Advice needed about St michael's Finchley

[Worryingworrying]

DD has a waiting list place for St M's and has been allocated a place at an OK secondary.
Currently she is at a prep school and is really happy there.
So
Should we leave her at the prep and hang on for a waiting list place - she was ranked 159th, but because she is happy where she is and wouldn't be changing schools we would be OK with waiting for a place to come up in Y9 or even Y10, but will this happen? Or would we be left with only indie options at the end of Y10?

Help please! no fingernails left

St Michael's is a fantastic school, but it's small and sought-after, so there is very little pupil movement after the start of Y7. My dd is in Y10, and I don't think there have been any girls leave or new girls start in all her time there.

So if your dd doesn't get a place off the waiting list before September, you'd be really unwise to hold out for a place becoming available after that. I think what most people do is accept a private place and hold out for a state place becoming available at the last minute (but we're talking over the summer rather than after the start of Y7), even though that means losing the deposit and a term's fees.

I though most of the N. London private schools had their main intakes at Y7? Y10 is very late, I don't think any schools have intakes then, so you'd be very unwise to bank on moving schools at that stage. In any case, friendship groups will have formed at the main intake stages, so it would be quite difficult for a child to move when all the other dc have been together for 3 years already.

Tbh I'd pick the best school you can get now and see what happens before September. I wouldn't leave her at the prep unless you have a very clear masterplan for Y9 transfer.

Thanks 134 - that was really the info I needed. We are investigating leaving DD at the prep and wait for ad-hoc place at (not likely) St Michaels or a good local comp. the next choice would be indie at end of Y8 (we have found some schools that do move then because that is the traditional time for boys to change school). Thanks for your help.

Hi Worryingworrying

Well done, do you have info on the waiting list to find out the chances of your DD a place this year from no. 159? Where do they count it from? I personally would not move my DD after year 7 for the reasons no. 134 states. Would you be prepared to take the place at the OK secondary to secure a place right through secondary school, that way she would not have to move and start new friendships at any time? Just a few thoughts. Good luck!!