waiting lists grammar schools

[whathappened]

Hi, My dd is quite high on waiting list for our local grammar school.First dd to go through this so i am a bit unsure of how this all works.school told me some people sit on their places until the last moment,why do people do this?I know people are entitled to do this but just curious why.also how long would you wait on a waiting list before giving up? We have a good comprehensive as back up but want my daughter to start getting excited about the school she is going to be attending.many thanks

[gazzalw]

Good for you! Fingers crossed indeed! How is your DS feeling?

[CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs]

End of June. I have everything crossed!!

[gazzalw]

When is the appeal Couthy? Sometimes miracles do happen....

[CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs]

It's just such a shame he was so ill, and lost marks. Thing is, there's usually ONLY 5 places movement from the waiting list, and there's already been 8. So I'm not holding my breath for the waiting list. Still have the appeal to go...

[gazzalw]

11 points separated DS (who got in) from school friends who just missed out on passing 11+ exams - for the school DS goes to...That's neither here nor there in the scheme of things is it?

[gazzalw]

Good news, CouthySaysEastChoccyEggs - slowly but surely - hoping he gets in....At least he's moving in the right direction!

"It seems hard to believe that in the one mark between the last child admitted on March 1st, and DS's mark just one mark lower, there were 18 people!!"

No it doesn't - such is the nature of the competition. We know DS scored the cut off mark and there were at least 8 boys above him (initially) and possibly others below him on the waiting list (we only live in next Borough to where his super-selective is...), quite apart from those who lived closer who got in with the same mark on Offers Day....

In DS's school's somewhere in an Admissions Booklet it clearly stated that you could end up with up to 50 boys with the same score!!!

[CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs]

On offer day, the last child admitted had a score of 338.4__ (? I think). DS1's score was 337.171.

In between that child with a score of 338.4__, and my DS1 with a score of 337.171, there were 17 other DC's who scored either 338.something and 337.2...

[CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs]

Update - DS1 has moved from 18th to 10th on the waiting list for CRGS. It seems hard to believe that in the one mark between the last child admitted on March 1st, and DS's mark just one mark lower, there were 18 people!!

[gazzalw]

it should have said you're rather than you've....

[gazzalw]

Thanks Tiggytape - you've a star!

[gazzalw]

Tiggytape, I wonder how the waiting list for in-catchment/outside catchment works? I know that those out of catchment for WHS have to score a lot higher (comparatively) than those within catchment - or have I got that wrong (or is it more complicated - I am assuming that some of the girls in catchment could be right at the top of the 11+ exam results too)?

So my question to anyone in the know is this: how is the waiting list managed - as an entire list or as two distinct ones for in/out-of catchment?

It all seems very complicated. It is also possible that one would be more likely to secure a place from one over the other waiting list???

[ce09ssa]

Hi everyone,

I am still awaiting for a response from WGS. My DS is 5th on the waiting list under 'out of catchment' criteria. I phoned last week as well but same reply that waiting list hasn't moved yet. Can somebody please clarify that is there different waiting list for each criteria or one waiting list for every body??????????? How long do I have to wait? ///emo/te/11.gif

[gazzalw]

Yikes just lost my email!

to you Piggywigwig although alarming to think that your observation could reflect "the shape of things to come" with waiting lists. It wouldn't surprise me though. Very sad and frustrating for all those hanging so near and yet so far on the lists.....

Tiggytape, you have an astonishing memory! You are perfectly right. Yes, DS must have been very lucky to hear so quickly.....

[breward]

My son has a place at grammar school and scored highly enough to achieve a place at every Essex grammar school ( even CCHS, if only he were a girl!) apart from kegs, where he missed the cut off by half a mark. However, kegs is our local school and is in walking distance, shsb is a fabulous school but is a 45 minute bus ride away. We would just like to save him from 90 minutes on a bus each day.

As an aside, I have just heard that a boy was offered a kegs place yesterday... We are now 3 rd on the w/l!

[piggywigwig]

..the sun has definitely gone to my head I should have said

Let's give a better example, let's say the 98th (ie last) boy got in on 339.401 - the 5th on the waiting list may have scored 339.391

[piggywigwig]

..btw I know my example doesn't reflect 0.001 lol!

[piggywigwig]

gazzalw
"Ignore me - not sure that last comment of mine makes sense blush...

At the end of the day "quite high" on a waiting list could to my mind mean anywhere twixt 1st and probably about 25th.

All I know is that by this time last year we had known for six weeks that DS had got his desired school place, from being 9th of the waiting list. From what I can glean on here and the 11+Forum, this year, as you have rightly said Piggywigwig, things seem to be moving very much slower.....

That is of no help to parents and DCs desperate for news...who may be sitting on waiting lists for months sad"


I wouldn't ignore you

I sadly think that what's happening this year with waiting lists, is going to set the trend for a good few years to come and the golden years of lists moving, and a real glimmer of hope, are gone. I truly feel for parents who are waiting on lists and for appeals.

Vishyrich
" often excelling in a normal school is better than barely scraping past in a grammar, I should know since I attend one, to be honest you need hard graft either way"

Whilst I know where you're coming from, the reality for let's say, the 5 children who get through on a waiting list for superselectives like Colchester County High for Girls or Colchester Royal Grammar for Boys, is that they're not going to struggle because what separated them from the children who got in to the school on National Offer's Day, is probably the difference between 0.001 of a mark. That's how tough it is and how close the marks are. Let's give a better example, let's say the 98th (ie last) boy got in on 339.345 - the 5th on the waiting list may have scored 339.401. The margins are quite simply that small. He's not likely to struggle and may in fact do better than a boy who scored 350 on the day.

[Vishyrich]

I think you should really be looking at the child's welfare, joining a school late is never nice, and although it is understandable you want your child to have a good start, often excelling in a normal school is better than barely scraping past in a grammar, I should know since I attend one, to be honest you need hard graft either way

[gazzalw]

Ignore me - not sure that last comment of mine makes sense ...

At the end of the day "quite high" on a waiting list could to my mind mean anywhere twixt 1st and probably about 25th.

All I know is that by this time last year we had known for six weeks that DS had got his desired school place, from being 9th of the waiting list. From what I can glean on here and the 11+Forum, this year, as you have rightly said Piggywigwig, things seem to be moving very much slower.....

That is of no help to parents and DCs desperate for news...who may be sitting on waiting lists for months

[piggywigwig]

gazzalw
"I have no doubt though that significant changes overall to the admissions system have probably tightened things up so you don't get the 'maybes' sitting on places for months on end."

I'm not being rude but I genuinely don't understand how the changes last year have made a difference to people sitting on places?