1st or 2nd choice

[mudskipper40]

Hi

I'm confused about which school to put down as first choice. If my son does not get into Reading Boys, I want him to go to my other preference.

Do I need to put Reading Boys as 1st choice to give him a chance of a place? Their admission guidelines don't say anything about only offering places to first choice applicants. If I put it down as 2nd (or even 3rd) and he succeeds in the test, will he be offered a place?

Thanks!
Mudskipper40

[WP]

I'm confused about which school to put down as first choice. If my son does not get into Reading Boys, I want him to go to my other preference.

Do I need to put Reading Boys as 1st choice to give him a chance of a place? Their admission guidelines don't say anything about only offering places to first choice applicants. If I put it down as 2nd (or even 3rd) and he succeeds in the test, will he be offered a place?

The order of your preferences will only be used if more than one school can offer you a place. So ask yourself which school you would prefer in that situation, and put it first. If you put Reading Boys 2nd or 3rd, and qualify for a place both there and at your 1st preference school, the LEA will take your word for it that you would rather have the other school, and that is what they will give you, telling Reading Boys to give the place to someone else.

Just write down your true preferences, as long as you include a fall-back.

[stevew61]

Hi

I'm confused about which school to put down as first choice. If my son does not get into Reading Boys, I want him to go to my other preference.

http://www.reading.gov.uk/Documents/edu ... 8%20v2.pdf

Have a look at the sections on pages 12-16, shows some examples of what happens.

Put Reading first, if you come in top one hundred your LEA will pass on the offer of a place from school to you. If the school can not make you an offer then your LEA will regard your 2nd choice as your new number one preference.

Every year we hear of a sad tale of somebody placing Reading/Kendrick second and losing out on a place.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... hp?p=18487

So put your preferences in your real preferred order.

Good luck.



steve

[mudskipper40]

Thanks for the advice - 1st choice it is then!