Anyone else losing their mind on a Y7 Wait List?

[ButterBeanBouquet]

Hi everyone,

I’m starting this thread because the summer holidays are about to kick off and the agonising wait for a Y7 Wait List place is slowly driving me batty. It's been an excruciating wait, since 2nd March / National Offer Day.

If you are also stuck in Wait List purgatory, please pull up a chair so we can suffer together!

We're waiting on a huge school with a PAN of 360 (own admissions, not council). Our trajectory so far has been:

• 16th March: Rank 17
• 7th April: Rank 9
• 17th April: Rank 10
• 7th May: Rank 10
• 2nd June: Rank 6
• 6th July: Rank 3
• Today: Just found out we’ve been leapfrogged back to Rank 4 by a late applicant in a higher priority category

I’ve done enough reading to know that late Aug/early Sep brings a lot of "churn" (no-shows, late house moves, private school double-holders finally releasing spots). But I just can't bear the wait, until then.

I'd love to hear from anyone else in this boat. Specifically:

1. Has anyone ever "given up" and voluntarily pulled themselves off a wait list in late July or early/mid Aug because you just wanted closure, bought the other uniform, and decided to commit to your allocated school? Or did you really wait until the very last minute?
2. Does anyone have any glorious success stories of being offered a place in late July or early/mid Aug?
3. Would anyone be honest enough to admit they are 'double holding' a place at both a state school and a private school? We live in an area with lots of private schools and I happen to know that the most recent family on our Wait List to be offered a place were given one, due to a dropout who finally opted for private school

(and if any school admissions gurus want to look at my ranks above and give me their brutally honest instinct on our chances, please do!)

Huge amounts of luck to anyone who is waiting for a Wait List place! x

Joining the thread as we're in a similar boat.

Gone from no. 11 on WL for first choice school to no. 2. But been 2 for months now...

To be honest, our allocated school has grown on me despite being further away. Although ds still wants his first choice as his best friend is going there. Apprehensive what we'll do if we actually get an offer...

Really think the system is shocking.

@Jacobolordy welcome to the club!

My understanding is that of all the months in the year, March and April generate the most Wait List ‘churn’ and September is a close third. August (esp early Aug) isn’t remotely a high churn month - so it’s understandable you haven’t moved for a while.

Early September should be very active, but as many have said, all depends on the school and your area. (PAN and nearby private schools etc)

If you’re given an offer in Sep, how long would they give you to decide?

We've moved from Rank 4 to Rank 3 in the past 4 weeks. Slooow progress…but not bad for the summer holidays!

Good luck, keep us posted!

‘Waiting list’ NOT ‘wait list’

Do you feel better for this early morning pedantry?

Agree with the last poster - thanks for your pedantry so early in the morning!

Here are two official school websites which use the term ‘Waitlist’. If they’re allowed to publish it on their website, I think I’m allowed to 😊

PS you forgot the comma in your sentence.

Absolutely!

Just because the school uses the incorrect term doesn’t mean you need to. Also PS needs full stops.

No it doesn’t.

Are you able to offer any kind words of advice to any of the myriad parents on this thread who have explained that they’re still waiting for Y7 admission news?

We were the other way around, SEN child holding a place at very oversubscribed school...while waiting for LA to offer specialist placement.
We knew they absolutely would but our LA states you must have applied to catchment school.
It felt very wrong to the waiting list as I knew we wouldn't use the space, and early August was able to call the school and withdraw the application - good news for a child out there to have the place. The admissions officer did say though that lots of parents 'forget' to let them know so the place can't be released until September when they are a no show 😬

End of the sentence requires full stop.

@ButterBeanBouquet any luck?

@JabraHeadphones- sweet of you to ask!!

We’re now Rank 3 (have been since 17th Aug). Still an agonising wait. Starting to lose hope a little, as tomorrow is the first day of term for our ‘preferred’ school (and Thursday is the first day of term for our ‘allocated’ school). Wondering if it’ll ever happen…

Hope you have a good start of term.

Anyone else had any good news?!

@ButterBeanBouquet sorry to hear that. You might see movement on Monday when private schools start and double holders might release seats. If not, don’t give up…domino effect of a single free seat can take weeks to reach you.

but for your DC’s sake just focus on the school you have and think that nothing else is going to come thru.

secret hope is all you have. 🤞

Not heard anything yet. But we've been away and trying to forget about it so haven't called the LA to check if we've moved up.

Preferred school starts Thurs, one we've been given not til 7th...

I do think the system where you may not get your closest catchment school is rubbish. DS will have to have a 50-60 min journey each way inc a train journey to get to the school we've been allocated. As you can tell I'm peed off with the whole process!

Hope others have better luck and good starts to term.

@Jacobolordy Hopefully this week and next will bring good news for you.

50-60 min commute - oh, that’s rubbish.

I’m guessing you’ve bought the uniform for your allocated school? And that it works slightly in your favour that your preferred school starts four days before your allocated school?

Keeping everything crossed for you! Keep us posted 🤞

Well, dc started today at our allocated place. Luckily I'd ordered all the uniform etc.

I thought there might be some movement with people not taking places up at our first choice school (PAN 330) but I phoned today and he's moved down to number 3!

Luckily he seemed to find school OK today. The commute is 50-60 mins if he travels independently (walk/ train/ walk), so we're driving him at the moment (35 min round trip so not too bad).

Any news for anyone else?? Hope its good.

After going through a nightmare since March of not being offered ANY school on our list but allocated inadequate school by the council, to preparing and sitting through multiple Appeals which I found so stressful and they were unsuccessful in the end - last week we received offer from our 1st choice school.
Absolute nightmare that is finally over.

That’s brilliant! Horrible journey but at least a good ending.

Just wondered how you got on on the end? Hope there was a last minute shift.

I've given up checking but not been offered a place at our preferred school yet. Tbh I'm not sure we'd move now as dc seems to have settled quite well at second choice so far, so would be a difficult choice. Just the commute that's a pain!