chance of getting in to DVI from wait list

[goocha]

Hi,

We live 799 meters from Dulwich Village Infants (DVI) School and didn't manage to get in under the Open (non CoE) Places as the furthest distance this year was 636 meters.

I found out today that we ae number 28 on the waiting list. I know we could also move down the list and it changes every year but does anyone out there think we have a chance of getting in? Has anyone else gotten in after being this far down the wait list? I can't imagine that many people would choose not to take up an offer of a place unless they are tempted by the independent school option but am keeping my fingers crossed...

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Gocha, as DVI admissions operates with two admission routes, Open criteria and Foundation criteria, roughly speaking, you are looking at a pool of 45 places. Its last place offered distance is larger than you may expect for 45 places, as some of the applicants would be eligible for places under both criteria, faith and distance. I don't know what tends to happen with the waiting list for DVI, but going from experience of other primary waiting lists, I would think it is unlikely (but not impossible) that you will get a place there. Remember if new families move into the area over summer and live closer the school that you, you may find that you go lower on the waiting list.

Renata

[Sanne Panne]

We're quite a bit higher up than you are but we're not counting on getting in. They told me on the phone this morning that they just sent out 5 "late" offerings based on the only 5 "decline" messages they received. Most if not all private school offerings for the coming school year have been made already so most parents who had their kids down for DVI and are sending them private will have declined by now (i.e. before we were told where we are on the waiting list). This means the only real movement in the list is probably of people moving out of the area... and as people move out, others may move in. I would guess only the top 10 in the current "community" waiting list have any chance, maybe even just the top 5 (Renata is that even realistic, with 5 "late" offerings just having been made? Or is any parent with experience willing to share?).

Thinking about it, if the top 10 on the community waiting list all get in this would mean that almost a quarter or all current community places that have already been accepted by the parents would drop out. Not likely. But not based on personal experience...

[Sanne Panne]

And it's not like parents with a DVI place are typically on the waiting list for other state primary schools hoping to get into that other school... maybe one or two that feel that living 600 meters away is a bit much and/or don't like the idea of DVI having a faith element to it. This could apply to those living between Rosendale and DVI as Rosendale is very popular too. Just a thought.

[goocha]

Thanks for all of your thoughts. I think it is highly unlikely we will get in but a friend with children at DVI has told me that a few parents she knows put there kids names down for private schools like Herne Hill School and Rosemead as a back up in case they didn't get a place at DVI. They have now have had to pay a ?1000 deposit and will have to pay a full term's fees if they withdraw their children now so in all a total of approx ?4,500 which will be painful to pay out if their children don't attend but I guess will still save them loads of money over the next 3 years if they accept a place at DVI. I was hoping that some of these parents may stick with the private option.

I was also hoping some on the waiting list might be on Turney Rd/Stradella etc and also on the wait list for Rosendale and happy to go there if they were waitlisted but got in during the next few weeks but I doubt there will be many in this situation...

Sanne, do you know if the 5 late offers went to Open Places or Faith? Does that mean in theory that the wait list for Open Places may have reduced since yesterday? Did they tell you how many have gotten in from the wait list for Open places in the past?

I don't want to become obsessed by all of this but is hard not to keep wondering and hoping we may be incredibly lucky and get a place.

[Sanne Panne]

Hi Goocha, I don't know if they went to open places. Not even sure if your current position was determined before or after these 5 offerings were made, I would imagine it was before.

I do think there may be more movement in the open places waiting list than in the faith applicants' waiting list (if there is one) as I would assume that parents who go through the effort of applying on a faith basis (with letter from vicar etc) are pretty motivated to get into the school in question i.e. less likely to decline a place if they get one. I can imagine more of the community places being of a more tentative "hey you never know" basis with parents not so keen to change schools after the school year has started.

[Scruffy Mummy]

This is an interesting article which might help with your worries about becoming obsessed by it all!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/27/letting-go-well-being_n_1453089.html

[Sanne Panne]

Good one from the Huffpost. Of course these are just first world problems and not worth genuinely stressing about but it's surprisingly addictive to analyse all the variables when it comes to school allocation ;)

[goocha]

I agree!

