Still a bit confused!!

[Manana]

As far as I know, if you don't meet the admission criteria of your first choice and you don't get a place then your 2nd choice becomes your first

I sort of get you, but am wondering if, in the time taken for it to be decided that you don't meet the admission criteria for the first choice, your second choice might have been filled up!?

[First-timer]

That's the thing, I don't think it is as linear as most folk suppose. I don't think there is a time between your choices where other applicants have a chance to use up the places. A very smart program sorts it all out. It's a bit like a chess computer quickly evaluating all the possible permutations of moves and then choosing the best one.

Please put your choices down in the order you genuinely prefer the schools. The order only matters to you as an individual, not as a means to distinguish between applicants.

[Suresh]

This is my understanding of the admission process

Every child is ranked seperately to the schools put on the CAF form. Then they see if the child is ranked enough to be in the first / second or third. If he is ranked for the first then they offer that, if not then see for the second and so goes on till they find a place for the child.

Hope this helps.

[thankgoditsover]

A friend's choice of schools from March 2012,

1st choice - King John - took test, didn't score high enough
2nd choice - Belfairs - out of catchment
3rd choice - WHSB - didn't score high enough

Didn't enter a 4th choice and their catchment school was Deanes.

On 1st March they were allocated Fitz.

I think Ahap summed it up nicely and if you don't put grammar as your 1st choice but put your catchment school top regardless of how you do in the 11+ you will be allocated your 1st choice.

This is my understanding anyway. Good luck xx

[kfer]

Thanks for all the info, it is all rather confusing... I know I need to put the order we actually want so we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed DS scores high enough.

Good luck everyone, nearly over......

[daveg]

Didn't enter a 4th choice and their catchment school was Deanes.

There is a myth that circulates at some school gates that if you only put down grammars it somehow make it easier to appeal if your child fails the 11+. It is, of course, dangerous nonsense.

[daveg]

As far as I know, if you don't meet the admission criteria of your first choice and you don't get a place then your 2nd choice becomes your first

I sort of get you, but am wondering if, in the time taken for it to be decided that you don't meet the admission criteria for the first choice, your second choice might have been filled up!?

No. All the admissions are done in parallel. What you describe cannot, and does not, happen.

[Minesatea]

The system is very difficult to explain. The link on this site is the best written explanation I have found:

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/school ... nce-system


The advice is always - use all your available choices on the CAF and put the schools in your true order of preference.

[First-timer]

Good link, Minesatea!

[moved]

Ensure that you have a school that is suitable as a last resort on your form and that you fulfil the entry criteria for that school.

This will stop the horrible situation of being allocated a school that neither of you can cope with.