City of London Girls withdrawing offers

Backingvocals - with respect I do not agree with you.

The words “Please be aware that the school reserves the right to withdraw this offer (before it is accepted) if we receive the requisite number of acceptances for the places available before the final deadline.“ clearly communicated this.

Soya it wasn’t well communicated and the school are upset with what’s happened - not sure anyone needs to still be defending it.

Firefox - your analogy doesn’t work as this isn’t queuing for cheapo flatscreens at Asda.

This is a well communicated and transparent process that works for the majority.

soyalatte I did you the word "might", so there was no presumption at all. As it is, you've outlined that if you were number 71 in the queue having got there at 9am.

Perhaps you might be able to understand the slippery slope that it leads to l? (Parents queuing all night, fist fights if people hold places in the queue for others etc etc)

Backingvocals - thank you for your correction.

There are so many discussions about this I got that % update confused from thread about this from another year.

As I already posted, I do understand the angst.

I just think it’s really unfair on the school to be expected to accommodate for the minority when that is just not possible.

Art 14.3 of the ISC (Independent Schools Council) Code of Practice states: "Schools must adhere to a national date of the first Monday in March as the date before which acceptance offers for senior school places, relating to 11+ entry in the subsequent academic year, cannot be required by schools. Offers may be made and accepted by parents before this date, but acceptances cannot be required. It is important that all schools agree and adhere to the common date in the interests of children and parents. It is also recommended that scholarships should be tied to the same date."

Firefox1066 very rude and presumptive of you to tell me how I would feel.

So, let me enlighten you how I would feel - I would be upset and unhappy and...

• accept that 70+ other families managed to prioritise and organise their acceptance process better than me and therefore conclude we didn't want it as much as those 70+;

• realise that we didn't respect CLSG as much as the other 70+ families and realise how in demand that school is (didn't close to 1,000 girls sit for c.70 spaces);

• respect that CLGS can not operate just like any other school (because they are not just like any other school);

• not expect the school process to revolve around my timeline requirements;

• not feel entitled as comms clearly state the offer can be withdrawn if we do not take action with the appropriate levels of urgency;

• take responsibility for our lack of urgency;

• not whinge on social media.

Backingvocals I hope you are right because last year apparently exactly the same thing happened, although things didn’t move as quickly as this year, City learned no lessons from it.
Whole thing leaves a sour taste in one’s mouth.

Ivebeen you are missing the point. Ofcourse City have a fixed number of places - they can’t help that. The objection parents are expressing is the fact that City offered dozens of girls a place then almost immediately withdrew the offer. They shouldn’t have over-offered by so many in the first place then trigger a stampede with the first come first served announcement. Other schools use a waiting list system instead.

soyalatte one could have done everything you stated and STILL had the offer explode, if there happened to be 70 people who got there before you. That's why the exploding offers system is such a horrid one.

Perhaps if that had happened to you, you might have more empathy rather than coming across as insufferably smug.

Soya there were no emails indicating % takeup. They went too fast for that. Most families had no way of knowing that they had 9 business hours. My friends only knew because I told them having overheard someone say something to that effect when I went.

Also I think since the school are informally saying this was not what they wanted and they don’t think it’s sustainable there’s no further need to defend the system. Ok that was from one teacher this morning but since the school is horrified I think we can all agree this system is basically kaput.

Other options would still give the same results; only the first 70 students get a place. Surely no one would want them to hold that information secret till March 1, when they know after 72hrs.

I do not see what other option the school has

Surely they have the option to operate the system virtually every other school does?

Has anyone else seen the posts on social media from the Good Schools Guide and the reponsss about the issue? Seems to be an indication CLGS violated their collective agreement with other Independents to wait until at least the 1st Monday in March to withdraw offers so as not to make it unfair to those waiting for state school places.

It was a smug post

Soyalatte but City DO have an option!! They are not unique to other schools who all face similar challenges balancing offers and acceptances. They simply took the easy way out to suit them with no regard for the girls and families they disappointed. Make fewer offers and go to waiting list if you have to. More work for the admissions office, granted, but surely a fairer system!

Mulling over an important decision for a few days is hardly dallying!

