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Secondary education

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Original poster

Kingsdale waiting lists

26 replies

Waitinglistfunandgames · 04/03/2021 16:49

Is anyone able to share their experience of movement on either the appropriate banding or scholarship waiting list? Trying to work out our chances.

Which WL(s) were you on? Which band were you on the appropriate banding WL? What WL number were you on national offers day? When were you offered a place (if at all)? How many places did you move on the WL between March and September?

Our child has a a full scholarship and is in the low teens on the scholarship WL and mid hundred on the appropriate banding WL. No idea what band they are in.

I've read the previous threads and realise there is one of these nearly every year! But am hoping for some up-to-date feedback about how the WL moved, ideally for last year's entry.

Thanks all

OP posts:
yellowtulipsinavase · 05/03/2021 13:38

From what I've heard of from last year, low teens on the scholarship list is a good chance of an offer in the first shakedown - I know someone who had that (might even have been high teens or higher).

DD actually got a place on offer day - she did have a full music scholarship but we don't know whether she got in on the scholarship list or the banding list. We've turned it down for a independent, so that's at least one place - although I have no idea which list!

DazedWifelet · 05/03/2021 13:48

My DD was on the Maths scholarship (2016) waiting list. I used to ring weekly to enquire on movement. The list was moving quite quickly and she got offered a place after about 4 weeks. She is now in Year11 and doing really well there. Don't lose heart! Best of luck!

Original poster
Waitinglistfunandgames · 06/03/2021 16:16

Thanks very much both.

That's good news that last year a teens scholarship WL place resulted in an offer in the first shakedown.

Also, re movement to private schools. I heard that there were a lot more scholarship applications to Kingsdale from private school pupils this year. It's not clear what impact this will have on the WLs though. It is likely to cut both ways - more take-up of private school places due to the perceived inadequate online offer in the state sector v less take-up of private school due to economic uncertainty and concerns about job security.

Also that in 2016, maths scholars got a place at the school. Currently, the maths scholarship is something that is applied for after being offered a place at the school. It is only the sports and music scholars who are prioritised for school offers.

Does anyone else have any feedback?

OP posts:
tearsandtiaras · 06/03/2021 16:29

We are in the same boat with my daughter who is 136 on a banding waiting list . I wonder if she will get in?!

tadger98 · 08/03/2021 17:00

Hi OP

Last year my DS was mid-20s in the scholarship WL (he got a full sports scholarship) and mid-200s in the (A) banding WL on offer day. By end Aug he ended up 1st on the scholarship WL and from memory in the 70s on the banding WL (we discounted the chance of getting in on the banding hence why my memory of that is fuzzier). So do take the info Kingsdale put out on the scholarship list with a pinch or ten of salt. I remember it saying that half scholars had a 50pc chance of getting a place. But obviously that wasn't the case last year (unless they got in by the banding route)

tadger98 · 08/03/2021 17:09

@yellowtulipsinavase - that was not the case last year as my DS started mid-20s on the WL and it didn't really move much until August.

That said there is a lot of mystery about the Kingsdale WL process. For example, there are two scholarships (sports and music) but only one scholarship WL!!!
So it's not clear whether, say, starting at 30 means there are 29 ahead of you, or whether there are 15 sports scholars ahead of you, if you know what I mean. Obviously, if the latter your movement on the WL will depend on who from the sports scholars list takes up an offer, which could mean a very different experience.

yellowtulipsinavase · 08/03/2021 17:59

@tadger98 that's really interesting as I also know someone with a full sports scholarship from last year who was (I think, I can't be sure) lower down than your DC on the scholarship waiting list but offered a place at the end of August.

I agree about the mystery of the WL though - the friend whose DC was in the teens and got a place doesn't actually know whether they got the place from the scholarship WL or the banding WL - I think they assumed it was the scholarship one because of the relatively higher placement.

tadger98 · 09/03/2021 09:41

@yellowtulipsinavase - no the banding WL moves much much faster than the scholarship list so your friend's DC would have got in through the banding route. From memory for the A band it dropped 40-50 places within 2-3 weeks

Original poster
Waitinglistfunandgames · 12/03/2021 11:57

My reading of the admissions policy is that the scholarship WL is one in one out regardless of whether music or sport - not that there are effectively two scholarship WLs. But admittedly it's not particularly clear.

