second preference school afterall. 6 months has really seen a big change in my DS.

My question is what happens now? I have put him down on the reserve list for 2nd preference (which is now our first preference... I am not enjoying this secondary school phase, it is proving to be a real real headache. Anyone out there who has been through this, your help and advice would be very very much appreciated.
ToadMum
Posts: 11944
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Second Preference School is First

Post by ToadMum »

Did Pref. 2 school tell you where your DS would be on their reserve list? i.e. does he have a realistic chance of actually getting a place?

You don't say whether you have accepted the place you were offered at your original first preference school? I'm sure you know this, but you must do, or else you may end up with no place at all. If you are subsequently offered a place off the waiting list at "Pref. 2", you turn down the original offer and accept the new one, if that's what you want. I would also suggest speaking to someone at your local authority so they know what you are doing and that your original second preference is now your first.

(I must say I don't get all this private enterprise at this stage in the game - in our area, I have never come across a school contacting people to ask whether they want to go a waiting list, the LA tells us what our confirmed offer is and we tell them what we want to do and they liaise with the schools...).
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tiffinboys
Posts: 8022
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Second Preference School is First

Post by tiffinboys »

Some schools do this to attract their top ranked candidates. Big thread on this for HBS.

If OP's DS really wanted the 2nd choice school, they would have a good chance, otherwise the school would not have contacted them.
Peridot
Posts: 2195
Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 5:02 pm

Re: Second Preference School is First

Post by Peridot »

Yes, we had a letter from Nonsuch last year, asking if we wanted to put our DD on their waiting list, presumably as she had a high score (it was not our first preference school). We didn't go down this route as we accepted our first preference, which, luckily, was still our first choice.
Sun&Sky88
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 1:00 pm

Re: Second Preference School is First

Post by Sun&Sky88 »

tiffinboys wrote:Some schools do this to attract their top ranked candidates. Big thread on this for HBS.

If OP's DS really wanted the 2nd choice school, they would have a good chance, otherwise the school would not have contacted them.

Thank you Tiffinboys for this, may I say it was very interesting read. It is possible this may have been the case with our DS. Let's hope so!!
Now its all a waiting process. Second Preference school has said they cannot tell me where my DS is on reserve/waiting list until beginning of April. They have to wait for boys to decline or accept - is this what many parents refer to as First Round?

Many thanks to everyone that has replied! It is so helpful...
Kingfisher
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:08 pm

Re: Second Preference School is First

Post by Kingfisher »

Here's hoping! I am keeping everything crossed that you get the school of your choice. School 2 sounds as though it is the right choice, in my opinion.
Sun&Sky88
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 1:00 pm

Re: Second Preference School is First

Post by Sun&Sky88 »

Thanks to everyone for their advice, DS has second preference school.
We are all very happy. Whatever can be next?
Kingfisher
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:08 pm

Re: Second Preference School is First

Post by Kingfisher »

I am delighted. I know what this means to you. Congratulations. School 2 is excellent and your DS will thrive there. All the best.
tiffinboys
Posts: 8022
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Second Preference School is First

Post by tiffinboys »

Well done to your DS. Congratulations.

He will have added confidence with the knowledge that he had qualified for both the schools and perhaps many more.
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