Not a smug post - just stating some points and relevant experiences.

"No need for smug posts about how organised you were - there are families who have been devastated through no fault of their own"

yup. +1 !

The offers exploded so much more quickly than ever before though - and the school has traditionally issued a countdown indicating how many places have been filled.

Surely no research in the world could have indicated that this would happen?

No need for smug posts about how organised you were - there are families who have been devastated through no fault of their own.

As a parent I understand original poster's angst but I do not agree with all the negative publicity and shaming articles this has generated.

Reading on here, the school also sent follow up comms to notify non-accepting offer holders of % up-take.

I do not see what other option the school has. Otherwise you end up punishing parents and children who have made effort to:

• research this topic - first time 11+ for us but google last year showed this is not a new situation for CLSG or other in demand schools;

• prioritise CLSG - speaking with daughter, she made clear this was her first choice school so wife and I scheduled work and activities for our other children accordingly for 9th Feb. Made sure we were available to respond as soon as offer email was received - able to fill in and signature forms to return asap, CLSG bank account details pre-authorised on our account so deposit could be paid asap and not risk delay by bank account admin, etc;

• hold CLSG above other schools and do not dally and wait for other potential offers - daughter had scholarship offer from Alleyn's, scholarship offer from JAGs, etc

• read offer email - clearly states "Please be aware that the school reserves the right to withdraw this offer (before it is accepted) if we receive the requisite number of acceptances for the places available before the final deadline..."

User
The threads deleted were attacking a particular poster who spoke in defence of City, and it got unpleasant. They were actually criticising the school as well, so not what you are suggesting.
(As someone who was accused of sock puppeting myself I was relieved to be vindicated )

I went. Not that many people there and no cross parents so maybe lots of people are taking dragthing’s approach. I liked it but Dd still not thrilled with the grimy ness so we will probably end up taking somewhere else (Shhs probably or our local state if she gets in). I spoke to one of the teachers who said that everyone was a bit horrified by what had happened and she thought that they would just have to change the system for next year. She said they had issued far fewer places this year and had 15pc higher take up than last year so were totally caught on the hop. This made me feel slightly more kindly towards them and the teacher genuinely seemed upset about it. Small consolation for those caught on the wrong side of this but I don’t think this system will be in place next year.

Parents who went to the “offer holders” morning (not that the offers were ever real...) please let us know how that went!!

I don’t usually bother posting on mumsnet just tend to read but this thread hit a nerve. We are one of the many families whose offer exploded. To be honest City wasnt our top choice to start with, the location and grimeyness was depressing but academically it is so impressive. We got our offer, decided to wait and attend the offer holders morning, speak to staff and other families and see how we felt after that. That is the point of the offer holders morning isn’t it? To help parents decide? Anyway we went off on holiday only to find our offer explode within a day! We were simply not willing to be bullied into making such an important decision so quickly hence let it slide. Lucky we have 2 other very good offers otherwise this would have been a nightmare and I really feel for the girls in that position. I was sad to read some parents defending City’s behaviour. How would they feel if they had to tell their 10 or 11 year old child that the place they worked so hard to secure exploded within hours? Even if everyone who wanted their place arrived at City at 8am on the Monday morning they would have had to turn some away so please no one b,and parents for not reacting fast enough. I also agree with some of the earlier posters who said City are going end up with the lower end of their ranking list because the strongest girls had equally good offers to consider.

Thanks Quadrangle for the explanation ..I was wondering what sock puppetry meant too! I don’t remember what those posters said but I do wonder whether the threads were deleted because City complained to Mumsnet. Can’t be great to have their name dragged through the mud. PR disaster! Let’s not forgot it hasn’t always been this way. A couple of years ago City had a perfectly humane admission process like most other schools, sure it was harder work to manage but manage they did. City simply needs to stop making offers to so many, rein it in a bit and have a waiting list. To suddenly decide actually balancing our admission numbers feels too much like hard work so let’s just open the floodgates with offers and close it when we have enough, hey several dozen girls will be upset but we don’t care, is just shameful!

Dragthing I think that's very kind and considerate of you...

Thanks @Quadrangle.