I'm also aware that one of the banding waiting lists only moved 15 or so places last year between March and early September. Not sure which one - evidently from the above, not Band A!

We're putting Kingsdale WLs out of our minds for the moment and will wait and see. Thank you all for your input.

OP posts:
clc81 · 05/04/2021 17:54

My DD got offered a banding wait list place last Thursday and she was 25th on the list (we checked and she was top band, which I think has the most movement).
Another child in her year was 11th on the scholarship wait list and got an offer last week too. Hope that helps.

Original poster
Waitinglistfunandgames · 05/04/2021 18:22

Thanks for coming back and posting this, that's useful to know. It's also similar to what the school told us last week.

Between offers day and 1 April, our child moved up 23 places on the Band 1 WL and 12 places on the scholarship WL.

We're now really close, particularly on the scholarship WL but I'm not overly hopeful that there will be much more movement.

OP posts:
Rocks12 · 05/03/2023 10:42

@Waitinglistfunandgames - just reading this old thread and wondering what the original banding list position was and if your child got in by September?!?

waitinglistfunandgame · 05/03/2023 22:48

Our child had a full scholarship and on offers day was in the low teens on the scholarship WL and mid hundred on the band 1 WL.

They got a place in May. We were not told this, but my guess was that they got their place from the scholarship WL as by the April their scholarship WL rank was in low single digits, whereas their banded WL rank was in the twenties at that stage.

Good luck!

Rocks12 · 06/03/2023 07:54

Thank you. I’m pleased you find out by May. I’m guessing the band 1 WL wouldn’t have moved that much by May too. But interested in any other experiences.

Bless3 · 07/03/2023 09:21

My DD didn't get her 1st or 2nd choice...her 3rd choice is the same school as her sister (performing arts school). They have different interest as to why my daughter choose Kingsdale as her first choice and Coombe Wood as her second (have to call the school back in April for the waiting list position).

Kingsdale wasn't on our radar, not until very last minute. So many people said it's a hard school to get in...followed by good luck 😅.

DD achieved a half scholarship for sports.(gymnastics).

Received an email stating my DD position: single digits for the banding waiting list (not sure what Band) and in the 70s for the scholarship.

So I think Kingsdale has 4 waiting list...just reading different threads with different experience year to year..so you literally don't know..my DD is hopeful...but I try to be positive about her sisters school, just in case.

Will contact Kingsdale again at the end of March to she where she is on the list

gabster33 · 07/03/2023 12:13

That's really positive to be in single digits on banding - it moves a lot. My daughter has a girl in her class who gave up a place in August when she got a different one.

Bless3 · 07/03/2023 15:16

Just found out she is in Band 3, (I had a feeling) which moves a lot slower according to other threads, Band 1 moves the fastest as most Band 1s have applied for private schools etc.Hopefully she will get in 🙏

Good luck everyone 😊

Stopsnowing · 07/03/2023 22:33

Dc low teens half scholarship got an offer late August

Bless3 · 14/03/2023 14:03

Yesterday I received a letter stating that my DC didn't get a scholarship her 3rd choice...I cannot even tell her...really banking on her 1st and 2nd choice now...😑

Bless3 · 01/09/2023 00:49

My DD is in, received an email Tuesday 😁

cwanne · 03/09/2023 15:48

@Bless3 congratulations! I hope your dc is very happy there 😊

Rocks12 · 03/09/2023 21:10

I’m just going back through my mails for those about to go through the waiting list pain. My child was mid 40s on Kingsdale waiting list for band 1 on 2 March 23, 25 in April 23, 18 in May 23, 13 in Jun 23 and received an offer end June 23. I hope this is in some way helpful.

Andorra · 04/09/2023 00:52

Bless3 · 01/09/2023 00:49

My DD is in, received an email Tuesday 😁

That’s lovely news! Would you be willing to say where she was on the Band 3 list? It hasn’t seemed to have moved since March so we had pretty much give up hope! 🙏

Bless3 · 04/09/2023 01:08

@cwanne Thank you
@Andorra yes single digits, which did move slower and also 60s for half a scholarship.

Bless3 · 05/09/2023 05:44

Yesterday I spoke to a mum, who I know through the job i do, who choose Kingsdale as her second choice for her DS...not too sure if he has any additional needs, but he took the test (did well)...no scholarship...but received a place in March 😲...so I am baffled how the waiting list works