Just found out all 5 places offered were Open ones so we are now number 23 on the list. DVI say it's unlikely we will be offered a place. Oh well but you are right, this isn't worth getting stressed over just very distracting. :)

[hernehilly]

I'm going back a couple of years but we got in after a few months on waiting list. Can't remember what number we were but quite low. There has generally been a fair amount of movement during the summer and sometimes into the autumn term Also, in the past they've had less faith applicants than places, so 'spare' places became open ones. I don't know if that's the case this year but just to flag there might be more than 45 open places. Also you're assuming that the late offers will be accepted, they might not. You never know!

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi all, movement on waiting lists do vary alot. I agree with you Sanne Panne, that people who are off to the fee paying sector will already have accepted their places, this is probably where the 5 Open spaces have come from. Last year I was helping parents who were on two waiting lists in the area. I had two families on each, and in both cases they moved down the list. I think people moving into the area plus children being assessed as having a special need and moving up the ranks have an effect. As DVI is infants only, you are going to have less of a sibling effect than at other schools ie sibling gets a place in a higher class in the school and therefore child on waiting list shoots to the top. There was some movement between September and Xmas, due to children not turning up in September (moving house over summer and not telling anyone). At that point, as many parents will be happy with the school their child has started, bought uniform etc, one or two places that come up may go to a child who was fifth or sixth on the waiting list.

Renata

[goocha]

Hernehilly, thanks for your info.

I just wondered, when you say you were 'quite low' on the waiting list do you mean you were one of the first 10 on the list so a low number close to the top or low as in a higher number like 19 and further from the top?

That's also really interesting to hear that they do not always get enough Faith applicants to fill the 45 places.

[hernehilly]

Can't recall exact number but I'm sure it was more than 20 to start with, and school had already started by time offer came so had obviously made alternative arrangements (as Renata says it may be a difficult decision to switch at that stage, I had to give it a lot of thought before doing so). But it was also the last year I think of the separate borough applications so some people were sitting on 2 offers from different boroughs - so that's different now. However subsequent to that year, friends were in the teens on the waiting list and got in before end of summer term. It's a difficult one to call. I empathise!

[DVnewbie]

Hello - how are you getting on Goocha?! We went to a look round DVI with my son yesterday and I met a nice mum whose child was offered a place yesterday (from 20-something on the waiting list). Maybe it was you...!

[Sanne Panne]

Hm, maybe that was me, we were 13 and were offered a place on Tuesday. Not sure if I'm nice though! Are you O's mum then? I'm M's mum :)

--> Edited post to change our original waiting list spot for those who thought they should have got in by now.. we weren't originally 18 but 13 I now remember. Sorry for any confusion

[DVnewbie]

Ha - yes, that's me!! It was very nice to meet you. Hope A is ok!

[goocha]

Hi DVnewbie, thanks for thinking of me. :)

Hi Sanne Panne,

Congrats on getting a place. That#s brilliant news. Sadly for us we are now only 18 on the waiting list so it's not looking too hopeful. Do you know if DVI has had a day when the children come in to meet their future teachers yet? I was hoping when that happened some parents might ring in to say that they no longer wanted the place....

[DVnewbie]

Hi Goocha,

Yes... Sorry, they had a couple last week. It was all very informal - just a 30 minute charge around the playground (with all the Reception teachers around). There's a new parents' evening this week. So I think it's very unlikely they'll be much movement now.

But, on the positive side, I'm not sure what school you've been offered but a couple of nearby ones that weren't doing so well are now supposed to be really good? Hope it all goes well.

[DVnewbie]

Bessemer Grange is the one I was thinking of actually etta166... It's supposed to be really good now. And at least you wouldn't have to worry about going through it all again at 7!

[Sanne Panne]

Hi Etta, I think DVI bulged last year so there may be a bigger sibling intake next year :( Will send you a pm now.

etta166 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hello all!

>

> I'm contemplating my options for next year and

> read this thread with some trepidation... Sanne

> Panne - how far away from DVI do you live? I am

> trying to work out if it will be a realistic

> prospect for a first child next year from where I

> live...

>

> Bessemer Grange is my other option, I think. Any

> thoughts?

[Lacey]

Hi Etta

The Deputy Head at Bessemer does a really informative tour every Tuesday during term time at 9.30. Definitely worth going along if you can make it.

We are really happy with the school and our son loves it too. Happy to answer any queries by PM too.