Are Independent school waiting lists moving at all...?

[ticking]

Mostly curious (based in surrey/west London area), we have our place and are happy with it, but was wondering are people dropping their places due to money issues, or whether they are hanging on to them?

It seems to have been a particularly tough year to get into certain schools, and I'm just curious if after all people are hanging on to places or ditching them for the state sector with all the financial uncertainty?

I think the pattern is often very different in grammar school areas. Instead of going private all through or going state primary and then saving up for private secondary, a lot of families here prioritise private prep and aim for state grammar. Of course there are still the wealthy minority who always intend to do private all through. And then there are the prep school parents who find themselves struggling to find the money for private secondary when their child doesn't get the hoped-for grammar place.

But it’s not just the wealthy minority. It’s the not-so-wealthy disillusioned too. Most of the parents like us who’ve turned down grammar places, had not always intended on staying private. Some could afford it more than others, and some enlisted help from family, but it certainly wasn’t always the plan. I know every area is different, but our grammars are tired and cramped, and where they were once taken up completely by catchment qualifiers, are now being allocated miles outside catchment. That says a lot I think. The other top grammar our daughter qualified for and would have had a place based on score, just felt too academically focused and not much else. It’s a long time for a child to spend somewhere...and there’s far more to a school than getting good grades. I’m sure there’s a lot of people feel the same way, and would sacrifice a lot in that regard.

Yes, we've given up an indie place to go to the grammar for Yr7 in September . It was an easy choice given the financial climate

I think even more pressure (if that could be possible) on grammar places next year, although I appreciate not every grammar is great.

mumtotwo that's just what I was saying though - that IME in a grammar area it's only the wealthy minority who never even consider state secondary and plan on private 5-18 right from the beginning. I agree there are others like you (and us) who think they might well go to grammar but in the end opt for independent instead (through failing 11+, being disillusioned with the grammar choices, or for whatever other reason).

We originally thought state grammar (Tiffin in Kingston) and eldest child passed the test but we heard grim reports and instead sent her to a selective indie and didn't do the 11+ with younger DC.

Generally, when making such a big decision, never let what other people are doing influence you. Different people have different values, plus you never know how they fund the education of their children. They may have big inheritances for example, whilst you may have to make big sacrifices. It is not the same.There are other families who would never consider state no matter how good the option, but would not admit it. I've known families who have got caught up in the 11+ frenzy and ended up with a private school they couldn't afford it.

Do please elaborate about these grim reports you heard about the Tiffin Girls' school! It will help me feel better about dd1 not passing the entrance exam 👍 (PS Tried to PM you but it wouldn't let me. You can PM me though, if you prefer 😉)

I have heard the rumours of ultra pressure but the one girl I know there is thriving and mother is delighted. They turned down LEH.