Is it too early to start a 2016 girls 11+ W/SW London thread?

[orangina]

What do we think? DD is sitting 11+ for various consortium schools in January 2016 and I am slightly desperate for a thread to compare notes, pat each others shoulders etc..... I lurked on last years thread, but it didn't start until much later....

Just booking up open day places and filling in my registration forms now.....

yes please do let us all know the endings for those of us going through this next year!

TeddTess, best of luck for next year….. I will definitely dip into next year's thread to offer moral support! For the record, DD got 5/5 offers, so 4 places were freed up, plus a state school place.

We got 4 out of 4 offers, and no-one is more surprised than me. We've accepted our first choice school and rejected the other 3. I think info on how much waiting lists are moving would be really useful for next years parents

Out of 4 applications- 2 offers. So a no to SPGS and G&L and a yes from LEH and NHE. Meanwhile friends had a yes from G&L and no from LEH- inevitably they each wanted the other!. lesson is cast your net wide I guess - loo trips mid exam and ink issues on the 'no's' didn't help but I never could have predicted that!
We have chosen LEH.

"For the record, DD got 5/5 offers, so 4 places were freed up, plus a state school place."

Apologies for nitpicking, but point of detail for anyone looking at this for next year: state schools offer only the exact number of places they have, so relinquishing one does free it up to be re-offered.

In the independent sector, it means no such thing, as schools over-offer (based on previous years' patterns of accepting and declining and the answer to the question 'where else are you applying?' which helps registrars get together and work out actual number of candidates behind the applications numbers). They expect a proportion of offers to be rejected, bringing them to the number they want (or just under) and use the WL only if they have undershot.

They would obviously prefer to undershoot and make up numbers from WL, as that is pretty much consequence-free from a school's pov. Whereas if you overshoot there is the problem of either breaking promises on class size (thus pissing off all your new y7 parents) or having to shoehorn an extra class in somehow.

Even when aiming for a undershoot, I heard that a lot of schools barely used their waiting lists last year.

I agree it's really important to give up your state school place asap if you aren't using it. Especially some of the schools in the Richmond borough where the catchment is shrinking alarmingly year on year.

I've already heard of WL movement, so it is happening this year already. Not surprising if they over-offered last year.

Yes I should also like to emphasise the importance of freeing up your state place ASAP. We have been shocked that so many in my DD's class received a letter saying they currently have no place and need to phone schools to remain on waitlist (and yet the Richmond and Twickenham Times reported last week that every child has a place which may be the Council's aim for September 1st but is not the case March 1st). Last year many kids were given Twickenham Academy which is on the total opposite end of the borough, but this year nothing at all! so please fee up your state place if you haven't already!

In the interest of balance, we applied to 6 independents and got 2, thankfully the one we wanted, SCHS. Of the NOs - a couple were stabs in the dark, a couple I thought we had a chance. I admit I panicked and applied for more schools that I had intended to, spreading the risk. So glad to be out the other side.

aeganblue - did the people you know in that position apply on time? If you read the council statement carefully you'll see they say every "on time applicant" has a place. They get loads more applications after the deadline. Those people may not make the headlines on National Offer Day but then they get added in to the Waiting lists after the first round of offers, worsening the waiting list positions for everyone else.

We got one firm offer and two waiting list places. We turned down one today and accepted the other from the waiting list. The other waiting list school (City Boys) have been awful. We called several times and were told nothing. I'm not impressed at all as the other school told us exactly what our chances were.

Just skimmed this thread. This will be us next year. Ugh.

Heard of 3 people getting offers from the Putney High waitlist today. Good news for those keen to go there who are on WL.

Mandz, l don't think City went to WL this year. Boy in my DS's class was on WL but lost hope today when he had heard nothing this morning. His offer involves a long journey south and parents disappointed. Where did you take in the end? Hope WL turned out better for everybody else.

WL moving at Putney, LEH, Francis Holland SW, St James's, Queensgate, More House...haven't heard about SPGS, G&L, WHS, City Girls, Emanuel.....anyone know about the latter names?

G and L went to their WL

I know G&L didn't go to WL last year, nor did FHS NW1…. interesting that it is different this year….

How many forms entry was PHS having this year?

Hopeless432 - We got CC - our first choice. I also heard Francis Holland SW and Harrodian went to wait list.

Also keen to hear of any WHS wait list movement?
(Got 3 offers, one rejection, one WL)

Surbiton WL has been moving since early last week

PHS has an extra class every other year I believe, and this was one of those years

Not heard anything about WHS, sorry

Thanks, Goodbyealvin that's what I thought (assuming PHS kept to its previous pattern). It does make it a fraction easier for girls this year compared to last or next.

Those of you with state primary kids, did you get many offers? And if so was your child always exceptional within their primary cohort or just quite bright and well rounded?

SummerMonths - I think it depends on what schools you are applying for. From what I've seen this year you need to be the top one or two for schools like SPGS, City, LU and for schools like Francis Holland, Godophin, Emmanuel you'd need to be in the top 10 for everything. Just my experience though.

Summermonths. I think the bright and well rounded state school kids can go a long way with the right exam preparation. It's all relative to the standard in their particular year in their particular school though. My DS wasn't top one or two in his state school class but would be described as bright and well rounded (I hope!) and is doing very well at LU now.

I'm a lurker ( all of it to come) but at our state primary about the half the class is going private. Some got 4 or 5 offers, most got at least 2 or 3 including WHS, PHS, Hampton, LEH etc. Others got offers but have chosen Lady Margaret, Tiffin etc. They obviously can't all be at the top of the class but it is quite a high achieving school and a lot go private every year. Most have some sort of tutoring too, mainly for technique.