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Original poster

SW London Private and Grammar Schools Waiting Lists (Y7 2023 entry)

359 replies

Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 09:00

Following the private and grammar school exam threads, I am starting this one for those with waiting list places. May be helpful to hear if and when waiting lists begin to move.

We had some offers and some WL places. We have released the offers we are not taking and waiting for a place on the Reeds WL.

Hoping for movement after offer holder days (next week), national schools offer day (1st March) and offer acceptance dates (circa 9/10th March).

OP posts:
woohooho · 14/02/2023 17:23

I do know more that a few people who have given up places in late August/ early September as they've suddenly got places at State Schools they wanted.

Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 17:23

Agree the majority of movement will happen in March.

Does anyone have a WL offer for St Catherines or Radnor House (Kneller Hall) in Twickenham?

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Shiningsun · 14/02/2023 17:16

Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 17:10

Information from previous years welcome here too. I know that PHS and LEH have made offers right up until the last moment from WL - think 1st September. All the academic schools also have some movement at the end of Y7 and Y8 with 2-3 newcomers to each year group.

2-3 newcomers every year makes sense because of relocations to & from every big city. But my “guess” is that majority of waitlist should get cleared by end March/early April. Apart from few relocations, what reason can there be for a waitlist to continue till September 2023?

Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 17:10

Information from previous years welcome here too. I know that PHS and LEH have made offers right up until the last moment from WL - think 1st September. All the academic schools also have some movement at the end of Y7 and Y8 with 2-3 newcomers to each year group.

OP posts:
Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 17:09

I think WL places will be offered early to mid March.

I'd be surprised if there was any movement during half term but this thread will hopefully share this sort of information so that we're all a little less in the dark.

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momomamiko · 14/02/2023 16:44

Our WL school said their WL isnt ordered and that they wouldnt know how many, if any, offers they will make from the WL and are unlikely to be able to do so before noon on 3rd March.

I thought (hoped) they would approach WL families asa firm offers were being released rather than wait till the very end.

This means we'll have to pay deposit on our firm offer and read the contract really carefully before doing so...

HawaiiWake · 14/02/2023 16:38

swlondo · 14/02/2023 15:57

My DS has had 3 rejections and 1 WL - we desperately need this WL place. Have sent 2 emails saying how much we love the school etc but haven't called yet. Is it too early to do so or should I wait till after the offer holder event has taken place?

It is torture, always on my mind. We have no state school to go to as from just arrived from overseas and no prep head to advise or help.

Would be the next steps to take? Try to find another school or wait till acceptance day has passed for the WL school?

Why not call? Just to show you are keen and maybe talking to a person may help you understand how their WL process is going. Each school does it differently.

Daydreamscometrue · 14/02/2023 16:25

It might help to share information about the relevant schools. I know that Putney have said that they will probably go to their wait list this year as they've been over cautious with offers. IPS have an extensive waiting list so that suggests the same. We've given up places at KGS and Whitgift.

swlondo · 14/02/2023 15:57

My DS has had 3 rejections and 1 WL - we desperately need this WL place. Have sent 2 emails saying how much we love the school etc but haven't called yet. Is it too early to do so or should I wait till after the offer holder event has taken place?

It is torture, always on my mind. We have no state school to go to as from just arrived from overseas and no prep head to advise or help.

Would be the next steps to take? Try to find another school or wait till acceptance day has passed for the WL school?

Sass22 · 14/02/2023 15:44

We received a email thanking us for remaining on the WL for PHS. For some reason it doesn’t seem hopeful. They say won’t know until after March 6. I can’t take this wait any longer !!

Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 15:44

Are admissions offices open this week and is anyone calling round?

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Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 15:14

We know of several children who have 4-5 offers or more. It does seem that more school applications per child have gone in this year.

One of our schools has already asked if we want to register for an occasional place in Y8 but I'm not sure we'd move schools again at that point. Disruptive and awful if they don't pass the exam second time round.

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QuiteAJourney · 14/02/2023 15:09

Shiningsun · 14/02/2023 15:06

Worried and in dark. So many parents tell us that academic schools like SPGS, G&L all go to the waiting lists. But schools claim these waiting lists are not ranked. Is that a lie? If they don’t rank the kids, do they run a lottery system to offer a space?

Show quote history

I think that they all have an idea of how close to the cut off point for offer a DC was... but within similar bands, they may looking at replacing DC with similar profiles.
But each school will be slightly different.

