Do in year places come up in independent secondary schools?

[Dreamingofhols]

Our DD is heading to our local comprehensive in September. It has a good reputation and some of her class are going with her, but it will remain a huge transition (probably more for me than her!)

I am wondering, if things don't work out how likely are in-year places at one of the local co-ed independent schools? She did do the 11+ (catchment areas are very small where we live) and received offers but we have declined them in favour of state for various reasons. I'm scared now that we have put all eggs in one basket...

This is my first time posting but I have followed mumsnet for the last few months and its been such a great source of advice. If any one has experience of moving state to private after the start of Y7 i'd be very grateful. Thank you.

Yes, they do at ours. We get new pupils at all ages and stages.

Yes, if you’re paying and your DD is academically good enough they’ll find space for her.

Is she moving from independent to comprehensive? Is that why you are apprehensive about the move?

It depends massively on the schools. When in that situation, we had one say no, and no chance of waiting list, one said they would be in touch next academic year if there would be a waiting list and one said yes. I'm sure every area is different.

Yes they do from time to time at ours. The nature of our area is that there are a number of people who come there to work and then may get transferred to other countries or areas and so places come up.

Indeed an American mn poster had been told so vehemently on MN that her son had no chance to get in to ours that I PM'd her and told her she should try. He then got a place and then when they moved here she already had a coffee friend!

v few come up during Y7 at the schools near us -but end of Y7 would be normal as families relocate etc. Y9 is also an intake year - so possible to reapply formally then.

If you've chosen your local state then I'm sure it's with good reason x

Thank you everyone, that is reassuring to read and gives me hope that one of the schools would have space for her if needed.

I woukd say that aside from the super exclusive private schools of possibly the London ones, they are pretty flexible with in-year admissions. The state sector is far more rigid with more of a one-out-one-in system, because of the rules about max class size. But private achools tend to have smaller class sizes anyway, so they are often able to squeeze in one more. And right now, a lot of them are desperate for the money. Id say youve done it the right way round and it would have been much harder to secure in-year admissions to a state school