South West Herts CI lists

[angelaht]

There has been no movement at all on WGGS - tests or distance, since first CI.

Hello all, just to clarify, there has been movement on WGGS on outer catchment. My DD was 17 on the CI list on allocation day and came to 4th on the first run and now has been offered a place at Watford Girls. We are over the moon and really pleased.

For those on the CI list for Parmiter's, we have released a place and also know someone who will be releasing a place making you at least 2 places up. Good luck to all and hope you get your chosen schools.

Sorry - should have been clearer. For inner my dd is at the same positions as she was after first CI.

[fluffybudgie]

Hi, I am amazed that there is so much movement on the outer catchment lists for WGGS and WGBS. There are only 18/19 places but the lists have moved to 17 for the girls and at least 9 places for the boys. The inner area is much slower. And the sibling list has not moved at all (for the boys school anyway) Any ideas why and is this usual?

[noonynunu]

Hi, I am amazed that there is so much movement on the outer catchment lists for WGGS and WGBS. There are only 18/19 places but the lists have moved to 17 for the girls and at least 9 places for the boys. The inner area is much slower. And the sibling list has not moved at all (for the boys school anyway) Any ideas why and is this usual?

I am wondering whether there will a unique situation arise whereby the cut off marks for the outer catchment end up lower than those for the inner catchment. There was only 5 marks between the two on offer day.

I know others felt this was unlikely when I first raised the point some weeks ago. However, it will be interesting to see the final cut off marks.

[Daogroupie]

I would imagine that there are many who apply for outer catchment as a nothing to lose policy. They would expect the chances to be small as I would and had other plans which have obviously come through for them. Nobody could actually rely on an outer catchment place so they have not actually ended up needing them! It is fantastic news that all those people who have ended up on the waiting list have got spaces but it would be so ironic if the other catchment mark did end up lower than the inner catchment. I wonder if it has ever happened? I also wonder how many of those who got the places have ended up going private or with QE boy's places. Their waiting list has gone down 25 places so far. I woud expect there to be a high correlation between applications to Watford boys and QE boys. DG

[noonynunu]

I woud expect there to be a high correlation between applications to Watford boys and QE boys. DG

Could it be possible that some of them are opting for Bucks Grammars instead?

Could the level of movement on the outer catchment also be down to some of the outer catchment areas being able to give 6 preferences, whereas inner catchment areas only have 4? With 2 extra preferences to play around with and a catchment that extends as far as 9 miles, a fair amount of CI movement is to be expected. There certainly seems to be a number of parents that procure a place at a school and then look into the logistical issues afterwards.

For the inner catchment, the vast majority of places were allocated to siblings. As the parents will have gone through the decision making process with older children and be familiar with the pros and cons of the schools, they are more likely to have a very definite idea of whether they want their other children to attend that school.

[Mgnmum]

the inner catchment academic places dont go to siblings, the sibling places go to siblings and there is no distinction between inner and outer.

[decaff]

Yes I think applicants from outer catchments often have more choices so more options. Would be interesting to know what outer catchment scores have come down to and it would be ironic if a child say in Harrow got a place with a lower score than a child who lives very close to school.

[Middlesexmum]

Interesting reading.

What score is it down to for the outer catchment? My dd didn't do brilliantly in the consortium test, she got 247 and I figured she had no chance of a place. We put WGSG second on the CAF anyway but I'm curious to know if she might have got a place.

[fluffybudgie]

I must say that 247 is a really good mark, and in previous years would have got you Parmiters (even if not in the first few rounds). However, this is a really strange year! And where you live does matter for sibling places - for cross siblings there are not enough places so these are offered according to distance from the school (although there is no inner and outer area). I too am very interested in where the marks fall to. In the last 'peak' year Parmiters started at 252 but fell to 246 ish by June. This year 255 and only moved to 253 so far.......I think!

[HenryVIII]

Some of the movement in the outer catchment areas for the WGSB/G may be due to the additional 2 choices on the CAF and also it seems that people living in London boroughs are given up to 2 weeks to decide when a place comes up on the CI so they may briefly be holding 2 places (not allowed in Herts where we can hold only one place) - I don't know the exact policy for Harrow but elsewhere in London this seems to be the case. So, perhaps this movement is indicative of CI earlier rounds where the family has time to decide and then Herts/the relevant borough need time to reconcile their systems.

I heard mention that Parmiters CI moved a place for music, to 35 and if true, releases a Band A place at BM.