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Original poster

SW London Private and Grammar Schools Waiting Lists (Y7 2023 entry)

359 replies

Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 09:00

Following the private and grammar school exam threads, I am starting this one for those with waiting list places. May be helpful to hear if and when waiting lists begin to move.

We had some offers and some WL places. We have released the offers we are not taking and waiting for a place on the Reeds WL.

Hoping for movement after offer holder days (next week), national schools offer day (1st March) and offer acceptance dates (circa 9/10th March).

OP posts:
momomamiko · 14/02/2023 09:27

Thank you!

Sass22 · 14/02/2023 10:19

Thank you so much for this thread. Waiting with a lot of anxiety.

Shiningsun · 14/02/2023 11:16

Thanks

Didsomeonesay · 14/02/2023 11:32

also people- like ourselves- will be giving up our waitlist spots. We’ve a waitlist spot at Surbiton High and will be writing in today to take our name off. The waitlist spots disappear as well leaving a smaller pool of people hoping for a spot.

fingers crossed you get the spot you’re hoping for. I was in a similar position a few years ago with 4 rejections and one WL offer. He did eventually get a spot at his WL which was his 1st choice anyway x x x

good luck x

ChiefRoady · 14/02/2023 12:11

Thanks for setting up the thread.

This is a special kind of torture.

DC is waitlisted for our dream school. We don’t have other options at the moment as we limited our applications (aside from the state school I expect we will be offered which we don’t want)so trying to decide between holding our nerve or scrambling for an alternative.

Good luck everyone!

Pigeon25 · 14/02/2023 12:40

are people going to be putting down deposits for schools and then forgoing them if the WL materialises into a place? We are waitlisted for one school we really like but I’m not sure I can bear just letting the whole deposit go on another school….

Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 12:45

It does happen but you may feel differently if/when a WL place is offered. We will have to secure one of our offers before the acceptance deadline, but will remain on Reed's WL.

OP posts:
ChiefRoady · 14/02/2023 13:05

How much is your deposit on your solid offer?

I think I could justify it if it started with a one but some of the schools have higher deposits. Think if it was £3k I would be sending them to that school!

Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 13:08

It's less the holding deposit more the point at which we become liable for the first terms' fees. There has to be a better way of going through 'clearing' but this system works for the schools.

OP posts:
HighAltitude23 · 14/02/2023 14:05

Thank you for setting up this thread. The uncertainly about a wait list offer is rather nerve wracking! Does anyone know by how much these schools over offer as I understand that they over offer as the anticipate children declining offers so may not actually go to wait list. We are wait listed for Godolphin.

Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 14:13

I think it's double the number of places for mid tier schools, and around 30-50% over for more academic schools. I'm guessing and happy to be corrected.

OP posts:
HighAltitude23 · 14/02/2023 14:28

This makes a wait list spot becoming a from place seem so much less likely. Does anyone know how many wait list offers are made by the academic schools per year?

ghislaine · 14/02/2023 14:30

That stat fills me with dread! We are WL for our first choice which has an intake of 60-odd. I can’t imagine another 60+ boys would turn them down and only then will they turn to the waiting list. Feeling very Eeyore-ish about our prospects.

(Hope it’s ok to be a SE London interloper on these threads.)

Pigeon25 · 14/02/2023 14:30

Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 13:08

It's less the holding deposit more the point at which we become liable for the first terms' fees. There has to be a better way of going through 'clearing' but this system works for the schools.

The contract we have is a little strange- it makes us liable for the first terms fees upon acceptance, but paid in 3 instalments. It’s not clear to me what would happen if we ended up not taking up the place. Oh the joys of this process continue!

