Anyone else on the waiting list for Kingsdale?

[bibbityisaporker]

Just wondering how it works from this point on ... daren't ask on the EDF for fear of admin and the current Kingsdale parents blowing an actual gasket!

Yes but getting information from Kingsdale about the band is proving difficult (they certainly don't like being questioned), up to the e-mail today I got better information from Southwark admissions than the school gave me.

According to their website appeals must be lodged by 20 April so I guess there will be no second wave of offers until after then. If it truly is random then an appeal is quite difficult to make unless there's an administrative error or a special need was not taken into account.

My son has an outside chance of getting in on the waiting list as he is in top 20 of his band but I'm not hopeful as only 10-15 moved in the bands last year and demand for the school is allegedly higher this year. Some of his classmates are in the late 100s, I almost wish he was so the hope in his heart would die IYSWIM.

The whole thing is far from transparent ... (I also won't risk putting that on EDF). You have my sympathy, good luck.

Just wanted to let you know from my experience last year of that school - we were 80 something on the list but could not get an explanation at all re bands etc....not like lewisham schools where we knew within days exactly where we were! Incredibly pathetic.

So we accepted a place at another school 3rd choice so happy (after being told our place of 5th on her band at lewisham sch) and dd is thriving...anyway a letter was sent out to some parents (nov??) that didnt get into kd (not all parents received this letter based on a short poll on my mates etc) this was to find out if we wanted to stay on the waiting list (no other school had done this as I am aware)

dd had 2 kids leave her school end nov..beginning dec to join kd then I found out 2 boys also joined (thru parents at kd) then within days of sending back letter to kd we were offered a place there....hmmm I thought this quite odd and still do....dd was adament she did not want to leave her school so end of story but I have a strong gut feeling the place is a mess on the admin side

Point to story - if there is one - you may get a place by end of year!!!!
Have to say the whole thing left me feeling sick and angry and couldn't care 2 hoots that kd parents love the school the system sucks and they were just lucky

Thanks both. Well, you have answered a question for me there Tatty - I am not going to appeal (have no grounds to) and as dd is no. 73 in band 1, I am just going to let it go and give it no more headspace! Thank you.

And that is very interesting about places being offered in November last year maxtrue. I wonder if the same will happen this year.

I only know of one child from our primary who was given a place in the lottery this year.

Bibbity, was your dc offered a scholarship? Because as I understand it from an explanation on here last year, there is an additional waiting list for scholarship places, and scholarship applicants are on both band and scholarship lists. I think.

Are you on other waiting lists, too?

Hi Blu - no, no scholarships here. Dd is an arty bookworm with none of the Kingsdale specialisms!

And yes, my friend has a son who was offered a full sports scholarship and he is on a waiting list for that and a separate one for his banding.

Am on waiting list for the most sought after co-ed just the other side of the Village but that aint going to happen, so our 3rd choice it will be! Its great but its girls only ... so gotta go through it all again in 3 years time for ds. We are thinking of moving to the Dunraven catchment, actually.

I hear the Dunraven catchment can be a great place to live, amongst some lovely Mn-ers

I posted these on a thread the other day:
this
and this and this, for example. or ones like this go for about £550k

Yes, I have been having a little looky . There was a great double fronted one you linked, somewhere off Knights Hill, which I would seriously have gone to have a look at except it had a north facing garden.

Did you get your first choice then? Only 55% in Southwark got one of their first three.

Yes, we got first choice, we live v close so I was spared the angst. Phew!

I don't know what the Lambeth figures are for top 3, everyone I know round us got first choice (as everyone at DS's primary lives within catchment for 2 popular choices) or at least first non-selective choice. My friends further north in the borough got 3rd choice - Kingsdale was 1st, I don't know where they are on waiting lists, but they will be on the scholarship list as well as band.

The Kingsdale lottery really throws the Southwark situation for Southwark families.

I wonder if your dd is going to the same school as MotherInferior's dds?

Yes, the lottery sucks! I wonder if the children have a tiny part of them that believes that those who got number 1 in their choices are somehow better than them? I know that those who are offered a low choice or even no choice at all often take it absolutely to heart and think there is something wrong with them. I have tried to explain, as best I can to dd, how it all works and how it is to do with chance and where your parents happen to have set up home, and she is an intelligent girl, but I do wonder if she feels a bit "not quite good enough".

Yes, MI has been in touch!

It must be incredibly disconcerting for those that get no offer, and disappointing for those that get a low offer. And children also see themselves as implicit in things like that, so...

I feel, too, for the ones who were geared up for the selective tests, worked really hard, have 4 selectives at the top of the list and then get 5th choice.

Were your chances caught up in the last minute distance debacle?

Yes, the last minute distance debacle will have done for us.

The stress of having expectations turned upside down that far into the process must have been extreme

Oh, we are alright about it really. I am huge sceptical about Kingsdale (always have been) so am very happy for dd. She may even become friends with one of the inferiorettes! The only fly in the ointment is not wanting boys only for ds. But a lot can change in three years.