CLSB 13+ Offer Letter

[njshore]

My son just received an offer from CLSB 13+. The acceptance deadline is Feb 28, 2017.

In the letter, it stated, "I should remind you that, according to the terms of agreement between London Independent Schools, acceptance of this offer implies your confirmation that you have not accepted, and will not subsequently accepted, a place for your son at any other independent schools."

My dilemma is we are waiting for a few other schools that won't send offer letters until mid-March. Has anyone seen this onerous language before? It seems pretty unfair on the part of the school to force a decision before other schools have a chance to make their offers.

Do you think there is such a thing as an agreement between the schools? Or are they bluffing?

My DS is in the 11+ group for City (interview will be on Monday - yikes!).

But in our email, it definitely says that they will be flexible about dates if you are talking to other schools. I would call them. And it's true, there is definitely an agreement between London independent schools.

Good luck! By the way, what was the interview like?

Is this a new thing? When my oldest son applied 3 years ago, people were holding multiple offers all the time by putting down deposits to hold places until they hear from other schools. For example, they'd hold offers for SP and WS.

I can see this agreement is a clampdown on this practise but is it legally binding and enforceable? When did it start?

Interview is not bad.

Any update on this?

Assuming you've seen the recent update- shout if not.

"shout!"

Email this morning-

"A small number of families have contacted us to discuss the deadline to respond to our offer. We are aware that other schools will not be declaring their results until later in March and, if you would prefer to wait until you have heard the outcome of other applications before responding to our offer, we are happy to accommodate this by individual arrangement.

Please do let us know, by email, if your son is in this situation. Unless we hear otherwise, we will continue to look forward to receiving your decision by 28 February 2017.

I would like to remind parents that terms of the offer state that the deposit of £1000 is refundable until 10 January 2018. Should you accept our conditional offer, and subsequently withdraw this acceptance before this date, the deposit will be refunded"

Thank you so much for the update!

Also the lovely head has just resigned

Really? Why, she's not been there long.

She's going to SPGS. What a pity- she was my favourite thing about CLSB.

Dearlittleflo, what do you like about the Head? We just got confirmation that she's joining my daughter's school. Please share!

I don't know her extremely well but she seems really charismatic, energetic, committed to education in the broad sense (not just league tables). She is a v impressive speaker.

I was pleased to hear she was off - although my youngest ds is now in his final year so it really won't affect him / us. Mr Levin her predecessor was a superb Head of CLS. I have found his replacement unimpressive - over cautious, too keen on petty rules and more interested in PR and marketing than the liberal values and focus on education that the school is rightly valued for. Maybe she'll fare better in a girls' school - not really sure she "got" the rather sophisticated London boys at City. She has imo not been that popular with the parents or the staff - many of whom have left under her watch after many years at the school.