Sutton grammar waiting list

[whataboutbob]

Just wondering if anyone has insight into how likely one is to get a place via the waiting list. DS has been offered the local comprehensive despite meeting the standard for SGS after the October exams. We are in Merton.
Trying to get over my disappointment at DS not being offered a place, been bigging up the positives of the comp: big bro goes there, only 20 minutes as opposed to 1 hour away. I’m not telling him about the waiting list as the poor kid’s been through enough stress. Thanks for any information/ perspective.

Don’t you think 2 hours travelling a day is a bit too much? Wouldn’t he be better off at the comp with the shorter journey and with his brother?

The waiting lists do move. I know someone who got a place at Wilson's in the May half-term after offer day and a couple of girls who got places at Wallington Girls two weeks after offer day. People hold on to places while deciding about private school. Then someone gets a higher preference school and that leaves a place for someone else.

The deadline for acceptances hasn't even passed. You're automatically on the waiting lists so it's a matter of waiting. Good luck.

whataboutbob have you received any info from the school to tell you where DS2 is on the waiting list?

QGMum an hour's travel for secondary school (in London) is nothing. DS's journey (out of borough) is no longer than DD's (in borough), and his a more straightforward route.

The waiting lists for the Sutton grammars do move a lot. And they keep moving for a long time - a boy I know last year was offered a place at WCGS in mid August!

Thanks everyone. QG- yes 2 hours round trip is quite a bit, but he and I both felt SGS was the right school for him.
I have emailed SGS admissions enquiring as to where we are on the list. Waiting to hear back.
Another question: our borough want us to accept/ decline by 15th March. If we accept the comp ( and we had no other schools on the form apart from those 2) will it have any effect on the grammar potentially getting back to us to offer a place from the WL?

Definitely accept. It has no impact on your placement on waiting lists.

whataboutbob they get used to the journeys very quickly. It's more of an issue in Year 7 (particularly in winter months) than subsequently.

You remain on waiting lists for the higher choice (on CAF) schools automatically. Additionally you have the option to be added to waiting lists for other potential schools which you may not have considered to date. Accepting the offer that you have for the local comprehensive won't be detrimental to the potential for your DS to be offered a place by SGS from the waiting list.

Good luck!

OP info from Merton Council website regarding post Offers Day action to take, including waiting lists.

Millions of kids travel 1 hour each way to secondary school. Its absolutely fine and they like the independence.

Flomper Quite agree. It often means they broaden their school friendships to other year groups too.

yes totally agree, broadens their horizons too which I think is a good thing, especially if they are at a very particular type of school where they will be mixing with very similar types of people, like at a grammar school. It is scary to think of at this point, i know, when they're stil at primary school in y6, but you will be astounded how quickly they mature and grow up and want that bit of independence over the summer. By Christmas of y7 they're all fine to travel alone, often on multiple buses/trains and by y8 nobody gives it a second thought. Despite the parents, myslef included, all worrying about it for the start of year 7. But the schools really help them in the first term, then they dont need any mollycoddling and they will be older teenagers for most of their time at secondary school!

Thanks everyone this has been SO helpful and encouraging. You people have been 10x more informative and helpful than the good folk on the 11 plus forum.
I know he will settle into the journey (if he's lucky enough to have the opportunity to do it!). It will help that we're quite close to the train station and he just goes straight down the line.
It's reassuring that we can't mess up being on the waiting list by accepting the comprehensive.

Reeling thank you for the very informative link.

You must accept the comp.
As Pp said it will not disadvantage you in any way wrt waiting list or appeal.
But if you decline the place will be offered to someone else and if you don’t make it to Sutton you will be stuck with a school you never wanted, further away.

Have accepted the comprehensive today. Rang SGS and he is 27th on the list. So probably not a realistic hope.

I guess SGS won't make this mistake again, but two years ago they set their pass mark too high and didn't pass enough boys. They then had to go to boys who hadn't passed the second test initially and hadn't put the school on the CAF form in order to fill all their spaces. I know someone, who got a place like this. I guess he wasn't far below the initial pass mark, but still it was a surprise. Wallington Boys did that one year too.

27th isn't too bad on the waiting list at this stage. I wouldn't give up hope yet.

I'd love it if they'd made that mistake again this year MrsFantastic! But I guess once bitten twice shy. Whatever happens, I'm really proud of DS, he did well considering he had no professional tutoring and we're out of catchment and he would have got age adjusted downwards as he's a December baby. A few of his friends got the comprehensive he'll most probably be going to, and today when I picked him up I could sense he'd had a good day and was feeling better, which is paramount.