Lochinver House prep - any waiting list experiences?

[Mothlene]

Hi all,

Quite a specific one - just wondered if anyone had any experiences of being on the waiting list for a place at Lochinver House prep? Has anyone been placed on the list then got in? Or not got in? Anyone know roughly how many of the 40 places went to waiting list children and not the first offers?

I'd be grateful for any info. Many thanks

So can you clarify, did you apply for reception next year but there are forty others before you?
If so I'd say you have a very good chance of getting in. People drop out of prep school waiting lists all the time - many will have either applied to more than one school or be tempted by a state school place.

Ok, I took ds for tour and then returned for the assessment a couple of weeks back. He did brilliantly. Spoke with them on Thursday and got positive vibes - was told of 'good news & bad news', he was within a whisker and it had nothing to do with 'merit', more to do with there being lots of siblings this year/ very strong field of boys. A couple more very positive points came out, but I'd rather not say on a public discussion board.

I was very happy - not to mention proud as punch - but got the standard rejection letter today which seemed colder...now I'm feeling on a slight downer, whereas before I was quite positive.

Yes, it's for reception starting September 2010.

Hi Mothlene

I have a DS in LHS and it is true there are a lot of siblings for the 2010 entry. However, the waiting lists do move. I know of a mum who had a DS on the waiting list last year who was later accepted.

Sorry I can't give you any numbers but good luck with it all.

And I know of a few people who dropped out last year. OK siblings won't drop out but others inevitably will. Depends how far down the list you are though.

Do you have a fallback option?

If it's any consolation we kept a place there last year as a back up in case we didn't get into an acceptable state school. We moved in the end and didn't take up the place. I imagine we wouldn't be the only people doing this.

mumsareglam: Thank you so much - yes, I know there are a lot of siblngs for 2010 - they said higher than usual. Also, I do believe we were one of the last assessment days and I know they 'stagger' offers.

Without being too specific, lets just say ds is far closer to the top than the bottom of the list, so we were told...

I am just hoping someone doesn't take up their offer, because there is another school we are interested in, but LHS is our first choice.

I wonder whether they do all their assessments in October or carry on throughout the year. I assumed they do all their offers early in the October before - they are notorious for trying to get places sorted out early.

Not sure if they others but I believe they have the main assessment in October, and if you miss that one then they might come to the nursery of your DS and assess him. I know this to be the case of someone in my year who accepted an offer in the summer holidays.

I guess subsequent assessments could depend on the numbers who have accepted the places they originally offered in October.

.. and numbers on the waiting list who have accepted as well, I would say.