SW/W London Independent Schools thread part two

Wondered if anyone was at the Latymer Q&A session this evening and what they thought of it? The Head and other teachers were very impressive but wasn't at all sure about some of the children there. I know that sounds awful but there were a few pompous children (who asked questions hence it wasn't just the terribly smart uniforms!) that left my DH and I a little cold. I didn't get the feeling that there was a balance of private and state children from different walks of life which is one of Latymer's apparent selling points. Interested to know what anyone else thought...

Could there really be someone who isn't fretting? Certainly not in my house ;) We are off to see St Catherine's again on Friday, in advance of acceptance day. Now I think I'm leaning towards Surbiton I'm worried DD will change her mind and like St C the best based on it being the most recent visit! GAH!

Yes, I hope some little girl was met at school pick up with some good news! Quite scary to give it up and know that we were making our choice on the indie front but feel much better for it. Now know of people who are sitting on offers even having paid deposit elsewhere. Pleeeeaaassse give them up if you don't plan to take them!

But I suppose they are not fretting and reading this thread(-;

You will have made someone else very happy! I've not heard about LEH as I don't think anyone got an offer in our playground...

Where's the beach I'm with you- keep checking to see if by some miracle LEH waitlist starts moving! We turned down Surbiton today. It will be KGS or state option for us as it currently stands.

I hope so. I suspect I will suck up losing the deposit...arghh

I'm sure there'll be movement next week when the state offers come in and deposits are due to be paid. Most people I know haven't decided 100% yet. The state offer will clarify things in their minds hopefully!

My compulsion is reading this thread...or more accurately constantly checking to see if anyone has posted anything.

Sigh.

Eek. I think I'd better get the cheque book out too.... it's all getting very close now.

Hope you all get what you want in the end. I am feeling more like we are moving towards a choice but am also really hoping that one of DD's friends might end up at the same school, however this is looking unlikely. :(

Just wish the schools would tell you where you are on the list so then you'd know whether there was a vague chance or a snowball's!

Anyone else been compulsively re-reading the Good School's Guide?

KGS are unable reveal children's position on the waiting list at present and say they will have a better picture closer to the 5th of March. I think I'm feeling more pressure now than ever before! Had accepted losing a deposit but a losing a terms fees is something we are struggling to accept.

Not a peep.

Anyone heard of movement on waiting lists yet? I know Surbiton has moved but haven't heard of any others- and I know Putney won't say until 3rd

DarkBlueEyes, we are fine thanks so much for asking. Two week holiday for us currently so everyone is very happy! Good luck with decision making and wait list moving to you, and everyone else. Needmoresleep, your anecdote made me chuckle.

If you really want a place and are prepared to lose a terms fees elsewhere, your chances are good, as long as the Registrar knows how keen you are. Places will come up, and after Easter the Registrar will want to offer to the person who will take it rather than give a series of families two weeks each to decide and who then turn them down.

DD was shown around one school by a girl who was my son's age. We were a bit surprised because we thought she had gone to another school. Apparantly the place had come up half way through the summer holidays. She also seemed to have been granted a non-academic exhibition (sport, art, music or something. Perhaps the schools way of providing some financial compensation. After all they would have had the additional term's fees from the pupil who had dropped out. So in these circumstances I think it is worth negotiating.

Even odder was the girl who started Yr7 at DDs school, attended for two days and then disappeared for a week, before returning. I wondered at the time, given state schools started two days later than the private, was that she had kept her state school place open and decided to try both before making a decision.

That's definitely a worthwhile strategy but it does rely on waiting lists moving very quickly, so might only delay things for a day or so. Also it means that some other poor family might lose their depositif you free up a place a day or so after the deadline!

I would ring the registrar at the school where your child has been offered a place and stress how much you like the school and that some aspect (the drama, the sport whatever) really appeals to you & your child but that your child is waiting to hear from the other school because - again some good holistic reason, what do they advise in this instance. The registrars/admissions offices tend to be very concerned about the happiness of future pupils & do try hard to help families.

Our deposit cheque was made out to the individual school, so even though the school we then accepted was part of the same charity, we didn't get the deposit back

Would someone know - if the payment is made to the charity that is behind the school (rather than the actual school itself) and then you get a place from the waiting list of another school that belongs to the same charity would you still loose your deposit money?

Afraid you can't just cancel a cheque like that. They could sue, and they would win.

If the deposit cheque has not been cashed can you not ask the bank to cancel it? I think there's a charge (£15 comes to mind) but it's nothing compared to the deposit. Probably best to call the school first to ask them to tear up the cheque before calling the bank!

Seconding Eastpoint's point (!) - everyone I know in real life has been weighing up options over half term. I would expect movement to start this week.

Gosh the schools must make a BOMB out of all these deposits/term's fees that aren't taken up!

We still haven't decided fully yet, but in some ways, there is less pressure as we will not get a State offer that makes us re-think, due to being out of the catchment for Waldegrave by a few hundred metres.

St RR Head made it pretty clear that if you weren't an actively practising Catholic then they weren't interested so that is that for us!

Wonder how many are waiting for State offers before they decide?

Castles, how are you getting on?

That's painful Pink.

I've looked at t&c's - yes a terms notice is needed after deposit paid so we'd need to know by end March. I'm prepared to lose a deposit if necessary but not a terms fees.

A friend has her daughter at Emanuel...3 weeks' in a place came up for a classmate at Lady Margaret's and the child switched schools. Clearly places come up over the months but I'm hoping that most of the movement is fast and in March! Gulp.

Chocfinger, IME waiting lists don't move until after the state results are out and even then people are slow to respond to offers, sadly
I believe that Putney has an extra class every other year, and this year isn't one of them.