SW/W London Independent Schools thread part two

[Chillaxalready]

There. I've done it and started one.
1001 messages and counting!

Also preparing myself for possibly losing a deposit. I had lived in -albeit small hope -that after last Friday's offer day, lists would move, particularly for Putney - as hoped Godolphin, LEH etc might win out for some. Am I right in thinking that Putney has a smaller year group this year? Sorry I am sure we covered this a week or so ago, probl'y on this thread in fact but on quick run through cant find it!
Thanks Eastpoint. A deposit is one thing but I don't think our family would wish to take hit of a term's fees as well. Ouch.

Don't forget lots of people will have been away for half term so might not have contacted the schools yet and the schools might not have been running at full strength over half term.

If you can sit it out you can physically drop off the cheque at the last minute at offer school, waiting until then just in case your preferred school gets a decline call from someone. I've known of people bolting from one school to another at 11.45am as they received a call on their way to drop off their cheque. If you get a call after 12 and you've dropped your cheque off, you could still call the school and ask them to rip up your cheque.

Some people might send their daughters to Lady Margaret's, Waldegrave, Sacred Heart or Greycoat if they get those when the state offers come out rather than accept a fee paying place and so release places.

We lost a deposit only 3 hours after paying it, as an offer came through from our preferred school. The other school refused to rip up the cheque even though it hadn't been cashed yet

Out of interest, how many others have lost deposits due to taking a place at another school? And how soon/long after paying the deposit and how close to starting?

Our experience with Preps has been that not only do you lose your deposit,by if you pull out after Easter, you are also committed to a term of fees too - once signing the contract and paying the deposit, you are effectively the same as a current parent and need to give a full term of notice. Is this different with secondary schools....or will pulling out after Easter have the same effect?
Thanks.

Chocfinger, IME waiting lists don't move until after the state results are out and even then people are slow to respond to offers, sadly
I believe that Putney has an extra class every other year, and this year isn't one of them.

I've looked at t&c's - yes a terms notice is needed after deposit paid so we'd need to know by end March. I'm prepared to lose a deposit if necessary but not a terms fees.

A friend has her daughter at Emanuel...3 weeks' in a place came up for a classmate at Lady Margaret's and the child switched schools. Clearly places come up over the months but I'm hoping that most of the movement is fast and in March! Gulp.

That's painful Pink.

Gosh the schools must make a BOMB out of all these deposits/term's fees that aren't taken up!

We still haven't decided fully yet, but in some ways, there is less pressure as we will not get a State offer that makes us re-think, due to being out of the catchment for Waldegrave by a few hundred metres.

St RR Head made it pretty clear that if you weren't an actively practising Catholic then they weren't interested so that is that for us!

Wonder how many are waiting for State offers before they decide?

Castles, how are you getting on?

Seconding Eastpoint's point (!) - everyone I know in real life has been weighing up options over half term. I would expect movement to start this week.

If the deposit cheque has not been cashed can you not ask the bank to cancel it? I think there's a charge (£15 comes to mind) but it's nothing compared to the deposit. Probably best to call the school first to ask them to tear up the cheque before calling the bank!

Afraid you can't just cancel a cheque like that. They could sue, and they would win.

Would someone know - if the payment is made to the charity that is behind the school (rather than the actual school itself) and then you get a place from the waiting list of another school that belongs to the same charity would you still loose your deposit money?

Our deposit cheque was made out to the individual school, so even though the school we then accepted was part of the same charity, we didn't get the deposit back

I would ring the registrar at the school where your child has been offered a place and stress how much you like the school and that some aspect (the drama, the sport whatever) really appeals to you & your child but that your child is waiting to hear from the other school because - again some good holistic reason, what do they advise in this instance. The registrars/admissions offices tend to be very concerned about the happiness of future pupils & do try hard to help families.

That's definitely a worthwhile strategy but it does rely on waiting lists moving very quickly, so might only delay things for a day or so. Also it means that some other poor family might lose their depositif you free up a place a day or so after the deadline!

If you really want a place and are prepared to lose a terms fees elsewhere, your chances are good, as long as the Registrar knows how keen you are. Places will come up, and after Easter the Registrar will want to offer to the person who will take it rather than give a series of families two weeks each to decide and who then turn them down.

DD was shown around one school by a girl who was my son's age. We were a bit surprised because we thought she had gone to another school. Apparantly the place had come up half way through the summer holidays. She also seemed to have been granted a non-academic exhibition (sport, art, music or something. Perhaps the schools way of providing some financial compensation. After all they would have had the additional term's fees from the pupil who had dropped out. So in these circumstances I think it is worth negotiating.

Even odder was the girl who started Yr7 at DDs school, attended for two days and then disappeared for a week, before returning. I wondered at the time, given state schools started two days later than the private, was that she had kept her state school place open and decided to try both before making a decision.

DarkBlueEyes, we are fine thanks so much for asking. Two week holiday for us currently so everyone is very happy! Good luck with decision making and wait list moving to you, and everyone else. Needmoresleep, your anecdote made me chuckle.

Anyone heard of movement on waiting lists yet? I know Surbiton has moved but haven't heard of any others- and I know Putney won't say until 3rd

Not a peep.

KGS are unable reveal children's position on the waiting list at present and say they will have a better picture closer to the 5th of March. I think I'm feeling more pressure now than ever before! Had accepted losing a deposit but a losing a terms fees is something we are struggling to accept.

Eek. I think I'd better get the cheque book out too.... it's all getting very close now.

Hope you all get what you want in the end. I am feeling more like we are moving towards a choice but am also really hoping that one of DD's friends might end up at the same school, however this is looking unlikely. :(

Just wish the schools would tell you where you are on the list so then you'd know whether there was a vague chance or a snowball's!

Anyone else been compulsively re-reading the Good School's Guide?

My compulsion is reading this thread...or more accurately constantly checking to see if anyone has posted anything.

Sigh.

I'm sure there'll be movement next week when the state offers come in and deposits are due to be paid. Most people I know haven't decided 100% yet. The state offer will clarify things in their minds hopefully!

I hope so. I suspect I will suck up losing the deposit...arghh

Where's the beach I'm with you- keep checking to see if by some miracle LEH waitlist starts moving! We turned down Surbiton today. It will be KGS or state option for us as it currently stands.