Time to submit the CAF. Does the order matter?

[kittymum]

A quick reply to Curious Georges last post:

I'm just wondering why you can't choose your order of preference now but do think you can choose in March- what information will change in the meantime?

I agree making a school choice is worrying and difficult but a deadline must be set at some point to make it fair for everyone. Good luck though, I wish you and everyone the best with such a hard decision.

Simply because, some may make mistakes thinking they are 'taking a risk' or 'playing it safe' etc, thereby missing the actual school they wanted, despite having the marks. The problem is at the time of the CAF nobody knows whether they have the marks or not. Its only on offer day will they come to know.

Admissions must be only based on merit & nothing else.

But it's nothing about taking risks / playing it safe?!? It explains very clearly that you rank your schools in order of preference, that is all anyone is required to do, I really can't see the problem!

[Curious__George]

..

[KS10]

They are clear, but every year there are people who 'misinform' others simply because they haven't bothered to check out the information they quite happily pass on.

[Tinkers]

I think the biggest reason for mistakes is that the system has changed for many since they applied to primary schools. Certainly the system for us was completely different.

In a few years I think the misunderstandings will be less common as those applying for secondaries will have gone through the same process when they applied for primary.

The other issue then are the headteachers who for whatever reason continue to give out misleading information.

I know in just the last couple of weeks I have posted answers to a number of posters asking about what order they need to put schools on their CAF and do they risk a place by putting a school second.

As always, this time in big letters.

Put the schools down in YOUR preferred order.

[ToadMum]

Hmm...I see your point. However, if it is so simple, why we do have the situation of many people making mistakes? I see from other posts that this is a regular occurrence every year.

Are the instructions not clear enough?

From that question, do we deduce that you do really understand the system, or that you don't actually have a child on whose behalf you are applying for a secondary place this time, so you haven't needed to look?

Our last one went through the system last year, but I do know that our LA publishes perfectly clear advice as to how the set-up works - and were already functioning properly under the equal preference rules back in 2007 when we were applying for DS1's secondary school place.

Oh, and a major cause of people 'making mistakes' is that they listen to the ignorant tittle-tattle of others instead of reading the instructions properly for themselves - to paraphrase DG, not putting in the kind of work on completing their CAF that they have required of their DC in preparation for their exams.

[Sally-Anne]

to paraphrase DG, not putting in the kind of work on completing their CAF that they have required of their DC in preparation for their exams.

+ several to that!!

[mad?]

to paraphrase DG, not putting in the kind of work on completing their CAF that they have required of their DC in preparation for their exams.

+ several to that!!

So true!

[Curious__George]

Hmm...I see your point. However, if it is so simple, why we do have the situation of many people making mistakes? I see from other posts that this is a regular occurrence every year.

Are the instructions not clear enough?

From that question, do we deduce that you do really understand the system, or that you don't actually have a child on whose behalf you are applying for a secondary place this time, so you haven't needed to look?

Our last one went through the system last year, but I do know that our LA publishes perfectly clear advice as to how the set-up works - and were already functioning properly under the equal preference rules back in 2007 when we were applying for DS1's secondary school place.

Oh, and a major cause of people 'making mistakes' is that they listen to the ignorant tittle-tattle of others instead of reading the instructions properly for themselves - to paraphrase DG, not putting in the kind of work on completing their CAF that they have required of their DC in preparation for their exams.

Well, if I don't have a child going through 11+, I wouldn't be on this forum. While we have put the schools in the order of preference on the CAF, I didn't do much research to fully understand how it works. This is because my child made it easy by by scoring close to the top on all the exams.

[Sally-Anne]

While we have put the schools in the order of preference on the CAF, I didn't do much research to fully understand how it works. This is because my child made it easy by by scoring close to the top on all the exams.

That is precisely the problem.

We have parents on here who put their children through every 11+ test they can find, and they are thrilled to bits at their offspring's super-high score.

They are then shocked to discover that they needed to live in a specific area in order for their child to gain a place.

Or that they live in Newcastle and the daily commute to Surrey won't work.

[Tinkers]

Or they get a place in March and then ask what's the best way to get to X from Y. They haven't thought through how their DCs are actually going to get to school.