QuiteAJourney · 14/02/2023 14:41

I think that movements will depend on the school and how 'conservative' they have been with their offers. For instance, some schools in London 'overshot' last year so they have to be very careful with numbers - so assumption is that they have been cautious with offers but will end up going to WL.
Also, it depends where you are in the WL - some schools are more transparent than others: e.g. WHS tells people if they are in the top third, second third or bottom third of the WL, but PHS is not giving that information.
Last but not least, all depends on when people are releasing their offers. I have seen some (rather warped) posts of people keeping offers that they are not planning to take. Imho, that shows a total lack of empathy... We have released 4 offers already and plan to release the rest (apart from the top one) by 27th February.

ChiefRoady · 14/02/2023 14:48

Pigeon25 · 14/02/2023 14:30

The contract we have is a little strange- it makes us liable for the first terms fees upon acceptance, but paid in 3 instalments. It’s not clear to me what would happen if we ended up not taking up the place. Oh the joys of this process continue!

Show quote history

Goodness, that is quite a commitment- I suppose they had a pattern people accepting and foregoing their place in spring term.
Are the acceptance deadline dates for your offer and WL schools quite close together?

ChiefRoady · 14/02/2023 14:52

QuiteAJourney · 14/02/2023 14:41

I think that movements will depend on the school and how 'conservative' they have been with their offers. For instance, some schools in London 'overshot' last year so they have to be very careful with numbers - so assumption is that they have been cautious with offers but will end up going to WL.
Also, it depends where you are in the WL - some schools are more transparent than others: e.g. WHS tells people if they are in the top third, second third or bottom third of the WL, but PHS is not giving that information.
Last but not least, all depends on when people are releasing their offers. I have seen some (rather warped) posts of people keeping offers that they are not planning to take. Imho, that shows a total lack of empathy... We have released 4 offers already and plan to release the rest (apart from the top one) by 27th February.

Quite. If you are seriously considering and want to have another look at the school then fair enough.
But if you aren’t even considering it then why sit on it. I could not understand that.

QuiteAJourney · 14/02/2023 14:54

@ChiefRoady Indeed. Quite telling about the values (or not) of individuals.

I personally think that there will be more movement in WLs (and earlier) than in previous years - and really hope so.

ChiefRoady · 14/02/2023 15:00

Just hoping lots of people have got several offers. Some DC have six. Then as one space is declined hopefully that creates a cascade of waitlist shifts.
Is that wishful thinking on my part?

Shiningsun · 14/02/2023 15:06

HighAltitude23 · 14/02/2023 14:28

This makes a wait list spot becoming a from place seem so much less likely. Does anyone know how many wait list offers are made by the academic schools per year?

Worried and in dark. So many parents tell us that academic schools like SPGS, G&L all go to the waiting lists. But schools claim these waiting lists are not ranked. Is that a lie? If they don’t rank the kids, do they run a lottery system to offer a space?

QuiteAJourney · 14/02/2023 15:07

@ChiefRoady That is the reality. We have already declined 4 and quite a few of our friends will be declining 2-4 this week. We have friends awaiting on WL and are very aware of the stress associated... if we can do anything to help, we will do.

QuiteAJourney · 14/02/2023 15:09

Shiningsun · 14/02/2023 15:06

Worried and in dark. So many parents tell us that academic schools like SPGS, G&L all go to the waiting lists. But schools claim these waiting lists are not ranked. Is that a lie? If they don’t rank the kids, do they run a lottery system to offer a space?

Show quote history

I think that they all have an idea of how close to the cut off point for offer a DC was... but within similar bands, they may looking at replacing DC with similar profiles.
But each school will be slightly different.

Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 15:14

We know of several children who have 4-5 offers or more. It does seem that more school applications per child have gone in this year.

One of our schools has already asked if we want to register for an occasional place in Y8 but I'm not sure we'd move schools again at that point. Disruptive and awful if they don't pass the exam second time round.

OP posts:
Original poster
Limebasilico · 14/02/2023 15:44

Are admissions offices open this week and is anyone calling round?

OP posts:
Sass22 · 14/02/2023 15:44

We received a email thanking us for remaining on the WL for PHS. For some reason it doesn’t seem hopeful. They say won’t know until after March 6. I can’t take this wait any longer !!

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