Kingsdale waiting lists - any experience

[waitingnervously]

Has anyone got into Kingsdale Foundation School from the waiting list? We won't know what position our child is in until next week and I'm preparing for the worst (536th/723rd - it is very oversubscribed ) but I wondered if anyone else's child had got in from the list and how fast/slow it had moved for you.

Thanks

Dartford boys, so had to sit him down and explain the plus and minus of each school and then let him decide, although he loved kingsdale he chose dartford.

Wow... that is a long way to travel...!

Sorry to bump this thread but I am trying to find out how many children were admitted in Year 7 this year, and how many will be admitted in 2017. On their admissions page it says 240 per year, but earlier up the thread a poster says they expanded it up to 340?
Visited the school and liked it but the admissions information is sometimes a bit hazy!

Ah I have found the answer to my own question eventually after a bit of searching! In 2017 their intake is being bumped up to 300. In 2016 it was 360.

I'd really like to know how things went with RJsMA in the end ??

Hi - I'd kind of forgotten about this thread as my child is very happily settled at another school. However, as we have other children who might like Kingsdale, we've kept our oldest on the waiting list to find out how quickly one moves up it. So, last November the position was 33 (not the actual position but something in that ballpark). I contacted the school in January, it was still 33. Easter still 33 and this September, again, 33.

I was a bit that there appeared to be no movement whatsoever in that band and queried this with the schools admission staff who gave a very opaque answer implying spaces might have been taken up by students who had "looked after" or sibling priority but I am still that the exact number of people with those priorities would have applied for the exact number of available spaces. I'd be interested to know if other people's children who have been fairly low down the waiting list have been offered places or whether our situation has just been unusual.

That's strange as I know of at least 3 places there were given up after 2nd allocation in march (including ours) so I would of expected at least 8 to 10 place movement on the list.

And I know children who were offered places (and accepted) over the summer, including one who'll

Oops, pressed send too soon.

....including one who was offered a place just last week.

But the OP's child was not starting this September , so will be in the list for an in-year place in Yr 8 now.

It does seem a bit odd that nothing would change over all that time: even people dropping off the waiting lists because their kids are happy elsewhere.

Yes, Blu is correct. My child was originally at 100 and something and jumped 75 or so places over the summer of 2015 but has not moved a single place in the 11 months since then. I am vaguely considering a FoI request if I can think of some precise wording to see if I can get any closer to what has happened because I'm not convinced that the waiting list has been handled in a very transparent way.

I am interested to read that children on the scholarship waiting lists are offered places before non-scholarship children on the other waiting lists.

Surely that just means they have more than 15% on selective places at the school overall?

Or am I misunderstanding what has been said on the thread?

I know someone who was in position 7 for a whole year.

I think you are correct in saying they offer children from the scholarship band first, as I have been told there are many new children which have start over September and October, which have all been scholars.

I was wondering if a place becomes available in say band 1, do they then offer that place to a scholar in band 1 or any child in that band?

bibbity, you may be correct in that they possibly offer more than 15% of places to those with a scholarship.

But I originally interpreted the oversubscription criteria to mean that those on the scholarship waiting list would be offered a place when a child with a scholarship doesn't accept their place at the school.

happybunny, my DD told me 2 children joined her tutor group just a week or 2 before half term - so the school is still offering places. I would say that if a place in your DC's band became available, it would have to offered to your DC.

That does sound really odd waitingnervously. It would be interesting to see if you got anywhere with foi request!

maz99 I understand your logic, however aren't scholars also required to take the banding test? So presumably if you're a scholar you are also assigned to the scholars band and a one of the three main bands? Just thinking out loud.

Not really much to add which has not already been said but I am sure that being a scholars band does improve your position on the waiting list as although they have 2 lists they "may" (pinch of salt speculation on my part) select from 1 waiting list then another. I am most likely completely wrong.

happybunny you are correct, every child has to take the banding test and yes, children given a scholarship but didn't get offered a place in the school on offer day are then put on a scholar waiting list they are also included on their band waiting list. Which means they then end up with an extra chance to get a place in the school.

So does that mean that more than 15% of the intake is/are scholars then? (sorry, not sure of grammar)

Presumably before waiting lists even come in to play they have to stick to 15% being scholars, 85% being non-scholars.

Does that go out the window after the first day of term?

bibbitybobbityyhat I too have a sneaky suspicion that the scholarship intake is higher than the allocated 15% in their admission policy. Just my opinion and all purely speculation might I add.