11+ No Offer

[Mumorganics]

Hi all,

Would like your opinion on the following issue. So my DD recently sat 11+ at 3 schools, was told she did very well and also did three sport scholarship days for said schools. The schools have replied offering DD a place, however one school has not offered a place, and not even a waiting list for DD.

I was specifically told that in order to go for the sports scholarship examination, you had to perform well in the exam. So my question is how can DD be accepted to 2 schools, and the last school not offer anything?

Literally every child who applied received a place, I’m so shocked DD wasn’t even considered.

Were you told this by the school who didn't offer? I know plenty of dc who went for drama, art and sports scholarship tests at sw London schools including Surbiton high (a long time ago) and didn't get an offer or WL.

So she has 2 offers? That’s great, well done to her!

Depends on the school obviously but it’s not remotely unusual to go for a scholarship and not get an offer or WL. Some schools are very competitive. I doubt ‘every child that applied received a place’ except apparently her - surely you just mean of the classmates from her prep whose parents you’re discussing it with, all of those children received an offer?! Maybe she had an off day there. Maybe they’re looking for a specific type that the school will suit. It really doesn’t matter. She has 2 offers. Celebrate her success!

I had the same reply regarding DD’s exam for all of the schools, which is why it’s strange to me that one would have such a contradictory outcome. Especially as every child who applied, inside and outside of DD’s school received a full paying offer without a scholarship.

Thank you for words of encouragement. ☺️ Not just the ones from her prep (only 3 applied including DD), but from local schools too. Attending the offer mornings revealed so much regarding who got what and for where.

Have you spoken to the head at your prep? What did they say?

To be honest, our prep is an all through school, which we’re not particularly supportive when you mentioned you were applying elsewhere! So I doubt they’ll care unless I said DD was staying. This year has had quite a number of the best pupils applying elsewhere and being successful, which is not what usually happens.

Schools say that but if you so happen to live in an area where a lot of prep kids are competing at or due to compete at an Olympic level they do make an exception.

Eg my sister lives in a Hockey and Cricket area and state grammars have been known to accept Olympic level children who've 'narrowly failed'. They say they don't do this in a way that disadvantages existing applicants but I can't see how that can be true - there's such a lack of transparancy that you never know even after taking them to court.

every child who applied, inside and outside of DD’s school received a full paying offer without a scholarship.

1. Parents lie
2. How many kids are you talking about? 2-3? 10-15?

How many kids are you talking about? You surely can’t know every single child that applied to that school? And also don’t forget that parents lie! Not just to other parents but sometimes even to their own kids because they don’t want to let them down and tell them they were unsuccessful. Then they just steer them into choosing from the schools they did receive offers for.

Did she have an interview as well as the scholarship day?
Perhaps the school saw something they didn't like at the scholarship day.

And not every child who applied got a place - that's ridiculous!

I'm not sure why you're asking here? Your child has 2 offers which is great. If you want to know why she didn't get an offer at the third school, only the school itself can tell you.

If your source of information about everyone getting offers is talking to random parents at offer mornings, then they are likely to exaggerate their children's performances. And, by definition, you are not meeting the children without offers.

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, they could in fact be lying as I know that said school has a feeder school, and has few places to offer. For point 2. Asked around 9 parents.

Unlike academic scholarship candidates (where you can assume you are likely to get a full-fee offer at least based on the initial exam score), sports scholarship candidates might only do ok on the exam but well enough that they could still get a place if they show exceptional ability at sports. Your daughter may have just had off days for this school - both at the exam and at the sports scholarship day. And yes, parents do lie about offers!

2 out of 3 is great!

Such a click bait title. 11+ no offer, turns out it's actually 2 out of 3 offers! But 9 other lesser children got accepted and the precious DD did not get an offer despite sports scholarship assesment. How dare they!
It's most likely a behaviour during the sports scholarship assesment that meant the school didn't think she'd be a good fit.
Get over it and look forward OP.

My understanding is that sometimes prep school speak to secondary school heads as part of the reference process. Is it possible
that heads who knew your DD had two offers already might have emphasised their other pupils a little more?

Good point, hadn’t thought of it that way!

I hear you, and I am greatful. Just with zero feedback it’s soo annoying!