Westminster 13+

[Justarrivedlondon]

Does anybody know if the school will normally over offer, or will it instead just offer the available places, and then maintain and run through the waiting list?

Yes to both. They over-offer, and usually also go into their waiting list. For context, DS was offered a 13+ place for 2023 from the waiting list earlier this month.

I asked this questions because we will also apply for 11+ to other schools (e.g. Hampton etc). His prep ends at 13, but some left at 11 and the school is not pushy for anyone to stay onto to year 7.

Suppose we still got waitlisted by the end of year 6, and we got other good 11+ offers and go there for year 7, do you know if the waitlist status is still valid (having left the prep school), and if so, how can we still satisfy the conditional requirement (e.g good progress and headteacher report etc)?

Many of the boys who hold offers for Westminster will also also hold offers for St. Paul's School, and SPS doesn't ask for a definitive acceptance on a place until the summer term of Year 7. Therefore the waiting list for 13+ entry is very unlikely to move much until the end of Year 7 at the earliest

I imagine you could stay on the Westminster waiting list after moving to another school at 11+, but why would you plan to move your DS at 11+ and again at 13+? What if you discover that he is happy and settled at the 11+ school and doesn't want to move again?

Sure if everything goes on fine in year 7 and 8 in the new school, there is no reason to change, but i just want to see if that option will still be open.

The reason i want to ask, is to decide how many 11+ and how many 13+ i should apply. In theory, if i accept some other school deferred 13+ entry and stay in the prep, then the waitlist in Westminster would surely remain valid and if the offer does come through, the choice would be easier.

So, do you know if they mainly fill up the space through over offer or waitlist? and would you have any idea about the likelihood of offer in a waitist? i.e., is the waitlist just a polite way to reject? Also, would an individual applicant have a good idea as to how good his chance is among those in waitlist?

You would need to ask Westminster what the chances of an offer from the waitlist are.

I don't know where DS was on the list because we never tried to find out, but as our recent experience shows they definitely do offer from the waitlist and it isn't just a polite way of saying no. There are plenty of boys who do receive an outright no from the entrance assessment.

Unfortunately there is no easy answer to the 11+ vs 13+ dilemma if you like schools with different entry points but want to keep your options open.

WilsonGick, we also got a WL offer for 2023 and are unsure. Have you decided?

@Annmadness have pm'ed you

Hi is your DS who accepted sept 2023 westminster offer will be doing the challenge exam in April ?

We decided not to accept in the end. Wishing your ds luck with the challenge.

Hi all. I know this may be an old thread but I could do with your collective wisdom. We have a waiting list offer for 13+ for Westminster. Is there any remote chance this will actually translate to an actual offer and has this happened to anyone? We are not in a financial position to pay deposits elsewhere and then switch if something happens here. It has been a struggle to get this far competing with those who can afford tutors and extra help!! So lost….thank you for any advice.

@ttbn, DS was on the WL for Westminster for a 13+ place and was offered a place out of the blue in the autumn term of Year 8 (I'd actually forgotten he was still on the WL).

DS already had 13+ offers at 2 other schools. The deposit deadline for one of those schools had already passed (we declined the place) when the Westminster place was offered, but we hadn't yet had to pay the deposit for the other school.

Do you have offers at other schools? Happy to share deposit deadlines if they are the same schools we were dealing with.

@WilsonGick appreciate you sharing your experience and in many ways it’s a relief that the waiting list is not just a polite no! We have all the deadlines looming except for one which gives a year without a deposit. Only draw back for that one is it’s the furthest away. Maybe we just have to take the risk and hope waitlist moves? Can boys sit the challenge if on waiting list? Thanks

@ttbn I htink anyone can apply to sit the Challenge.

I think asking for deposits this early on in the process make things very difficult. DC change so much between Y6 and Y8, and it is really hard to make a decision at this point about what school might be the best fit in 2.5 years' time. I was very grateful that the schools we were dealing with didn't requie a deposit until much further along the line.

Anyone can sit the Challenge. You don’t even need an offer or be on the waiting list. In practice, most have already been offered places.
Back to your main question, boys do turn down places. I’ve known two. i think either they didn’t want to stay at prep any longer or they didn’t buy into mythology and looked dispassionately at the facilities and just preferred something else. So, I’d stay on the list if you still want it.

@CrankyP thanks for the context really appreciate it. Hope something does open up, DS has worked hard and it’s crushing not to get through the door. Will keep faith.

We will be turning down the offer of a 13+ place. With a heavy heart of course as the school has so so much to offer, but the gut feeling is that it isn't the right school for my son, and he has a strong preference for a different school.

@ViolettasAria well done to your DS to get an offer and for you as a family to stick with what’s best. That takes courage. Thank you for sharing. We have a very low DS here and I am grasping at anything to give him hope that something might come up!

Ditto, we will be giving up our place for another school so keep the faith. I'm sure there will be movement on the waiting list.

@crazymama123 really kind for sharing and keeping me going. I wish you and DS much luck.

We are also lucky to be in the position of deciding whether or not to take the offer for Westminster 13+. Its highly intense academic-driven culture and campus setting r definitely something worth considering. For those of you who had given up the offers or planning to let go, may I know what are the reasons which hold you back? Understand that everyone’s circumstances are different, but thanks for sharing your thoughts on the school!