what to do if no 11+ offers?

[clevud]

I'm getting ahead of myself, but I think it's important to have a plan B. If a child does not get a single offer from independent schools, what are the next steps? Of course we have a place at the local state school, but if we wanted to pursue the independent path, what can be done now and in the next months? I've heard that parents (or headteachers if the child is at prep, which we are not) call other independent schools around to see if there are available places. Questions:
-is this possible? and if so
-when and how is it done?
-what schools should be called for in North London?
-Is it possible to call schools that have already rejected the child after a couple of years?
I know it's uncomfortable, but we always hear from the successful cheerleading mums, as a matter of fact the ratio applicants:places tells me that the majority of children do not get an offer.

As soon as you know you have no offers talk to your headteacher if you are at a prep and they will advise. I don't know North London but there are a number of preps near us that are extending to 16 plus a handful of smaller senior schools and they will have places still available in March.

Some schools have a 12+ entry but they are getting quite rare.

You can move to an area which is less competitive and find a late entry. Boarding at 13+ another option.

If you don't get in at 11+ most schools will not accept an application again before sixth form.

Local state school is the easiest option of course and may well be a much better option than a struggling small senior independent school.

You take a deep breath. And then you phone around every school you are interested in and find out what's happening. Be prepared for nos but some schools will ask you to phone back after the state school offers are out. Waiting lists are an inexact science and often go wrong. A school that has too many acceptances may find that it has to put in a bulge class to honour their offers and this may mean that more places can become available later. Similarly, somewhere else may have over offered. There is a lot more movement in the summer than you would expect. With the best will in the world you are not going to get SPGS or Westminster but places are available at good schools. I have been in pm contact with a few parents who thought they were in this position over the last few years and it all worked out ok. Eventually, hence the deep breath.

For re-assurance have a look at the senior school destination list of your local prep schools. Every single child has a senior school place.

Thanks @cakeisalwaystheanswer , we are not at prep but at a state primary. When you say "call around every school you are interested" you mean school we've not applied to? I assume that if a school has rejected a child, not even offering an interview, they will not be willing to consider him a few weeks later?

@rocketleagueboy thanks for your reply, I agree with you. A state schools is a better option that a small struggling independent. Actually, I've always said that I pay only for best performing, not for medium ranking.

Where are you, is it dd or ds and what are your state options?

(We only ever did 3 exams for our children as like you, I'd always rather state than any old private).

@PatienceVirtue we are NW London, daughter.
Only state option Queens Park Community School, although added Camden for Girls and St Marylebone, as N1 and 2 so she can stay on their waiting lists. Miracles happen sometimes......

@clevud - sorry yes I mean schools you didn't apply to. But towards the end of summer term it may be worth calling the ones you did as well. I don't know NW London but hopefully someone will post who does.

I've heard good things about QPCS for assiduous girls (less good for potentially wayward boys) so I think that's really not a bad option if that's a description of yours.

Which band are you in for Camden? The actual last offer for Band A is at least double the distance on the website because so many girls in that band end up elsewhere.

I do know of people who've got last minute places in some sought-after schools but they've usually been people who haven't applied first time round. The schools want to be full and pupils drop out over the summer because of moving house etc so if you can call schools with some compelling evidence as to why your dd might be good, you could be lucky. I wonder if SATs results could be useful here. (I've no evidence for this but if you rung up and said child has 120, 116 and 118 or whatever that can't be a bad thing even though privates aren't as SATs-conscious).

I presume you're waiting on the consortium schools. Where else?

ps you know that the applicants: places ratio is completely misleading don't you? The odds are so much better than they seem and the vast majority of kids do get offered somewhere.

@PatienceVirtue no I didn't know. I mean I knowe that parents select several schools, but for example LU had 1331 this year. I think they get 130? So what happens to the other 1201? Yes they may end up in other private schools but not all of them. It all depends what schools you selected. If I had thrown in some less academic ones (basically those who accept almost anyone) I'd be more confident. Thanks for youreading useful suggestions anyway

When we were applying for private schools in North London we only applied to four - but one was “aspirational”, two were “should get into if dd works hard and is ok on the day”, and one was “the back up school”. In our case the backup was Northbridge House.

I think LU is particularly selective on account of being a very good school, its location and being co-ed. But even it won't be making 130 offers for a 130 places (probably at least double).

But other schools, even good ones, might have 600 applicants for 100 places but need to offer 400 to fill them.

I completely sympathise though. With my son we only applied to three very selective schools and I was kicking myself.

I think many people also have their head in the sand when it comes to their kids, so We have a 'stretch' school, a 'probable' school and 2 backup 'take anyone' schools....

It's a sensible plan, but others will pop their kids into 7 exams at high achieving schools, and are shocked they don't get a place. Because y'a know their kid is "very bright" and "gets 100% in test papers".

We have already had an odd result (a no from one of the backups!) but DS will be fine as there is enough backup in there to mean he will get a place.

I think you speak to your prep head and ask for advice and then start ringing around the indies you are interested in.

If you do get an Indie place, please release your state option as soon as possible.

Please don't hold on to your state option unnecessarily - some people do this, I cant understand their reasoning.

