Secondary Waiting Lists 2010

[sue41]

Does anyone have any idea when the 'movements' start??

My daughter is 11th on her first choice, 20th on her second, 22nd on the addtional school we considered, 27th on our third choice and 63rd on our 4th choice..... I really don't know what, if any, chance she has for any of the schools?????

She asks virtually everyday if she is nearer to the top, but so far has only moved one spot up on one list and one spot down on another!!

Help

we had until 19th March to accept our place . After that presume schools will know who they defintely have and if any spaces spare then proceed to waiting list to allocate?

Tks busymummy3 - we had only to the 15th and after checking I was given waiting list positions and told I would be contacted if any space but could call from time to time, I just wondered if anyone else experienced last year and when/if they got offered off the waiting list. I'm in Barnet and virtually all the schools are popular, we just live in a black spot if you have a girl!!

Hi, I'm in Barnet too. You probably know this already but on the secondary transfer booklet, it gives the distances they went out to for first and final rounds(well for the community schools anyway). I know this doesn't tell you when it would be but will show if you would have got in in the last 3 years.

Hi Sue41

I noticed in another post that your 1st choice is The Wren. My DD friend was offered this on 23 March 2010 in the 2nd round. She is approx 0.9 miles (very generalised measurement from the DCSF site) from the school. I don't know if she got in on the community or foundation entrance - she does attend a CofE school but doesn't attend church or have a sibling at the school. Hope that helps you gauge where your DC is - they might be nearer the top of the list now.

Boobaddum

Hi, I think your friend may have been 1st on waiting list, I spoke to Wren around that time and was told only one person said no to their offer and they had offered out to the first person on the list. I'm 0.829 from the school, so probably your friend is a little nearer (I think for the non-community places they need a priests letter....). Must be a lot near as we are 11th (after that place) on the waiting list!

Tks the feedback, I'm going to check again just after Easter.

Sue

Sorry addendum, yes you were right about the booklets, we actually have been in the catchment area for Wren for the past two years but all the others we are miles aways from.

Even though offered Ravenscroft (by default), it's a very difficult school to get to - they say only 1.5 miles but if you go by road it's round about 3.5 miles...

Hope your school dreams came true!

Tks again

Sue

Hi Sue41

We've been lucky and got our first choice and we would also have got our second choice as we are actually nearer that one but we wanted a mixed school as I have a DS following behind.
I think we are lucky with where we live. Looking at the map on the back of the transfer book it looks like there are a lot of places where there are black spots for lack of schools that you can apply to due to gender and faith.
I don't know how other boroughs or counties fair but of the 22 Barnet state secondary schools, only 8 of them are true community schools and if you take out the single sex schools, it leaves just 5 to choose from - no wonder it's so hard to get a school you are happy with!
I do think there will still be some movement, I think it all filters down from the independent and selective schools but it is taking time this year.
My fingers are crossed for you.
x

Dear Boobaddum

Glad you got your choices. Good luck in September!

As others next year may be like myself and totally mystified by how long they may have to wait I thought I'd update from time to time!!

My DD has moved a lot on the waiting lists since March 15th - the second round did not see much movement, but since the Easter holidays she has now moved quite a lot as follows:

Wren now 6th! (originally 13th)
QE Girs now 13th (originally 20th)
Copthall now 24th (originally 27th)
Compton now 57th (origninally 63rd)
Friern Barnet now 16th (originally 22nd)

So for any disheartened parents on waiting lists, if you in the top 6-7 you may have already been offered a place.

Barnet does have a lot of students that go to private schools eventually but whose parents put in for that all essential safety place at state school.

Hope to have good news before the summer break and hopefully maybe earlier so I don't have to go for the dreaded appeals.

Interested to see if any movement between now and May!

Good luck to everyone with secondary school transfers.

