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Original poster

London waitlists -- not moving?

31 replies

cathwilsonreid · 22/07/2025 18:17

It seems to me that the waitlists (for in-demand state secondary schools) are not moving as much in London as they have in previous years (or at least according to what others have told me -- i.e., they were X place on wait list, got a place in July.) I'm supposing it's the effect of the VAT?

Does this seem true to anyone else?

OP posts:
twistyizzy · 24/07/2025 20:37

Poonu · 24/07/2025 20:20

Has been stated many many times that the Liz Truss fiasco had a far bigger impact on private school than the VAT increase

And its incorrect. Truss didn't cause a 67%+ closure rate for schools or make 16K kids leave mid-year

Poonu · 24/07/2025 20:20

Has been stated many many times that the Liz Truss fiasco had a far bigger impact on private school than the VAT increase

icecreamfortea · 24/07/2025 16:12

Mine are a bit older but friends with younger children were saying the SW London wait lists for the more ‘desirable’ schools were massive and not moving at all, compared to previous years.

tequilam0ckingbird · 24/07/2025 08:01

there's a declining birth rate, which started with the cohort born in 2012 and has continued to decline since. In my London borough, catchments for desirable schools are actually increasing.

LadyLapsang · 23/07/2025 08:12

I would anticipate it is an issue for the statistically tiny cohort of parents who enter their child for multiple selective schools, both state and private, in numerous local authorities, both within and outside Greater London. In the past, there would have been more opportunity for parents to negotiate generous scholarships/ bursaries based on offers.

The vast majority of London’s children received an offer from one of their preferred schools this year. Pan-London Admissions reported, on secondary National Offer Day, that over 70% of children in London received their first preference, over 90% one of their top three preferences, and just under 95% received one of their preferred schools.

twistyizzy · 22/07/2025 18:51

Anecdotally yes you're right. VAT is having a huge impact. Sept 25 was always going to be the key milestone as it's when parents decided not to start the independent school journey ie Yr R/1, 7 + 9.