A thread for anyone waiting for St paul's, City, NLC, Godolphin 11+ results 2017

I think it's been as weird year. I read on another board that NLCS was definitely ringing girls off the waiting list and some that weren't even on the list. They said they had made a mistake and hadn't put enough girls on the list this year.

Cdstandingnow: we acted in the same way, i understand that Putney list didn't move at all. May be Godolphin's neither as when delivering the docs originals today I saw about at least 20 similar envelopes at security who was registering those, and that was around 10 am so way before deadline plus I presume some families accepted earlier in the process.

Channing also withdrew their offers after they were full. Someone i know was told that they were moved from offer list to waiting list last week but then there was movement and she was then offered a place! All very odd.

CDST Have you made your decision yet?

While it's true that they mentioned the possibility of withdrawing offers in the offer email that was the first time it had been mentioned. I don't recall at the open day being told that City only make conditional offers (which is what they in effect are). Had they done so it would have deterred many parents. It is simply ludicrous to withdraw offers before the offer holders open morning. It has now become a redundant event.

What has gone wrong is that they have made far too many offers instead of operating a waiting list. SPGS, G&L and Latymer are all heavily oversubscribed but they seem to manage it. This will damage City's reputation.

It sounds pretty poorly handled. It isn't just CLSG that has a space issue - all of the top schools (girls and boys and other ages too) are full to the gills and have to judge carefully their place in the perceived pecking order compared to the number of offers/waitlist places they make. To over offer and then withdraw before offer holders' day smacks of shoddy planning.

At the end of the day these schools are all businesses, and they are looking at the girls as numbers, as bums on seats. They set a benchmark to pass in the exam. How well do they know these girls and how well do the prospective families know the school? Not well - that's why they offer an offer holders day - for families to have another look and to try and differentiate themselves from the other schools in the marketplace.

City have clearly messed up the process this year and it will affect their reputation, and it will push the top girls, who have options at the likes of SPGS, NLC, Latymer, G&L towards those schools. It's the downside of not having the space to take into account that odd year when a bulge class is needed because the offer: acceptance ratio is abnormal, which other schools with space can handle occasionally.

Agree with cdstandingnow that to not even wait for the offer holders day and the state school allocations is very poor. I bet the admissions team have had a bollocking for messing this up so badly, although if it forces people pay a deposit and then change their mind, it could be a nice little earner for them!

They made the decision for us which is fine. They obviously over offered. It's not the first time they've done it or this has happened. It speaks to how they view the girls.

I would also add, they emailed when acceptances reached 65% which only left 26 places. It is the speed at which all 26 went which seems to have caught most unaware (all gone in just over 24 hours).

@nightswimming the paperwork was very clear that it was first come, first served. Annoying for some but I would wager that it is as much of a surprise to CLSG as it is to the parents that they are at 100% before offer holders morning.

Did they warn you they were going to rescind in advance? How bizarre!

We're down to NLCS vs SPGS as City as now rescinded their offer. I guess that makes it easier for us. Both offer bus service. DD leaning towards SPGS.

It doesn't seem ethical and it adds stress to an already stressful system. You shouldn't change a process after you have advertised it. Plus I'm not sure how it's in their interest given they presumably offered to the most able girls.

We have accepted G&L. We went back for a visit and DD just feels very happy when imagining herself there. Good luck with your choices all.

CrikeyG If you ask G&L they will.

Thanks CDST for the open day suggestion

Thanks for all your advice. I think the arguments back and forth reflect my dilemma. I will be going to take another look at both to make a final decision. Difficult when I know DD would be happy at either.

Biw: "Sensible people use their gut and instinct". Not as the sole input of course - but to try to choose the environment that, as Crikey said, will make the girl happy and comfortable. It was not meant to be condescending, sorry if it read that way. Intuition and the girl's own view/feeling, which can be hard to pinpoint, should in my view also be taken into account, that was what I was trying to say. Good luck with the choices, two great schools, hard to go wrong.

"Sensible people use their gut and instinct". What a condescending statement! If that's always the case why would anyone ever bother seeking advice from open forums like this?

I don't think the definition of "OP" is particularly relevant to this debate. A little petty really to be focusing on that.

I don't usually comment on threads regarding schools on mumsnet because as soon as anyone dares position one school above the other you have posters like NWgirls immediately jumping on their throats often due to sour grapes. It really kills debate. Fact #1 - there are about 6 or so girls day schools in London that can all be considered excellent including NLC and Godolphin. Fact # 2, if you specifically pitch NLC against Godolphin, NLC is above in the same way that Cambridge is a better university than say, Durham, although both are considered good. Anyone who tries to convince themselves otherwise is not really facing reality. Girls who are offered a place at NLC also always get offered Godolphin but not the other way round. Furthermore at this high level none of these schools will be lacking in the wide range of sport, music etc options that Crickey mentions. Talk about seeking "nurturing" is stating the obvious and again, all schools deliver this to their girls even dare I say elitist St Paul's which many mumsnetters like to slate for all the wrong reasons. Besides most parents would consider nurturing as their primary responsibility not the school's.

Schnooky, you asked for advice and opinions. Mine is firmly go for NLC if it isn't a difficult journey for your child.

Surely this is splitting hairs? These are both amazing schools where the vast majority of kids come out with all A*s and As. Girls
will excel academically at both schools.

The key to choosing is identifying where a child will be happy while they excel. In my view happinrss will be most affected by having the shortest easiest commute and choosing a school where other girls come
from your neighbourhood. That supports a happy life out of school.

Other considerations are which schools have the best activities in your child's sphere of interes. If your daughter loves sport but isn't amazing at it choose a school with A through E teams and an inclusive approach. If they are highly competitive at a sport l, chose a school with a highly competitive approach. If swimming is their passion chose a school with a pool. If music is there thing look at the music department. These are the features that help you choose between top flight schools NOT whether one get 94% As and the other 99%.