Wetherby waiting list

[skal]

Hello, I registered DS1 (born in Oct 2011 end) for Wetherby pre-prep. However, they have put him up in the waiting list despite our prompt action. Could please someone share their experiences on being on Wetherby waiting list? Is there any chance at all that DS1 will get a place? Should we even bother paying the £100 registration fee for being on the waiting list? Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thanks.

No personal experience of Wetherby admissions, but does the school actually offer places at this stage or does everyone go on a waiting list? If they have sibling priority then some prospective siblings may not even have been conceived yet! Most people register at more than one school so when the offer letters come out (which might be in several years' time) not all places may be taken. I suggest you definitely pay the registration fee to keep your options open. I've lost count of the number of registration fees I've paid to various schools, but that's just how it is.

Your child is what, less than four weeks old, and you're worried you're too late with the school admissions application?

Now I really have heard it all.

Presumably you were aware that a month-end birth gives you a lower chance of success? The 5 places a month go quite quickly, especially given sibling priority.

I agree with Azure - registration fees are a rather unfair way of getting money, but all part of the game I'm afraid. This will not be the only fee you end up paying which may not result in a place.

You mean you didn't book a caesarian for the 1st of october and register for wetherby on the 2nd. What were you thinking of?

In fairness if she waited until the 2nd then she may well have been too late. First time fathers in the know go straight from the labour ward to the school.

Agree with Ladymuck and Azure; it is all part of the game.
You should consider applying for Chepstow House as it's part of the Alpha group (same as Wetherby) so in the past some preference has been made for children at Chepstow who want to move onto Wetherby. Also, if you are dead set on Wetherby, sign up for Rolfe's nursery as they too are part of the Alpha Group and feed into Wetherby.
There are other good schools in the area. Consider Norland Place, Notting Hill Prep and Bassett House (where our boys go). Many of these schools feed into Wetherby at the 7+8+ stage. There are others too...
Be prepared to pay multiple fees if you are willing to play the game. Many do, many do not!
Good Luck!

That is Wetherby for you! It is all a bit of scam, but if you like the school and are reasonably likely to still be in the area when he is 4, I'd pay up, and make sure you are down at some others too. The upside for Wetherby is that if you do clear the list you don't have to do assessments at 3/4, which is an absolute god-send.

The other lists don't jam up so fast, and are more favorable to early in quarter babies, so the rest aren't quite such a rush, but get it done.
Just to add to your woes, have you done nursery schools? I did my first son's prep schools by 3 months and slacked off, leaving the nurseries until he was nearly 12 months old, in August, and was left with no first round place for nursery, and had to run around like a maniac, finding a place just 2 months before he was due to start. It all seems to come out in the wash in the end, (one doesn't see hoards of un-nurseried tots rampaging the streets of Kensington and Chelsea) but all seems v stressfull at the time.

good luck

Thanks all. DS has got a definite place in Eaton House Belgravia. Is it still worth putting his name down for other schools (such as Garden House etc.)?

Michaelahpurple - yes I registered DS for a nursery when I was 5 months pregnant.

think I have heard it all now; registering with a nursery when 5 months pregnant is beyond ridiculous

Hi All - our DS was born at the end of Nov-18. We registered him within two weeks of his birth at Wetherby (with a view to send him to Little Wetherby first and then Wetherby Prep) and were told that we are on the waiting list and did not get a definite place. Before paying the £150 waiting list fee (which is strange, considering that even kids who get a definite place pay the same £150 to confirm their places) I just wanted to get people's perspectives on the chances of getting in. Thanks very much and sorry for going off topic