St Mary Magdalene Academy waiting list

Most independent schools will have acceptance deadlines a day or two after the state school allocation day. There is usually a lot of movement around that date, but it was around 4th March this year. Other than that, movement tends to happen the week before summer term starts and the week before autumn term starts, as those are the deadlines for giving one term's notice of withdrawal for people who change their minds.

Thank you!

Hello, does anybody know at which points independent school places have to be accepted (i.e. at what times the waiting lists are likely to see some movement)? thank you!

The school told me that in previous years they've made governors' offers up to around the 60th place in the individual rankings. Presumably it'll be lower this year with the reduction to 18 places. Anecdotally I'd heard of people getting in up to about 80. Does anyone know of kids getting in in the 60s or 70s last year or the year before, and would that be pretty much hopeless now?

We are going to put SMMA top of our list and take our governors' test place. I do know 2 other families who have places too but are going to do grammar/private instead so will not be taking them.

Thanks Tonic. Really helpful. I'll drop them a line.

This doesn’t quite answer your question but my DC was ranked in the 40s and got in on national offer day. I don’t know how much further it went but it’s worth emailing the admissions officer at the school and asking, she might tell you. Good luck!

Thanks. That makes sense

No, I do not think so. They would have no way of knowing if some parents won't put the school down at all, or not as first preference, as the deadline for submitting applications is the 31st of October. If you don't get an offer on March the 3rd, the waitlist will start moving soon after, when parents who have chosen private schools will be rejecting the Mary Mags offer.

Do SMMA let us know if the kids move up the ranking before the 31st October?

Oh that would be great! Good luck to you

It might be useful if people posted here if and when they make a decision on taking up a place or not or accepting an offer for elsewhere which would bump the wait list places. There might not be enough SMMA hopefuls on Mumsnet for it to be useful but perhaps worth a try.

We have an offer but for now we are waiting results from another school before making any decision. I will post once we know whether we'll be taking the place or not.

@NorthLondonschools I feel for you. It goes without saying, but it’s worth repeating: come allocation day in March, those with an offer from Mary Mags that they plan not to use, should release the place immediately. There is no point (and it is unethical) to hold on to it “just in case”. By that time deposits have been paid to private schools.

Thank you so much! It'll be a difficult wait...

Anecdotally, it goes up to around 80. It was sometimes higher in previous years but the last couple of years it has come down. The majority of the kids in the top 50 ranks will choose grammar schools (Latymer, QE) or top indies.

Hi there, does anyone know up to what rank in the aptitude test people were offered places last year (for 2024 intake)? Just got the letter and trying to interpret what ranking might mean for us. Thank you!

Hi 👋🏽 whose heard back from school admissions regarding their waiting list choice, has anyone been offered there first choice from their waiting list…. This secondary school journey has been a stressful one to date!🙄

Which waiting list is it?

Last year mine was 82 in the Governors list and eventually got a place but in Mid September

Second place - you will almost certainly get a place. There is a lot of movement.

Just to say that we will be declining the offer of a Governor's place this week. I hope it helps someone on the waiting list here.

Very high! I’d be amazed if there wasn’t enough movement through people going private, moving away etc to bump him up 2 places.

I have been told my child is 2nd on the waiting list for SMMA… do you think this a high possibility of him being able to attend the school?

I’d have thought you do have a decent chance of a place from the top 100. Top 80 has historically been thought of as reasonably safe, though admittedly that was for lower-birthrate years. Bear in mind that the Governors’ Test is sat not only by candidates who genuinely want SMMA but also as a backup for state grammars and an early-season warmup for those sitting independent entrance exams later in the term.

Put schools on the CAF in your genuine order of preference. Those who don’t include SMMA at all will be eliminated from contention. Your eligibility for an immediate offer from each of the schools on your list will be determined according to the published admissions arrangements, so for SMMA that will mean that you’ll be hoping the governors’ ranking list moves enough in your favour as you’re not nearby. But if you qualify for more than one school you’ll be offered the one that’s your highest preference among them. (E.g. if you qualified for both HF and SMMA but had listed HF higher than SMMA then you’d be offered HF, and vice versa).

Then in March there’ll be offers and a shakeout as people turn down places - including those who get offers from the independent sector which they choose over SMMA. So the new waiting lists drawn up at that point will keep moving.