I think you speak to your prep head

The OP's DD is at a state primary, though. The HT of which will be unlikely to see it as any part of his/her remit to be offering advice on which independent schools should be approached, even if s/he has any useful knowledge of them.

@clevud, if you only entered your DD for academically selective independent schools, did she not also sit e.g. the HBS exam? The school may have introduced priority for in-catchment applicants this year, but there is still a chance that OOC places will be offered. Or would the journey be too difficult anyway?

@MarchingFrogs thanks for your answer. You are totally right about HT at Primary Schools. They don't have knowledge of indies, and why should they? they already have quite a demanding job with budget cuts, 30+ classes and fewer staff.

As I'm quite a realistic (and very critical) mum, I did not put DD through HBS process as she's not at that level and I did not want to spoil our Summer holidays :-). We did include 2 aspirational schools because DD was adamant she wanted to try them. We also included some others I thought were more at her level and we are waiting for results. I did not include any schools that take anyone or almost, because I believe a good state secondary and parental support can be equally good. Plus I'm ready to pay £20k + for very high quality education only.
@ticking you see it's not only a matter of aspirational parents bury their heads, it's a matter of assessing a kid and how they can perform once part of a school. Because of her current academic record, her behaviour and interests, I have no doubt that my daughter would benefit and have a great and positive experience in some of these schools. The problem is the entrance exam. Passing an exam and the ability to thrive and keep up once inside a school are two different matters. Plus children like all human beings evolve and progress when given the opportunity. But this is a side comment. Exams are exams.

OP I was in the situation a few years ago where dd had no indie school offers. This was despite sitting, as a pp said, a stretch school that we knew she wouldn't get but let her sit as her sister had, an expected school and two 'back-up' schools. Dd was at a state primary but her tutor said she was right standard for the expected school, her sister was already there and they seemed to be about the same standard. On results day stretch school said no, as we expected, but the expected school also said no and the two back up schools also said no, but put her on their waiting lists. To this day, I don't understand what went so wrong for her that she didn't get any offers on results day. The horror of the thin envelopes fluttering down to the floor is still with me!

I got some good advice at the time here on Mumsnet so I will share it with you.

1. If you have a waiting list place call and email the school and say they are your first choice school and you would accept a place immediately if offered. Make the registrar your best friend. You need to be the first parent they call when they go to the wait list. Schools that are not top tier always have to go to wait list in my experience.

1. Schools that you did not apply to but would consider for your dc, give them a call and explain your situation to the registrar. I found the registrars to be really approachable and helpful. I was told to call back on their offers acceptance day and they would let me know them if they had places left for late applicants. I think registrars are used to dealing with distressed parents in this situation. In my case I didn't need to because the two wait list places turned into offers.

1. Be positive about the state option. It is perfectly possible to achieve full potential in a state school.

11+ is a brutal process. I feel for you.

Thanks @QGMUM amazing advice. Let's hope to be at least on the waiting list if we don't get an offer!

@clevud Another option is prep for Yrs 7 and 8, then look at 13+. A prep head will offer a lot of help with this - that’s their job.

I agree with QGMum about getting in touch with registrars if you get waiting list places - the ‘middle level’ schools have got a massive balancing job to do to fill their places accurately. A very keen waiting list child is an asset.

Contact your waiting list school as soon as the offers come out and then again after March 2nd when the state places are allocated. Lots of families will have applied to independent schools just in case they don’t get into their favoured state - those places are returned over the next few weeks, depending when deposits are due.

If you are not willing to pay for a ‘medium ranking’ school, then it’s important to keep that in mind and not get panicked into desperately hunting for a place - any place! Prep for 7 and 8 or decent state school with additional weekend sport/music/culture may be your best option.

If you haven’t already put Parliament Hill down I would do so as soon as you can after 2 March. Should you need it of course!

@PhonicTheHedgehog thanks for your advice. Why do you recommend this school? I thought it's state and if so it's too far from us so little chance of getting a place. Please PM me.

Only because if you are desperate for a school place on the 2 March you may get a place at PH. The last distance offered goes quite far at offer day and even further after. It gives marylebone and CSG a run for their money whilst being almost truly comprehensive (single sex).

You’ll get a place. Honestly, apart from the topity top schools you’ll get a place for her. Look at Northbridge House, St Margaret’s Hampstead, St Margaret’s Bushey and Aldenham will always take girls because their girls numbers are so low. You might have to travel but any of the tier 2 schools have places even if it’s not until later in the process when the lists really move.

OP I'm massively over-identifying with you as this was exactly how I felt with my eldest. He was top table (but not top of top table) in a pretty rough primary and is a very sweet boy but with no particular talents nor was he articulate. Seeing these swarms of children in shiny blazers with chess champion badges at the exams made me feel like I'd fed a lamb to the slaughter.

Private school turned from being just an option that we'd consider to something that I ended up craving (esp since we'd also been stupid enough to put him in for two state grammars, unsuccessfully). Only to boost his fragile self-esteem. Which had only been damaged by stupid decision to put him up for this ridiculous judgment.

Even now I feel quite angry about the whole thing. It feels like a bit of a con. And this is having had three children go through it, do really well, be at great schools where they're happy etc.

I really hope you're being unnecessarily pessimistic. Please keep us informed (like I say, I'm over-identifying!).

You could consider weekly boarding out of London.