11+ London no place

Just to clarify: DS sat the entrance exams to St James as a late applicant last week, together with 5 other boys, and was offered a place the next day. No idea if they still have places for this September, but it's certainly worth speaking with them about 13+.

Foamshrimp, you have received such a wealth of great advice on here, it would
be so helpful for parents in future years who may end up in your situation if you could share what happened a bit more specifically.

How have you got on OP? Been thinking about you as friends of DC have been in the same boat. I hope you've got some options by now. It's a horrid process.

There is a new co-ed school in central London, Eaton Square Upper School Mayfair. I think similar to Wetherby in that everyone getting a place for now at least.

Good luck!

OP - this happened to a boy in my sonl's year. They called St James in Ashford (good coach service) - they interviewed him and he did an assessment and offered a place within days.
Also try Radnor House.

Fingers crossed for you for next week

Have you thought about John Lyons School in Harrow. Good network of buses and good results. Their 11plus has passed but occasionally have availability due to non central location. Met line very accessible but depends of course where you live !

Hi Tickingthebox, yes I think I would have him sit more, I have realised I should have looked at more, but we are in a school to 18 so can stay, just not happy and want to move for many reasons, so I suppose we didn't really do this with the same focus as those at prep schools....hindsight and all that. Hoping the waitlist comes good, or I am going to have to try to lobby others every which way I can!

Just reading this and wanting to wish you luck....

We were surprised last year, we did one aspirational, one likely and TWO back ups

1st response was from one of the back-ups - a NO
Then Aspirational was an outright No
Then the likely - waitlist
Then the second backup - fortunately for us this was a yes.

It certainly taught me that you should never rely on anything!! If I had my time again DS would have sat 5 or possibly 6 exams. I would never go for three (if I had I would have had 2 no and a waitlist).

I would also have put him in for a practice at one of the early sitting schools.

Ah, foamshrimp, this seems to be the same story, all waiting until the offers fall into their places. The annoying part is with so many people applying for so many multiple places it fuels the over subscription, but then many sit on their multiple offers and don't decline. I feel in the end it needs to become more like universities with first second and third choices so there is more transparency and schools get a better clarity of who really wants to be where.....probably a pipe dream and too late for me anyway.
We are not in a prep so I am looking into other schools, but so difficult. I have been told a lot keeps changing all the way to September but hard to remain confident of that.
Good luck to you too!

Foamshrimp, so interesting to read your post, we have one waitlist and that's it, came as a shock as had good general interviews and is top of class in most subjects. But sounds like a familiar story in West London!
Curious if you have had any luck on the late applications as thinking of trying more schools as we kept it to a minimum originally.
Feel your stress and pain completely, seeing a child of 10 feel such rejection is torture.

Foamshrimp, the system IS awful! And flawed.

Love what Jeanne posted. She's so right - much short sighted panic goes on in west london about schools, and its so catching (at least, I find it so). I hope you find a great fit for your ds x

Wishing you lots of luck and best wishes xxx

Some years back Hill House would usually have a place . I was told this was because of diplomats, embassy workers etc. moving. They were by far the biggest feeder to Eton. Give them a ring. You would have a bit of time to prepare for your DS 13+

I was in a similar position a couple of years ago but have a dd so harder to do a prep for two years and move at 13+.

In the end she got a place at one of the schools that competitive London parents look down on. My plan was to try to move her to somewhere considered 'better' for Y9 but I haven't because she is well settled where she is and I'm very happy with her school. A 'better' school would not necessarily be better for her.

Your boy will be fine as there are plenty of excellent preps to 13 looking to fill places. As pp have said try Kings House, Newton prep, Durston house, Clifton lodge, Fulham prep. You can then find the right school for him at 13+. As Jeanne16 has said this will work out ok.

Good luck!

8 years ago, my DS was rejected by all the ‘top’ private secondaries in SW London. He was only accepted by one school that was considered a ‘B league’ school at the time. Some of my friends were quite condescending when I told them where he was going. However he did really well, achieved A*s at A level and is now studying at Cambridge.

I actually now believe that the school matters far less than I ever believed at the time. When I think back to our how stressed and upset I was at the time, I can’t believe I wasted all that time and energy.

i can reiterate i know a few this happened to in recent years, or those who had an unacceptable (to them) surprising state allocation and decided to go private after the offer day.
ALL of these children are now in great independent secondaries. It does work out.