Sixth form Waiting Lists

[Orangesandlemons77]

Hi just wondered if anyone had experience of this. DC's sixth form requires a certain number of Bs but he got a mix of As and Cs so they have put him on the waiting list for a place.

They said he is first on the list and as he went to the school is in a good place, meant to be calling us back as well but that hasn't happened yet

He has been offered a place at another school as well so do have that as a backup and also a college place but he is keen to go to his school sixth form.

I guess it will depend on whether others drop out and how oversubscribed it is.

Just to explain: She exceeded her predicted grades - all were at grade 7 or above. Emailed results to the 1st choice school (we were visiting family in the SW). Heard nothing. I rang the school a few days later and got DD to resend the results. Got a response this time that not all her subjects were available (we suspect internal students had been prioritised) but would email when sorted out. We heard nothing. She sent another email the following week asking if she could keep this one particular subject and didn't mind what the others were. She got an email back suggesting she try a different sixth form. She emailed back saying the school place was more important that the subjects (it's a good school). We've heard nothing back. I guess what's happened is that this school is now oversubscribed. I just never expected that a school would treat a young person this way.
The work for the 3rd choice school is a bunch of essays on her chosen subjects which everyone was supposed to do over the Summer. She has one week. I have no doubt she can do it. I'm grateful to her 3rd choice school for giving her a chance.

@Willowkins are they both state or private schools? And both in England?

Essay writing would not be a legal admissions criterion for a state school sixth form unless there was a very clear and objective marking scheme that enables applicants to be fairly ranked.

We were told lots of demand this year, more so than other years due to high grades / grade inflation.

State schools wedgebdy I did look at private to be honest - £40K for A Levels. I don't know how people do it. I don't know about the marking scheme but we're used to extra tests around here - lots of grammar schools. Orangesandlemons77 I think you're right. I really didn't appreciate how awful all this is until it happened to us. I'm so glad your DS is sorted now.

Willokins I'm sorry that you are dealing with this also, it is very stressful especially with the new term about to start.

I was going to suggest appealing the first school perhaps but sounds like might not be enough time? Fingers crossed for the other school.

@Willowkins are they both secondary schools with sixth forms, or sixth form colleges?

State secondary schools have to follow the national schools admissions code. Colleges don't, but their admissions policies still need to be fair and objective. I don't think essay writing sounds objective at all - it depends how the policy is worded.

Schools have to have an appeals process. Not sure about colleges. The appeal panel need to consider if the admissions policy is legal and whether it has been properly applied. If the answer is yes to both, they also need to consider whether your child's need for a place outweighs the school's need to stick to its published admissions number.

Thank you everyone for giving me an outlet - this has triggered my PTSD and it doesn't seem like anyone else really understands (hence the long posts - sorry).
Yes they're both state secondary schools.

I phoned up 1st choice school (1CS) this morning. I was very nice and understanding and asked what was going on followed up by did my DD have a place and if so what subjects were available. Obvs it was school admin (huge respect for these guys actually) and she couldn't answer those questions but she said she would email the 6th form lead (this is the same person who hadn't been answering our emails). One minute after we put the phone down we got a list of A Levels that were available. No explanation. No welcome to our school. It's probably one of the top 5 schools in the county (including private schools) so they just don't care - plenty of young people want to get into that school.
One of her four preferences was on that list. She could do some of the others. I do not think there is any appeal for not doing particular A Levels. So her choice is 1CS but not all her subjects or 3CS and her subjects. On balance, I think she'll choose 3CS.
I don't know how to respond to 1CS.

@Willowkins I’m sorry that you are having difficulty finding a place. What are the subjects that are available and are they similar to what she wanted to do originally? It sounds like the school’s results are very good and it may well be worth going to your first choice. Once she is there, she will get to know the teaching staff and be making connections and impressions. At the moment they are treating her like a statistic, rather than a person and I expect it would be different once she was there, although I can see how off putting it is. It’s similar with university admissions, the highest ranked in demand courses don’t give any leeway on admission grades, whereas some other unis actively recruit near misses. It makes the other unis look caring but the incredibly oversubscribed courses just don’t have the same leeway.

Thanks springsparrow for your useful insight into uni placements - it seems ages away but I guess we will be applying next year! I'm sure 3CS were able to respond straightaway because they are less popular but the important thing is that they did respond and DD can do all her subjects. It's not bad school - A Level grade average is the same as 1CS, it's easier to get to and she knows people there. I just wish that 1CS had been a bit more communicative when it mattered.
I got another email from 1CS this afternoon confirming that DD does not have a place to do her preferred subjects but she can enrol if she changes to whatever A Levels are left. There is still no explanation. I don't know how to reply but whatever happens I think we'll be okay.

If she really wants to go to that school then I suggest she does the A level she wants plus two others - as long as they are similar to the ones she wanted, and that she can cope with them. For example, there is no point doing Physics if her heart is set on Humanities.

Is it possible that room may become availaible of=n her choice A Levels> Sixth formers do change their mind, and it may be that some will chop and change their course. It might be a good idea for her to talk to the heads of department once she has started in the school and impress on them how keen she is, and if anyone does drop out then she would like to take up the place. If she could show how ultra keen she is by reading some of the course materials or doing some extra research that might help. There is nothing a teacher likes more than a keen student showing initiative who is likely to achieve a good grade!

Thanks amillion
Yes and that's what I would do. Networking, positioning and negotiating. It's a risk though. And she finds it hard to speak up (for those who don't know the story, she was 11 when she found out MrW had terminal cancer and it has affected her deeply).
Anyway, we talked this evening and she's committed to 3CS now (she's nearly finished a whole Summer's work in one week). I'm holding my breath until we get confirmation of her 3CS subjects on Thursday.
Thanks MNers for all your support.

((Hugs)) @willowkins I didn’t recognise that it was you. It must be extra hard navigating this without MrW. I contributed a square to your Woollyhug, had a different username then tho.
My dd joined a new school in year 9. Oversubscribed school and she got a place because her brother had joined the sixth form. Initially she had to fit in where there were spaces, but it wasn’t long before she was able to make an impression. She was hard working and passionate about her subjects, and the teachers recognised that. She hadn’t really wanted to move schools but her previous school was small and underperforming, with high turnover of staff and poor teaching in some areas. She really benefited from the teachers in the new school, who were much more experienced and knowledgeable and passionate, and she was encouraged.
Hopefully your dd will get the A level subjects she wants!
At my dd’s school, there was a lot of movement in the first few weeks with students dropping subjects and changing courses. My dd starting with four subjects and took an AS in one and then dropped it at the end of year 12, but a lot of people dropped one subject at the first half term.

I would definitely advise taking the subjects your DD wants over and above any particular school. A level teachers always stress how important it is to take subjects you really enjoy and want to study for 2 years. I think assuming that she will be able to change subjects once she started at 1CS is a massive risk, you certainly wouldn't be able to do that at the high-performing in-demand schools around here.

Plus in 5 years' time no one will care which school she was at, only what grades she got to take her on to the next stage, whatever that might be.

Thank you all. SpringSparrow that brought a tear to my eye. I love my woollyhug 🤗
She starts 3CS tomorrow. She actually smiled today.