Are Independent school waiting lists moving at all...?

I’m aware of one family returning to overseas from our prep

Schools with lots parents who are overseas expats might see movement as some are returning to home countries.

I was expecting to see numbers fall but we haven't heard of anyone leaving so far but have been told to expect some new joiners in September.

This is at a prep in the area the OP is looking at.

Oh sorry, my fault for not rtft. It might be the LA asking the school to add a class, if there's a shortage of spaces generally? That's certainly happened at relatively short notice in secondaries here recently.

Thanks alto, but there is a comment by mimble up the thread saying that their school is looking to add a class because of parent enquiries. That wouldn't happen here, the parents would have to find places at other schools that do have spaces but which are probably not as desirable.

cakeisalwaystheanswer by no means all schools are full though. The birth rate's lower than a few years ago. There are OK schools around here that are only two thirds full.

I know that DS's school has been turning away both day and boarding applicants hoping for a last minute space, so sounds like numbers have held up. At our primary I know of one family joining from private, and one going the other way.

I’ve heard of movement on the Ibstock, Hampton and St Johns waiting lists...

I'm a bit confused about how a state school can increase it's intake because of receiving a lot of enquiries from parents about places. That doesn't happen where I live, the intake is a set number and places allocated according to school policy and everyone else is WL. The WLs are very long and most won't get places but the most popular schools don't increase their numbers to accommodate keen parents.

Primary, especially pre prep age is different from secondary. It is very limited what young children can learn from online learning but it makes huge difference for secondary children. My oldest is Year 6 and she has been offered full time timetable with lots of live lessons during lockdown.

I know a child who is attending at outstanding state primary and had been offered from also an outstanding state secondary but parents called around private schools after lockdown and found a place for him from September.

On the other hand, my youngest will start pre prep and it seems that a couple of family didn't take places. I totally understand the decision. My youngest's nursery offered online session during lockdown and it was just waste of money.

It will be interesting to see whether overseas borders return. Ours is a day school - so far so good.

Makes sense what people have been saying about primary. Secondary hit more by Covid maybe?

DS1 (yr 5) is expecting 7 new pupils to join the year in Sept and DD1(yr 2) is expecting 4 new pupils. As far as we know no-one in leaving so its a net influx into independent in our case.

Save £££ over the years and not likely to get back into the grammar or even the outstanding comprehensive if the current situation continues

I know of two families not taking up prep places

I see, they would lose £6k because of needing to pay autumn fees

Sorry, bakeschocolatecaketoday, I don't understand. £6k? One family has gone for the grammar

@Homelandisending really? This would be a £6k plus decision at this stage! Bet they end up at the Inde!

Ditto. I know personally of two families with top indie offers who are probably going take the top state schools they’ve held onto

Yes that’s us too. Was a tough decision giving up a ‘top of the table’ grammar place. Precarious times and uncertain futures. But we decided to go for it and feel happy with our decision..so far!

@mimbleandlittlemy , I can see that move happening too. In the prep sector it's parents in secure professions like medicine who were always planning to go private at 7 or 11 moving into the sector earlier. But in Year 6 I can see parents is less secure professions wobbling at the thought of 7 years of fees when they have a secondary state school back up place not yet rejected.

Whereas DS's state school is laying on another class as they've been inundated with queries from people not taking up their Y7 private places.

Same around here. Spoke to an independent school head over the weekend, and far from the original anticipation of parents withdrawing places ..they have been inundated with queries from parents wanting to move from state.

In SW London and Surrey it's state primary to private due to parents frustrated with provision and worrying about their dc falling behind and not ready for 7+ or 11+ entrance exams. I have seen examples in SW London and in the latest free copy of Elmbridge magazine 1 of the Surrey prep schools has this mentioned in an article.

due to frustration with their state schools not keeping their DC glued to Teams or whatever 5 hours a day in the way that some indies have.
That's more than a bit unfair.
I'd say I've been frustrated that my state primary (rated good with many outstanding elements) hasn't been providing my child with an education full stop. 2-4 worksheets a day and 12 weeks before any attempt at personal contact from the school is not good enough. And there is a LOT of room between that and 8 hour zoom calls.