Sue41

A colleague at work has a DD at The Wren. She told me that there was a lot of movement even up to Xmas of Yr 7, so you should have a good chance of a place there as you are now 6th on waiting list. From conversations with her and following this and other message boards, it is not all that strange for pupils to simply not turn up on the first day, having given no notice to the school - extremely immoral IMO. I hope you have good news before the summer break.

Boobaddum

Your a mine of information. Tks.

I too heard from a neighbour that quite a few leave after the induction day or early on in the term. A lot of them are Muslims who do not realise how central the Christianty theme is to the school.

Originally Wren advertised that non CofE's would have a tutorial session i/o attending a fairly religious assembly (this is from her/her friends point of view) and so were withdrawing their kids. Understandable if you were not sure, however Wren website is much clearer now on this point - so we shall see!

When I heard my DD had moved to 6th spot I wanted to cry out, it seems so much closer than before - even QE Girls (my second choice) seems viable now!!

Anyway thanks again,

Sue

sue41 - I'm not in Barnet (tho' I went to school and have friends there so I know the schools!) but just wanted to offer support as I did the waiting list thing for my ds a couple of years back. It is awful - you go from week to week just waiting on those figures and it does occupy your thoughts. It's hard if you have to call to check - we got automatic notification every fortnight. All you can do is prepare yourself for a long wait and if it comes sooner, then you're ahead. The list does go in fits and starts as you've discovered - none at first, then some bigger shifts, then it starts to slow down again but yes, there are often places at the very last minute so you always have a chance. Good luck and prepare to celebrate when you get there in the end!

Dear Inkpen

Tks your support. Your right, having to phone is a nightmare, as I almost want to call everyday - I'm being quite bad by ringing every week at the moment. I'd much
rather your system of automatic updates.

Update:

Wren now 4th!(last position 5th,original 13th)
QE Girls now 12th (last position 13th,originally 20th)
Copthall now 23th (last position 24th, originally 27th)
Compton now 53rd (origninally 63rd)
Friern Barnet now 17th (last postiion 16th, originally 22nd, last week 16th - this back one!!)

I getting more and more hopeful I may end up with my first choice but it is hell waiting!!
It's been just over 6 weeks, so the movements aren't too bad...... didn't help that I saw my DD's teacher last night and she said "Wren would be the perfect school for her!"

Tks again for the support,

Sue

Hi Sue

Another small step closer to the end goal but boy the Wren list is moving slowly!

We heard this week that boy in DD's class got a place at MHCHS - apparently he was 15th on the academic list and they only take 24! I was quite shocked that it had got that far already. Unfortunately he hasn't helped you in any as he was offered Ravenscroft as well initially.

Keep us posted, I'm sure you'll have good news one way or another soon x

Thanks Boobaddum

Amazing how fast MHCHS list moved.

It does give me hope!! The PIC at Wren said
she was aware of more than one person just holding on to a place on the w/l because they could.

Hope to post good news soon, it seems v. possible now! Just fingers crossed we get
a place before the induction day, does anyone know when the induction days are?

Sue

Ok, have done some investigations as we are away in June for a couple of days and was panicking we would miss something.

Barnet school induction days are either 1st or 7th July 2010. Mine is 7th and the open evening for parents and pupils is 6 july.

I also had a very quick look at a couple of websites - QE girls was the only one who had the dates on their site - their open evening is 17 June, so I imagine these start from early/mid june through until early July (?)

I'm sure the Wren would be able to give you exact info for their school, East Barnet did for me when I was having my mini panic!

Dear Boobaddum

All I can say is thankyou, again. Apparently, I have Wren appeal papers waiting at home, and they have to be back in
10 days, with appeals around mid-June, so I am hoping the induction days are 1st or 7th July as you advised for other Barnet schools.

Wren are very helpful, so I will give them a call in a couple of weeks to confirm.

Again, all I can say is thankyou, you've been a tower of strength and a lot of help.

