SW London grammar & private senior school - Waitlist support

[Greenshoots12]

Hi,

Following on from the main thread, I thought it might be helpful to set up a support thread for those on waitlists.

Our DD is on the WL for her first choice school and we are finding it hard to navigate the uncertainty of IF or WHEN the WL might move. We don’t have an indication of where she is on WL (despite asking the school) and because are hoping to move from state primary to independent, her current school is unable to help with finding out.

Please do share your stories, or indeed post if you hear of WLs for any of the schools starting to move.

Waitlist do move later on we knew DC with offers in SPGS in April and June. LU offers in May. You have to be in contact with school to say you are keen and maybe lose a deposit in your confirmed choice. Family have to move country due to job location or state first choice is made available so there are slight movement. Good luck.

@LastCookie It's Reed's. The only school my DS feels like he belongs to (among the other 3 schools we've visited last year). Anyway I believe there's still hope but I'm cautious about being too hopeful...

Thanks everyone for the responses. We have also received the disappointing news from the school that the year group is currently full and it is unlikely there will be any movement on the waitlist for a while.

We are staying on the waitlist for now and holding onto hope for some slight movement before the Easter break if people decide to give up their place for Tiffin / other grammar schools or move off a waitlist for their first choice.

In case helpful to anyone, here are the girls’ schools WLs I’ve heard that have been moving so far - there may be others but the below confirmed from friends who’ve been offered from the waitlist:

NLCS
FHSS
G&L

@lilturquoisebk which school are you hoping for?

My DC is on the waitlist for CLS Boys. We have been told we cannot be offered yesterday, but they anticipate positions opening up in coming weeks and months. CLS is the first choice for DC and we are all waiting anxiously. Is there anyone else of city boys waitlist that have been offered?

SPGS has also moved. I know of 2 places that have been offered.

@Greenshoots12 KGS, first choice for my DS and local to us 🤞🏼

@lilturquoisebk Sending positive wishes and vibes your way 🤞🤞🤞

Thanks @Greenshoots12 and best of luck! Sending positive vibes your way too 🤞🏼🤞🏼

I also heard that Emanuel and PHS moved to waitlist. Does anyone know about LU?

On another thread someone mentioned there is a Reserve list at LU with some movement.

We know someone that was sent an email from LU the day of the deadline that said they are sorry, but not going to reserve list atm. It mentions acceptances have been exceptionally high this year. It did mention that there is the possibility of movement between now and summer.

That’s interesting (and somewhat unusual) as I know several families who turned down LU for other schools (ourselves included).

Yes, but schools over offer. Therefore, you can have several declining a school, but they still might not need to go to reserve list. Also, they might have gone to the reserve list and got acceptances quickly, so then sent out that email to the rest saying they won't be looking further to the reserve list. Who knows....unless someone comes along confirming they got a WL spot at LU. I know for sure G&L moved a little because I know someone that got a WL spot at G&L.

Interesting that waitlists aren't "closed" as such yet. That they still think there might be movement until the summer. It's giving hope to people when the chances are very slim.

Bear in mind that many sit 5 or 6 exams and then hold this number of offers. Even the v tip schools get turned by lots, often due to location and another being easier to get to. Schools know this and have to significantly over offer. They hope not to use WL and that even with people turning them down, they can fill with people initially given an offer. But is hard to predict how many will select the school in the end, esp this year with VAT and so the WL is a back-up.
But often they have to go a good way down it to get a ‘yes’ as people have accepted a higher ranked school or just moved-on in their thinking. So from school viewpoint, it’s best avoided if possible.

Interestibgly I saw Box Hill school had re/opened applications and was advertising significant financial incentives. It shows some schools really struggle to fill and have exhausted their waiting lists. Quite how competitive schools are in reality does differ widely. Lots have large numbers of applicants, but are many peoples’ back up choice not favourite. Even after substantially over offering by maybe 3-4 times the number of places or offering to all applicants, some cannot and will not be full.