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Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Secondary education

Wait lists?

20 replies

Timefortwins · 21/02/2014 04:01

This is my first post so please forgive any protocol faux pas. DD has the good fortune of being offered places at CLSG, G&L, Putney High and FHS and offered to be placed on the wait list at SPGS. Do you know of anyone who has had a similar experience? Any input on the likelihood of moving off the wait list?

OP posts:

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Northerner7777 · 21/02/2014 11:14

Im not sure what the schools are as I don't recognise the abbreviations but I have some experience of waiting lists. If you dd has been offered places at one of the schools you want her to go to then you should take it unless the school your dd really wants to go to is the waiting list school.

Basically you get put on the waiting list in the admissions order and when a place becomes available kids will be offered a place based on their place on the list stating at the top. You can request where you are on the list. I would suggest you do this.
People can drop off the list (usually happens in the first term) then you will move up the list but this depends how good the school in question is.

I would talk to dd about it and see which of the schools she has been offered a place at she prefers and if she would be happy going to them before you go through the hassle of the waiting list game unless the school where you are on the waiting list is "the one".

prh47bridge · 21/02/2014 11:25

Northerner7777 is talking about state schools. Whilst I don't recognise all the abbreviations, the OP is talking about independent schools. Apart from the fact Putney High is independent, the clue is in the fact that the OP's daughter has been offered places at 4 schools. That doesn't happen with state schools.

Northerner7777 · 21/02/2014 11:29

Sorry OP, I should have recognised they were independent when you said dd had 4 offers.
Im afraid I don't know much about independent waiting lists.
Hope your dd gets the school she wants.

NickNacks · 21/02/2014 11:35

Plus posh people like to abbreviate the schools so only other posh people know what they're talking about

EarlGreyCuppa · 21/02/2014 11:44

Surely SPGS admissions should be your first port of call? They'll have the info on how many offers they have made and offers accepted in previous years etc?

steppemum · 21/02/2014 11:52

basic principle of waiting list is to accept a place at the next best school (so if you want to go to school 1 and are on waiting list, but have place at school 2, then accept the place at school 2)

This is important. If you never get to the top of the list, you need a place somewhere. Then go on the waiting list and...well...wait. Do keep in contact with school so they know you are still interested.

LIZS · 21/02/2014 11:56

Are the acceptance deadlines the same date ? Others will have a similar selection of offers but ultimately each can only attend one schools sot here will be movement . Obviously it would make a difference to know if she is 2nd or 20th on the waiting list so perhaps worth a call. You may have to accept offer you are happiest with and just wait.

prh47bridge · 21/02/2014 11:57

I think...

CLSG = City of London School for Girls
G&L = The Godolphin & Latymer School
FHS = Francis Holland School
SPGS = St Paul's Girls School

ClaraMaugham · 21/02/2014 12:00

I think waiting lists do move at most schools, but I'm not sure about SPGS. I know of one girl who was on their waiting list at the beginning of Y7 but she is now in Y8 and still at her 2nd choice school. That may not mean she wasn't offered a place though - I think people often do find they're happy where they end up.

PottyLottie123 · 21/02/2014 12:27

My DD is on a waiting list for an independent school and I will be contacting the school next week to find out what position she is on the list. Tried emailing but it is half term so I got an "out of office" reply. I only applied to one school as it is the one best suited to her needs, so I'm hoping the waiting list is short and that she is near the top! If I was in the position of having other offers at schools I liked, I think I'd take my second choice and hold out for the waiting list place. I'm prepared to take my waiting list place until a place comes up, regardless of when that may be. I'm new to the independent sector (and Mumsnet) and want to appear keen but not a pain in their neck! How often should I keep "enquiring" (nagging!) about my DD's position on the list in order to register our "enthusiasm" (desperation!)? I phoned them to accept the waiting list place and confirmed it in an email a week ago. By the way, I'm gutted to find out that I am not posh 'cos I don't know what the abbreviations stand for NickNacks! (This is tongue firmly in cheek, before I get clobbered!)

Timefortwins · 21/02/2014 13:08

Thank you everyone for your help and insights,

OP posts:

meditrina · 21/02/2014 13:19

It really is impossible to say. Schools make offers expecting some to be rejected (even with the highly sought after academic schools eg if the commute means a family accepts JAGS or NLCS rather than SPGS). But that based on best guesswork and can misfire if they have more acceptances than expected. Previous years are not necessarily a guide to this year.

All you can do is get in touch with SPGS and ask if they expect to see movement on the waiting list and if so when. And also how close your DD is to an actual offer. Them you have to decide whether to accept one of the others (and risk losing a deposit if a place comes up) or not (and risk being left with no place if it doesn't).

mimbleandlittlemy · 21/02/2014 13:45

There will be people on the waitlist for the schools you've been offered who are as desperate for a place there as you are for SPGS.

If you had got a straight no from SPGS which of those other four would you have gone for? Which is bottom of your list? If there are one or two you absolutely know are not top favourites, please release them quickly for the sake of the people on those waitlists and hopefully someone will be doing the same with SPGS.

Shootingatpigeons · 21/02/2014 14:31

Nicknacks posh or lazy? It just takes so long to type out all those long school names and to put the apostrophes in the right places. We abbreviated our bog standard grammar back in the day and I nearly sent my UCCA uni application form off with the apostrophe in the wrong place

snakeface · 22/02/2014 22:43

I was told by a head that St Pauls have about 20 girls on their wait list but hardly ever go to reserves as everyone given a place takes it. I don't know if this is true, but it certainly rings true - as who would not want a place at SPGS for their dd?
I would ring SPGS on Monday and ask where dd is on wait list.

AND please let the schools that your DD is definitely NOT going to know, so they can hand on places to others on their reserve lists, eg girls like my DD! :)

snakeface · 22/02/2014 22:49

Hi again, just re-read your post, would you not bite the hand off CLGS for offering your dd a place? I believe it was even more oversubscribed this year than usual and that there were over 800 overseas applicants alone.

Shootingatpigeons · 23/02/2014 08:11

snakeface my DD turned down a place. Decided it wasn't for her. I know a few others too. Any Head who thinks it is for everybody who can get in isn't doing their job. I am sure the list will move a little.

Nickmom · 23/02/2014 18:05

Had a friend in the wait list a few years ago so I checked with her.

The school told her that the wait list is very small. They said they vary between taking the whole list and nobody, really varies. They did say that they over except as well.

One thing to think about.... In recent years at least twice places have become available in the fall. If you feel strongly about the school you should continue to check back in the fall.

reddidi · 23/02/2014 23:00

This is England, it is a waiting list.

northlondoncat · 24/02/2014 13:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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