Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

How long do we have before we need to respond to on an offer from a school?

27 replies

MissPa · 08/10/2024 07:52

Hi, yesterday DS was given an offer by the HM of a prep school following an assessment. This is for a spot in Year 4 Sep 2025. We were very excited as we think this school is a great fit for him, and DS also seem to like it very much during his visit!

However, we are also waiting to hear from another school which we like just as much - hopefully in the next 1-2 weeks. My question is: how long do we usually have before we have to give the HM an answer? The HM didn't give us a deadline per se, but we probably shouldn't drag our decision out for too long. Any advice on the whole 'offer acceptance' etiquette would be much appreciated!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
AllHisCaterpillarFriends · 08/10/2024 07:57

Do you like the other school 'just as much' or more?

I guess more as if completely equal you would accept the first offer.

Do you risk losing the place? Is it worth losing on the chance of getting the other place. It is difficult not having a date to confirm by, do you have it in writing that he is accepted ?

Macaroni46 · 08/10/2024 08:09

Call the school and ask how long you've got

TizerorFizz · 08/10/2024 08:13

Bird in the hand!!! Take what you have unless you prefer the other school. If you got two offers, which one would you choose? I imagine not this first school or you would not wait for the second one! What are the odds of getting the second one? Draw up a pros and cons list.

TizerorFizz · 08/10/2024 08:14

I think a week is max by the way. Any longer and it looks like you are not interested.

MumChp · 08/10/2024 08:16

We can't tell you. Ask the school and don't risk the place.

TizerorFizz · 08/10/2024 08:39

It might also matter if it’s a sought after school with few places or losing lots due to vat.

Original poster
MissPa · 08/10/2024 10:47

AllHisCaterpillarFriends · 08/10/2024 07:57

Do you like the other school 'just as much' or more?

I guess more as if completely equal you would accept the first offer.

Do you risk losing the place? Is it worth losing on the chance of getting the other place. It is difficult not having a date to confirm by, do you have it in writing that he is accepted ?

We have it in writing yes.

It's a really tough choice between the two places so that's why we are undecided. However, the other school hasn't made a move for over a week now (which might be a sign that they won't accept, but I guess nobody knows).

OP posts:
Original poster
MissPa · 08/10/2024 10:49

TizerorFizz · 08/10/2024 08:14

I think a week is max by the way. Any longer and it looks like you are not interested.

I see. Thanks for the advice!

OP posts:
Original poster
MissPa · 08/10/2024 10:51

MumChp · 08/10/2024 08:16

We can't tell you. Ask the school and don't risk the place.

Good point. Will do!

OP posts:
Supermummydd · 08/10/2024 18:59

I know you probably don’t want to rock the boat but it would be useful if you could gently ask the second school when they will make a decision?

modgepodge · 08/10/2024 19:02

Year 4 is an unusual entry point which makes me think the school isn’t full, in which case there won’t be a deadline (this would be the case in the school I work in!!)

I think it would be fine to ask how long the offer is for; don’t mention the other school, perhaps say you are double checking finances or something?

NoSquirrels · 08/10/2024 19:02

I’d call the school that hadn’t responded yet. What harm could it do? Either they’ll be motivated to say yes and you’ll have a place to decide on, or they’ll say no and you can accept the first school.

Original poster
MissPa · 10/10/2024 06:48

modgepodge · 08/10/2024 19:02

Year 4 is an unusual entry point which makes me think the school isn’t full, in which case there won’t be a deadline (this would be the case in the school I work in!!)

I think it would be fine to ask how long the offer is for; don’t mention the other school, perhaps say you are double checking finances or something?

Edited

Thank you for this info. What year would be a usual entry point for a school? Year 5?

OP posts:
tobyj · 10/10/2024 07:00

I used to work in primary admissions until quite recently, and there was a statutory rule (I thought in the national admissions code but perhaps it was just our county) that parents had to be given two weeks to consider an offer. If they didn't respond, they had to be sent a chaser giving a final week to decide, and only after that could we reoffer the place. The initial two week deadline was always in the offer letter. Is there nothing in your letter about a deadline?

LuckysDadsHat · 10/10/2024 07:04

tobyj · 10/10/2024 07:00

I used to work in primary admissions until quite recently, and there was a statutory rule (I thought in the national admissions code but perhaps it was just our county) that parents had to be given two weeks to consider an offer. If they didn't respond, they had to be sent a chaser giving a final week to decide, and only after that could we reoffer the place. The initial two week deadline was always in the offer letter. Is there nothing in your letter about a deadline?

The OP is talking about a private school who will have their own admissions policy.

LuckysDadsHat · 10/10/2024 07:06

MissPa · 10/10/2024 06:48

Thank you for this info. What year would be a usual entry point for a school? Year 5?