QuiteAJourney · 14/02/2023 15:07

@ChiefRoady That is the reality. We have already declined 4 and quite a few of our friends will be declining 2-4 this week. We have friends awaiting on WL and are very aware of the stress associated... if we can do anything to help, we will do.

Shiningsun · 14/02/2023 15:06

HighAltitude23 · 14/02/2023 14:28

This makes a wait list spot becoming a from place seem so much less likely. Does anyone know how many wait list offers are made by the academic schools per year?

Worried and in dark. So many parents tell us that academic schools like SPGS, G&L all go to the waiting lists. But schools claim these waiting lists are not ranked. Is that a lie? If they don’t rank the kids, do they run a lottery system to offer a space?

ChiefRoady · 14/02/2023 15:00

Just hoping lots of people have got several offers. Some DC have six. Then as one space is declined hopefully that creates a cascade of waitlist shifts.
Is that wishful thinking on my part?

QuiteAJourney · 14/02/2023 14:54

@ChiefRoady Indeed. Quite telling about the values (or not) of individuals.

I personally think that there will be more movement in WLs (and earlier) than in previous years - and really hope so.

ChiefRoady · 14/02/2023 14:52

QuiteAJourney · 14/02/2023 14:41

I think that movements will depend on the school and how 'conservative' they have been with their offers. For instance, some schools in London 'overshot' last year so they have to be very careful with numbers - so assumption is that they have been cautious with offers but will end up going to WL.
Also, it depends where you are in the WL - some schools are more transparent than others: e.g. WHS tells people if they are in the top third, second third or bottom third of the WL, but PHS is not giving that information.
Last but not least, all depends on when people are releasing their offers. I have seen some (rather warped) posts of people keeping offers that they are not planning to take. Imho, that shows a total lack of empathy... We have released 4 offers already and plan to release the rest (apart from the top one) by 27th February.

Quite. If you are seriously considering and want to have another look at the school then fair enough.
But if you aren’t even considering it then why sit on it. I could not understand that.

ChiefRoady · 14/02/2023 14:48

Pigeon25 · 14/02/2023 14:30

The contract we have is a little strange- it makes us liable for the first terms fees upon acceptance, but paid in 3 instalments. It’s not clear to me what would happen if we ended up not taking up the place. Oh the joys of this process continue!

Show quote history

Goodness, that is quite a commitment- I suppose they had a pattern people accepting and foregoing their place in spring term.
Are the acceptance deadline dates for your offer and WL schools quite close together?

QuiteAJourney · 14/02/2023 14:41

I think that movements will depend on the school and how 'conservative' they have been with their offers. For instance, some schools in London 'overshot' last year so they have to be very careful with numbers - so assumption is that they have been cautious with offers but will end up going to WL.
Also, it depends where you are in the WL - some schools are more transparent than others: e.g. WHS tells people if they are in the top third, second third or bottom third of the WL, but PHS is not giving that information.
Last but not least, all depends on when people are releasing their offers. I have seen some (rather warped) posts of people keeping offers that they are not planning to take. Imho, that shows a total lack of empathy... We have released 4 offers already and plan to release the rest (apart from the top one) by 27th February.

Pigeon25 · 14/02/2023 14:30

Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 13:08

It's less the holding deposit more the point at which we become liable for the first terms' fees. There has to be a better way of going through 'clearing' but this system works for the schools.

The contract we have is a little strange- it makes us liable for the first terms fees upon acceptance, but paid in 3 instalments. It’s not clear to me what would happen if we ended up not taking up the place. Oh the joys of this process continue!

ghislaine · 14/02/2023 14:30

That stat fills me with dread! We are WL for our first choice which has an intake of 60-odd. I can’t imagine another 60+ boys would turn them down and only then will they turn to the waiting list. Feeling very Eeyore-ish about our prospects.

(Hope it’s ok to be a SE London interloper on these threads.)

HighAltitude23 · 14/02/2023 14:28

This makes a wait list spot becoming a from place seem so much less likely. Does anyone know how many wait list offers are made by the academic schools per year?

Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 14:13

I think it's double the number of places for mid tier schools, and around 30-50% over for more academic schools. I'm guessing and happy to be corrected.

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HighAltitude23 · 14/02/2023 14:05

Thank you for setting up this thread. The uncertainly about a wait list offer is rather nerve wracking! Does anyone know by how much these schools over offer as I understand that they over offer as the anticipate children declining offers so may not actually go to wait list. We are wait listed for Godolphin.