If your child did not get offered a place at private school, where did they go instead?

[Mumfirst85]

If a child takes the entrance exams but doesn't get offered a place to a private school, where do they end up going? I guess their nearest state school? Or is this a very rare occurrence I.e. they will end up getting in somewhere?

For those of you who this happened to, did you feel okay about the outcome in the end?

This is just theoretical for me, I can't afford to send my children to private school and we are lucky to have a well regarded state secondary for when they leave primary.

Some parents fill out a state school application in parallel with doing the private school exams and make a decision when they have all the results through.

But also there are some private schools which are not highly academically selective and most kids will get a place if they have parents who are willing to pay.

There are non academically selective private schools. I know of a boy who didn’t get a place at 11, his parents moved him to a prep (preps generally have spaces for Y7 as quite a few leave after Y6) then tried again with a more realistic set of schools for Y9 entry. He ended up a one of the schools I’ve heard about as being non selective (academically, obviously selective in terms of being able to pay).

If you are really wedded to the independent sector, you will be able to find a place. However, for London parents this may mean either moving or boarding due to the pressure on places there.

Everyone I know who has gone for private has also applied for the local state schools . You'd be mad not to surely as they will be full otherwise .

I know a lot of parents planning to go private round here also apply for state schools as insurance. Then a lot of state places suddenly free up on the second round as they reject the place they've been offered in favour of the private school.

@gunnersgold yes absolutely. I guess then waiting list spaces become available to others as those who choose to accept private school offers do so.

I wonder if anyone had to take a place in a state school after hoping for private and ended up pleasantly surprised. I'm sure people have.