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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Year 7 waiting list

16 replies

thecherryontop · 12/08/2025 14:00

Does anyone have any positive stories I could cling to regarding being on a waiting list and getting a place at the start of year 7? Please!

OP posts:
Giftedsleeper · 12/08/2025 15:09

I think that very much depends on your placement and the school in question. There is definitely movement, but if the school is sought after, there is less movement.

IHabeNoIdea · 12/08/2025 18:15

Depends on what number in the waiting list they are at. I work at an oversubscribed secondary, with about 160-200 on the waiting list. We would normally expect to offer to the first 5, but this year we have not offered any on the waiting list. Maybe another 2 or so between September and Christmas

Craftyrose · 12/08/2025 18:45

We were in this situation when my daughter started secondary. We were 3rd on the waiting list in March and moved to 2nd a few weeks later. We did get in to the school but it was in the last week of the summer term, so my daughter had done all of the transition for the second choice school and missed it for her actual secondary. We had a letter that withdrew the original school place and and changed it over without any warning so although it was what we wanted it was a bit of a shock! The waiting list stays in place in the autumn term.

CaJaGGMoo · 13/08/2025 05:49

We successfully gained a place for our daughter through appeal, we found out the 1st week into the holidays so she’s missed out on transition etc.
The top 3 on the waitlist were sibling and 2 in catchment but the school was already 5 over PAN.
I wish you all the best as it’s a stressful time, is it an academy or LA school and what position are you on the waitlist? you can ask the LA your position and the criteria of those in front of you on the list.

BetweenTwoFerns · 13/08/2025 06:11

There is hardly any movement at ours because we don’t live in an area where people go to private schools or even move house that often. There isn’t much social mobility.

alwaysthebalancingact · 13/08/2025 09:12

Would also love to hear some positive stories. We are currently 6th on the waiting list (in London) out of 100, which feels too positive to give up all hope but not close enough? Wondering whether there will be much movement at the start of September, as disruptive as that is....and what we do in that position. It's all feeling really agonising right now.

dizzydizzydizzy · 13/08/2025 11:10

DC1 got into our local very sought after primary. It was in the days when the younger kids started in January. We got the call a few days before Xmas.

Have you asked the school whether people in position 6 on the waiting list in previous years got in?

I used to be a school governor at a comprehensive and I do remember at least one year, the head decided to increase the number of places in year 7 because one other year group was quite small and it was obviously a way to increase school funds without increasing costs. So on that occasion the school offered places to something like the first 10 on the year 7 waiting list.

iliketobereasonable · 13/08/2025 16:17

We were 4th on the waiting list in March. The school we wanted (School A) started one day earlier than the school we got (School B). 4PM on the day before my son would have started at School B, we got a phone call from School A, saying that two kids hadn’t turned up and we could have a place starting the next day. We took it. We had bought all the school uniform for School B, and had none for School A, luckily they both had black trousers and white shirts, he got kitted out from. The second hand shop on the morning he started until we could buy the right stuff! It was the right decision for him, he has thrived at School A.

Original poster
thecherryontop · 13/08/2025 17:59

alwaysthebalancingact · 13/08/2025 09:12

Would also love to hear some positive stories. We are currently 6th on the waiting list (in London) out of 100, which feels too positive to give up all hope but not close enough? Wondering whether there will be much movement at the start of September, as disruptive as that is....and what we do in that position. It's all feeling really agonising right now.

Edited

I’m really hopeful that there will be movement. We are also in London and are number 1 in one school and number 3 in another -we were late applicants as moved. I agree it’s agonising.

OP posts:
alwaysthebalancingact · 13/08/2025 18:07

@iliketobereasonable oh my goodness, that sounds really stressful but also brilliant in equal measure, glad it worked out in the end! I know we just have to accept whatever happens but the waiting game is hard. It sounds like there's lots of movement in the first part of September then....

@thecherryontop 1st and 3rd place is hugely positive - do you have a preference for either? Sounds very likely you'd get one either before or in the first part of September.

Original poster
thecherryontop · 13/08/2025 18:38

alwaysthebalancingact · 13/08/2025 18:07

@iliketobereasonable oh my goodness, that sounds really stressful but also brilliant in equal measure, glad it worked out in the end! I know we just have to accept whatever happens but the waiting game is hard. It sounds like there's lots of movement in the first part of September then....

@thecherryontop 1st and 3rd place is hugely positive - do you have a preference for either? Sounds very likely you'd get one either before or in the first part of September.

I would be super happy with either one. One is slightly easier to get to but honestly I would make either work and be glad I could do so. I really hope to hear something!

OP posts:
YesInDeeds · 14/08/2025 08:56

We’re definitely not alone in this! Back in March we were #27 on the waiting list for School A, and by the end of July we’d crept up to #5. It feels so close now, but we know August is usually quiet with the holidays, so it’s a bit of a “sit tight” moment.

When we were at 27, my DS was gutted, but after a few days we focused on all the positives about the “bird in hand.” Now that we’re hovering at #5, though, he’s set his heart on School A again.

Really hoping the private school families holding places as insurance make their final decisions by the August Bank Holiday so we can all get uniforms sorted and minds settled - would be ideal of course.

Fingers crossed for everyone in the same boat, navigating the system.

please keep recent past experiences coming. Thank you. Oh and any stories linked to settling in as the “late arrival” in September /Autumn Term. Thanks 🙏🏽

muminherts · 17/08/2025 07:50

There should surely be some private school movement. We get a few children a year coming out to our school in Herts for Year 7 where the London waiting lists haven’t yielded. Fingers crossed for you!

twistyizzy · 17/08/2025 12:50

muminherts · 17/08/2025 07:50

There should surely be some private school movement. We get a few children a year coming out to our school in Herts for Year 7 where the London waiting lists haven’t yielded. Fingers crossed for you!

This isn't a "normal" year, VAT is having an impact and it was always going to be more impactful in Sept 25.

whatohwhattodo · 17/08/2025 12:57

I was 35/40 ish on waiting list and got a place the day before term started.

TDY · 12/09/2025 11:19

Currently 4th on the WL and I'm on edge everyday just waiting for the call 😭 we called today and now they won't give us any Information? They've told us every other time we've called since march? Maybe we had someone in a bad mood today 😔

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