Private school sign up - early birth, what to do?

[rumtumtugger]

Dd was due in September and was signed up for a non-selective private school according to her edd. However, she was born early in August. Unfortunately, the year she is NOW supposed to be going into has a full waiting list, but we have been given guaranteed entry for the year that she WAS supposed to be going into as we signed her up early.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? I am loathe to call the school without having options to suggest...has anyone put their premature dc back a year? Would private schools accept this? Has anyone succeeded in getting their premature dc into a school despite a full list for that year?

I really would have thought that you need to talk to the school. They may well have had experience of this in the past.

A private school is usually more persuadable to place a pupil put of year group than a state school, but you might hit difficulties when it comes to secondary school transfer.

How long until year of proposed entry? Not everyone with an early guaranteed place will actually take it up (might be back up to a selective school, maybe they'll move, or have a financial crisis).

Talk to the school - they know you are serious and attempted to put down good and early. Perhaps you can persuade them to bump you up the waiting list for her new correct year?

We infrequently but it does happen hold children back a year if it will benefit them, or accept children who are about to repeat a year. We are much more flexible about it than state schools as we are not dependent on government funding, the parents pay!

If you're already looking at a full waiting list I assume you are in London (I've never heard of it happening anywhere else). Remember that is is a VERY transient population (other cities too, if you're elsewhere) and even 'full' waiting lists are likely to reopen at some point in the next 3-4 years (on second assumption that your DC is just 4 weeks old ish). I would call the school, explain the situation and sit tight. I think there's a good chance you'll get in. My neighbours got their daughter into a mega oversubscribed prep, for reception, having been told two years before that they couldn't put her name on the waiting list as it was full.