Show quote history

The usual entry points are Reception, Year 3, Year 5, Year 7, Year 9 and Year 12. This is based on the numerous different configurations about the country such as infant, primary, middle school etc...........

tobyj · 10/10/2024 07:27

Sorry. Comprehension fail. (NB I now work in private school admissions, and we still always give an acceptance deadline in the offer letter, but that's different of course. If they haven't, OP, then you can but ask. IME they're unlikely to withdraw the offer without chasing you at least once, in case of a missed email etc, but you may not want to risk that.)

Tiredofthewhirring · 10/10/2024 07:29

Good lord these are commercial businesses you're applying to give money to not men you're dating and trying not to scare 😂

Just ask first school what the acceptable deadline is and second school when they will make a decision.

tobyj · 10/10/2024 07:38

I'm not sure I've got the energy to argue, but a) around half of schools are charities not businesses, and b) the length of time they're willing to wait will depend on how oversubscribed they are. But I do agree that there's no problem with asking the school. They won't resent you for having other balls in the air!

modgepodge · 10/10/2024 11:41

MissPa · 10/10/2024 06:48

Thank you for this info. What year would be a usual entry point for a school? Year 5?

Show quote history

Depends on the school…usually reception, year 3 and potentially year 5. sometimes there will be extra classes added at these points or class sizes increase, creating extra spaces. if schools aren’t full they’ll obviously accept wherever there’s a space. Prep Schools in state 11+ areas often get an influx in y5, parents moving from state and hoping to just pay for 2 years of private and pass the 11+ for state grammar.

Tiredofthewhirring · 11/10/2024 00:28

tobyj · 10/10/2024 07:38

I'm not sure I've got the energy to argue, but a) around half of schools are charities not businesses, and b) the length of time they're willing to wait will depend on how oversubscribed they are. But I do agree that there's no problem with asking the school. They won't resent you for having other balls in the air!

Fine, they are businesses who have got ill deserved charity status.

Private schools exist to make money.

tobyj · 11/10/2024 06:38

We'll have to agree to disagree. I don't normally post on these threads, but I'm just really quite weary now of all the 'private schools are just businesses' narrative. I've worked in both state and private. I know lots of people who have worked in both. They're both just schools. The vast majority of the things that happen in a private school every day are the same things that happen in a state school every day: teaching, co-curricular activity, pastoral care and safeguarding. Those things may happen in a different way in private schools because there's more funding (ie smaller classes, better facilities and equipment), but they're still the same things. The people I know who work in private schools (from the most junior to the most senior) do so for the same reasons as the people I know who work in state schools: because they want to teach, because they want to work with kids, or because they want a local admin job that fits around their lives. Private schools that are charities don't 'exist to make money' - because nobody's 'making money' other than the salaries they earn (no shareholders in a charity, so any operating excess goes back into the education). And although those salaries might be slightly higher in some cases than in state schools, and the working conditions better in some ways, they're rarely dramatically different - and in any case, I would have thought most people would be all for teachers having better pay and conditions.

Private schools exist to 'be schools' - in the same way as they have for hundreds of years, in some cases. They exist to educate children.

tobyj · 11/10/2024 07:00

(Can't seem to edit. I meant to suggest that salaries often aren't that different. Working conditions can very different.)

Tiredofthewhirring · 11/10/2024 18:15

tobyj · 11/10/2024 06:38

We'll have to agree to disagree. I don't normally post on these threads, but I'm just really quite weary now of all the 'private schools are just businesses' narrative. I've worked in both state and private. I know lots of people who have worked in both. They're both just schools. The vast majority of the things that happen in a private school every day are the same things that happen in a state school every day: teaching, co-curricular activity, pastoral care and safeguarding. Those things may happen in a different way in private schools because there's more funding (ie smaller classes, better facilities and equipment), but they're still the same things. The people I know who work in private schools (from the most junior to the most senior) do so for the same reasons as the people I know who work in state schools: because they want to teach, because they want to work with kids, or because they want a local admin job that fits around their lives. Private schools that are charities don't 'exist to make money' - because nobody's 'making money' other than the salaries they earn (no shareholders in a charity, so any operating excess goes back into the education). And although those salaries might be slightly higher in some cases than in state schools, and the working conditions better in some ways, they're rarely dramatically different - and in any case, I would have thought most people would be all for teachers having better pay and conditions.

Private schools exist to 'be schools' - in the same way as they have for hundreds of years, in some cases. They exist to educate children.

@tobyj

I'm sure private school teachers are wonderful. But private school ARE for profit. Look up some of their accounts if you don't believe me. It's about how the business is structured and funded, not the staff

tobyj · 12/10/2024 06:17

If they're a business, yes. If they're a charity, no. Charities don't make profits. If you're asserting otherwise, who are you suggesting is pocketing these profits?

(Sorry OP for distracting from your thread. Any news?)