Is it only London day schools that are heavily over subscribed?

[Decisions23]

So many threads on the secondary topic seem to be about selective London day schools and they seem very heavily over-subscribed with lots of disappointed children who don’t get their offer.

Is this just a London day school thing or are boarding schools just as tricky to get a place at? Which be would be hardest to get into?

Also, I see some day schools do exams and then downselect based on performance, before the interview stage. Is there more emphasis on interview at a bs as the school need confidence the child can thrive boarding?

My impression is that the further away you get from London, the less over subscribed the school. Eton is hard to get into and Winchester and Harrow too.

Well, there are different hurdles to jump, which may be just as excluding as schools being oversubscribed.

If you’re talking about the traditional public schools - you need to know that’s your plan maybe three years ahead. The entrance process demands a degree of knowledge and organisation on the part of parents that, in itself, filters out all but the must confident.

The cost is staggering - and in general people who would benefit from bursary awards for boarding schools simply don’t know they exist.

You have to understand what 21st century boarding involves and doesn’t involve - that’s a whole other tranche of people who exclude themselves.

So then you’re left with a truly tiny minority (of UK parents, at least) who put their children forward for entrance.

Swings and roundabouts.

And yes to your final question.

Yes agree the pot of parents able to pay and interested in boarding outside the top 10 schools is tiny. The danger is not getting a place but whether the whole school financial structure is viable for the time your dc is there.

It's definitely easier to get into a top ten boarding school than it is to get into top ten London day school. But it's still hard to get in. I suspect once you head down the A level results list it's not actually that difficult to get a fee paying place in a decent boarding school. Supply and demand.

But yes getting a place at Eton, Winchester, Harrow, Wycombe, CLC, St Marys etc....

Still turning down many applications every year.