To think this is disingenuous?

[notnowB]

Youngest daughter is on the waiting list for a place at a private secondary school, in the city where we live. It cost £100 to put her on there (admin fee). Stupidly, I didn't think to ask where she'd be on the list before paying. So I phoned the school afterwards and was informed that she was number 7 on the waiting list for that year group. This information wasn't offered prior to my specific enquiry, when she was first added to the list.
When I phoned today - some weeks later - to check if there had been any movement within the list, I was told that there hadn't been and that 7 children would have to leave before they'd consider my daughter for a place. I asked them at what point they close their waiting list, and was told they don't. So this means that if there were 10 children on the waiting list for this year group alone, that's £1000 in the school's pocket for doing not very much at all.
I feel it would be a fairer system if they were open and upfront with parents upon first enquiring about a place, and also temporarily closing the waiting list when it becomes unfeasibly long.
I am not looking for this to open a private school debate, as you know nothing of our situation and why we wanted a place at this school in the first place.
But AIBU re their waiting list?
Thanks

You're right, that isn't very fair of them. I suppose they could argue that you might eventually get a place, but they should be open about the length first.

Thanks birdling! I mean, it's not like I'm loaded. Sacrifices would need to be made to send my child there, but I do think it would benefit her hugely

I don't think they are more to blame than you are, perhaps you should have asked earlier. If you can afford the fees, £100 isn't really that much.

You've missed my point. I feel it's the principle of the thing. But yes, I do agree that I should have asked in advance.

It seems a bit odd to moan about the situation when you weren’t worried enough before paying the deposit to ask about the likelihood of getting a place and how their waiting list system works.

Surely your daughter had to pass an entrance exam before going on the list?

Numbers 1-5 may have been on the list for ages though and now perfectly happy at new schools.
at my daughter’s first school (which was a bit crap), they had the same policy and by the end of year 4, over half the original intake had left - and been replaced.

But the waiting list could stretch to 20 and the staff wouldn't crack a light unless asked outright!
I'm starting to doubt myself now; perhaps I did ask and they said that they didn't have that information to hand. I'll take the blame though, just in case I'm wrong and am accused of dripfeeding
I don't think it's right to keep accepting people's non-refundable money indefinitely though.

I thought it was standard to ask where you’d be on the list at the point of payment , I can’t comprehend why you’d pay without knowing, they obvs can’t distribute at the time, as they’d need to keep updating if movement as people decide to pay at all different times and obvs that impacts their position on the list, as in the first to pay Is number 1 and so on.

so you were the 7th to pay. How could they possibly know that, unless it was asked at the point of payment?

No entrance exams for this particular school, which is why it appeals. Daughter has mild learning difficulties and they are known for being inclusive.

It was daft of me not to ask, as I've already said.

I don't see how it's disingenuous. It's a £100 fee to be added to the waiting list. You paid this and are on the waiting list. If the length of the list mattered you should have asked this prior.

Ok, it seems I'm on the wrong. It didn't sit comfortably with me, but clearly that's just me. Thanks for the input though everyone - appreciate it.

in the wrong

YANBU, it's wrong of them to take money without a good chance of getting a place. However, you have to remember that this is what private schools do. They're in the business of making money. Like any business, if they can charge for something, they will. The may have charity status, but they still function as a business.

That said, I went to private school and lots of pupils left as their parents simply ran out of money. I imagine that may well happen, and your daughter may get a place, even in 7th.

If they close the list at 10 because that's what they can usually turn over in a year, so they refuse to let you on then a few months later someone leaves, someone joins and someone else asks to go on the list then they'd possibly get a place and you wouldn't even be allowed on the list.

But yes they should disclose position before taking money

YABU about the waitlist. It is a way of managing numbers - people drop out/move their children etc, so a waitlist is used to ensure the money/fees keeps flowing.

How did your daughter get a place - was there an entrance exam and if so, how well did she do? Does 7 on the waitlist mean there are 6 children who scored higher than her or is the waitlist based on other criteria?

You need to ask the admissions office these questions as it will help you decide if to look elsewhere. Also if the fees are going to be a stretch you need to be talking to the bursar about help available. If she's accepted part through a year she may not be eligible for financial support straightaway as funds may have been allocated.

Have you looked at other schools - do you stand a better chance of getting her in to one of them?

Thanks. It's a good point, but people in this city are highly unlikely to run out of money, hence the 'healthy' waiting lists at its private schools.

Only seven on the waiting list?

We've taken in several kids from private schools this term as others have left - many of those to go to private schools. It's like folk dancing, all this dosey-doeing between the two sectors.

Our waiting lists as a whole are around 240 per year group.

Oh, and you have no idea about just how much work it involves to run admissions. You might think there's nothing to do, but the time it takes to process the leaving, file transfers, safeguarding, recalculating, contacting, offering, holding a meeting, chasing for an answer, getting ghosted, repeating the whole process for the next on the list, then being accepted, producing the documentation, making the financial arrangements, setting up the accounts, producing timetables, liaising with the old school, obtaining safeguarding and SEND records, notifying the LA (private schools are advised to do this as well), getting the UPN/UCI from the old schools or then having to obtain them from the DfE, trying to get hold of the learning records, producing student IDs - it's hours of work of which you only see a quick phone call or email.

There are nurseries around us who run a similar scam - waiting lists are over a year for the baby room and even longer for the toddler room, so if you join the waiting list when your baby is six months old, realistically there is zero chance of you getting a place before you return to work.

I know a few people who signed up late and were told they “should have space” by September, or whenever, and then later on were told “sorry, no chance”.

Only seven on the waiting list?

no the op has misunderstood or misexplained, she is no 7 on the list, so 6 paid before her, there will be an 8 and a 9 and a 10 etc

what she’s saying is they should somehow notify her before she paid of how many got their faster,

Very.