Sue

Sue41
I know i am sad but have got a friend going through the waiting list dilemma at the moment not in your area but in Birmingham and was reading your post to see if there was any advise i could pass on to her and am now hooked have you got an update on the waiting list movements.

Hi, Sorry ddgm not answering the Birmingham question but asking if anyone knows how far the Bucks waiting lists move. Specifically DGHS? Thanks.

Hi ddgm and Pricess TippyToes

It seems the waiting lists are a little different this year, they have been hit by the recession (especially in the areas with more money!!!) as not so many are confident to send the DCs to Private School.

I'm told by a colleague whose wife works for a private school that the bills went out in April, but a lot for one reason or another jump out of the state system in June?????

For my DD the waiting list movements have
slowed considerably since Easter.

Wren Still 4th
Copthall Out to 25th
QE Girls Still 12th
Friern Bnt Now 15th

I'm like ddgm's friend and Princess Tippytoes
on a knife edge!!

I had the same with my 23 year old (many, many years ago!) and he got offered from a
waiting list just after I had been
successful for an appeal for my first choice, so around about end May/early June.

Fingers crossed,

Sue41

Hi Sue41
I dont know if this will make you feel better or not, but a couple of years ago when my son went up to secondary school one of his friends was on the waiting list and started in 22nd position, like you they moved slowly and slowly, on the 21st August they where 4th. The mother had given up and brought uniform for the school allocated and even though unhappy they had come to live with their given school.
However on the 28th August they had a call of the first choice school a place had come up and the 3 above them on the list where now not willing to take the place as like them they had purchased uniform etc. My sons friend went out immediately brought the uniform and has been happy there ever since.
Sorry was trying to say don't give up hope but think i may have just prolonged your agony.
Good luck-keep us up to date .
DDGM

Thanks ddgm and Sue41. Just wish it could move a little quicker. Ho Hum - I expect that there are others who are also wishing
PTT

Dear ddgm

Tks, I keep hoping, and will leave buying uniform until the very last minute!!

You haven't prolonged my agony, I'm slightly better than your friend as for our first choice we are already 4th. Also I have all the appeals coming up (fingers crossed).

Princess Tippy Toes, know what you mean about waiting, I hope we can both report back soon that we have got our choices

Sue41

Hi

Just my weekly update! It's not been 8 weeks on the waiting lists (feels longer!).

Wren 3rd (up one place!)

QE Girls 11th (up one place!)

Copthall 26th (down another place

Friern Barnet 15th (no movement)

I've given up with Compton as she is so far down the list I don't think it is even worth watching.

Slowly, slowly and Copthall Appeal tomorrow, QE girls next week.

Good luck to everyone in the same position!

Sue

Underwent the first of the dreaded appeals on Monday for Copthall school. Found out Tuesday failed! Apparently everyone's DD is young for their age and everyone's DD's eduction will be effected by not going to 'this school'.

Anyone with help on how I can make my DD's case a little more special for Monday (QE Girls appeal) it would be great.

My points currently:-

Child socially and emotionally immature (as upheld by her current school)

Bullied by boys

Change of schools where she has no social group has severe effect on her education (as previously found when she changed school in year 5)

As so immature, incapable of making journey to school on own and school she has been allocated is difficult to reach.

QE Girls subjects are in fields of her strengths and not available at the school she has been allocated.

Any help appreciated.

Sue

I don't have any experience here but just to emphasize that QE specialisms are for media, arts and mathematics and computing so you really need to show these are suited to your DD and back it up with evidence from school if at all possible.

QE will definately argue it can't take any extra due to things like the tiny classrooms they have etc.

I'm sure someone with more expertise on here can help you more than I can but just wanted to offer support to you.

PS, we have a girl in DDs class who is also appealing for QE - parents desparately want her to go there and she is fairly high on waiting list now. She currently has a place at The Wren, so if successful at QE either through the waiting list or appeal, that'll be another place nearer to the Wren for your DD.