Retakes of entrance exam? Is it a thing?

[clearcalm]

My DS is on the reserve list for KCJS. We patiently wait to hear, probably at the end of Jan due to the way they have changed the timings.

Interestingly a fellow pupil in my DS's class who also went for the exam but was not offered a place or a reserve list place, has returned from the christmas break and says he was given the opportunity to retake one of the papers, and has now been offered a place.

It could be merely misinformation between children as I didn't think retakes were allowed , but the fellow pupil has a sibling already at the school. Is it a possibility?

Could have happened. Private schools can do what they want really for admissions. They should have a published policy but really the Head will decide. Do you have a back up school?

He's probably bluffing or may have misunderstood and was on the waiting list but has now been offered a place. I've never heard of primary/secondary school exam resits.

Seems a little odd (but along with not giving actual results, not having to indicate where on a waiting list a 'waiting' applicant might be etc, possibly something independent schools might feel just part of exercising that independence?), but... is it possible that he was taken ill before he had attempted one of the papers? That is the only situation in which a candidate for a state selective school would be able to 'have another go' for the same entrance round (i.e. not actually 'have another go', but complete the ecam).

are you in a private prep? did the HM intervene or make a call at all?

Was the child ill who did the alleged retake? Seems odd though.

very interesting post, I have never heard of such thing. but yes, the HM could do whatever he wants. But at this sensitive time, it's not a very pleasant thing to do.

The child wasn't ill as far as I am aware, if what is being said is correct, it would have been the decision of the school to allow them to retake one of the exams.

It's hard to know, and you don't want to over think it, but you would have thought that if the case was that the school wanted to grant the child entry as an after thought, they would have just made a concession without the need for an exam? Otherwise I can't what would stop the wider audience who were not on even on a reserve list, requesting that their child be allowed to retake an exam. It is not impossible, but it seems like a can of worms to be opening themselves up to.

We wait to hear about our own DS. Does anyone know if the St Pauls results have gone out as yet?