waiting lists

Louise2 · Post by **Louise2** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:23 pm

I am posting this on behalf of a friend of mine who's very bright son has not got a place at any of the 5 private schools he sat for. He has been offered a school not on the CAF so naturally they are really upset. She has been in touch with the schools and they have all said that their waiting lists are closed as they have filled all their places and don't expect any movement. Surely that can't be right as its still early days with offers and ecceptances still coming in for various schools. I don't have any knowledge on private schools so not able to offer her any advice. Would it be worth her sending him to a prep school and trying again at 13. Is there an appeals procedure. It's very difficult when all his friends have got schools of their choice.

mumoffour · Post by **mumoffour** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 1:28 pm

As I understand it, most private schools over offer to some extent. Our daughter is 8th on the waiting list for her first choice school but we have been told that they have not had to revert to the waiting list. The school knew this very quickly after the deposit deadline and state school allocation day.

It may be that the schools your friend's son has applied to have been more popular than anticipated and still have more accepted offers than there are places as a result of over offering - so any slight drop out over the next few weeks may not impact the waiting list.

I really feel for her - we were lucky in that we have other offers.

I've no idea about 13+ admission I'm afraid, hopefully you will get other replies more helpful about this.

Best wishes

beenherebeforebutnoeasier · Mon Mar 17, 2008 1:33 pm

this seems to have been a really tough year all round but particularly for boys in London. If it's any comfort to your friend we know 4 boys who didn't get places - including one who is exceptionally bright and whose tutor thought him the most able child he'd tutored in five years! Thought he'd get a scholarship and in the end didn't get in. The number of applications for some independents in London (can't speak for elsewhere) were substantially up this year - often by over 100. This may be because a few more bursaries on offer? Or demographics? No clear explanation. That said some of the boys who didn't get in are securing places at either prep schools or some of the newer mixed schools. You could certainly try those and reapply at 13 or do GCSE's and think about moving at 16. Three years ago I know there was movement later on than this but it does seem tighter than then and so don't want to offer false hope. That said, a good letter does help. One of my dd's friends didn't get on even the waiting list last month, dad wrote a very good letter saying she didn't interview well and suddenly got a place 2 weeks ago.
best of luck

surreymum · Post by **surreymum** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 2:02 pm

A good prep school should be able to secure a place at an independent senior school-most of them pride themselves on securing "first choice" school for all entrants at common entrance, although this would be the headmaster's first choice of what is suitable for your son. There are many senior schools which only take at 13+.

However before you go down that route, do have a look at the fees for your nearest senior schools as most of them are awesomely expensive!

zorro · Post by **zorro** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 2:21 pm

This year has been very tough. My DS didn't get into 2 independent schools or QE Boysedespite his class teacher and tutor assuring us that he would have no trouble. The letter we got from St Albans said that " Due to an exceptionally high academic standard this year we have had to draw the line above boys who would normally have been expected to have been offered a place" It was very disappointing and we thought we would have to send him to prep school for 2 years but fortunately he was offered a place by the 3rd independent he sat for. In hindsight this has turned out to be the best choice as he would have been under huge pressure to keep up at the other schools.
Where is your friend based and what schools was her son unsuccessful at? I know of 2 really lovely prep schools which I visited and can tell you about.

tipsy · Post by **tipsy** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:56 pm

I would be interested too in knowing the area your friend wants to send her child. I personally think that prep school to 13 is the best option as by the time he reaches his teenage year he may well be a completely different child by then and the school will be able to offer the best advice on the school that they think would suit his personality and ability. I had planned to send my kid to a completely different school until I was told it would be disastrous for them i.e. too sporty to the exclusion of everything else. It's just fortunate there are other options out there. Could you imagine if there were only 11+ schools!

1401 · Post by **1401** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:50 pm

When our DD did not get into her first choice of school, but before the other schools sent out their results I phoned our local prep school. They were very helpful and said that they often take a few students from the state system for the last two years of the prep system. The prep schools often loose students going into grammar schools and therefore have spaces. They are then in a good position to advise you at 13+ as to what school would be suited to your child etc.

A lot of the independent schools in Warwickshire have 13+ entrants so many schools can be re applied for.

Tell her not to give up hope - schools often have places at the very last minute due to changes in circumstances etc

nailbiter · Post by **nailbiter** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:21 pm

... it does depend on where you are as to what your likely options will be at 13 if you have tried and failed at 11+...
for boys in central / n london for instance entrance to a number of schools at 13 is by exam sat in year 6/7 and then offer made conditional on common entrance performance (ucs / westminster) so options at 13 would be highgate / city but not these two.....
and dont forget common entrance is a tough and wider ranging exam. so two years at prep school may not be an easy option.... at 13 boys will be competing with all those who have been in prep school for years, doing exactly what it says on the tin, prepping.

tipsy · Post by **tipsy** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:39 pm

nailbiter wrote:... it does depend on where you are as to what your likely options will be at 13 if you have tried and failed at 11+...
for boys in central / n london for instance entrance to a number of schools at 13 is by exam sat in year 6/7 and then offer made conditional on common entrance performance (ucs / westminster) so options at 13 would be highgate / city but not these two.....
and dont forget common entrance is a tough and wider ranging exam. so two years at prep school may not be an easy option.... at 13 boys will be competing with all those who have been in prep school for years, doing exactly what it says on the tin, prepping.

I agree in part, but only if your talking about the London Schools as they seem to have a lot more competition and their entry requiremnts are more demanding because of such. The vast majority of schools accept a pass mark of 55% at common entrance and you can buy all the papers online from the previous years to give you a rough idea of whats expected. My son is at a prep school and they are very relaxed and I would say much more relaxed than the London day schools and they don't start preparing for common entrance until Year 7, and yet send most boys to the most selective schools although they do not have a selective intake. But again it depends what your looking for. I do know of kids though who at 11 were thought not intelligent enough to get into grammar school and yet after two years at a prep school managed to pass for schools that were more selective than the ones they'd previously failed to get in to.

nailbiter · Post by **nailbiter** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:05 pm

.... that's why i said it depended on where you were....