Should I still place a GS on my CAF if he fails the test ?
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Should I still place a GS on my CAF if he fails the test ?
This probably seems a silly question but I couldn't find any answers in the LA literature. I already have a daughter at Wilmington Girls Grammar and would like my son to go to Wilmington Grammar school for Boys. My question is that if my son fails the Kent test should I still place this on my CAF and if I don't will this affect my chances if I choose to appeal ? Would the appeal panel say 'Well you couldn't have really wanted your child to come to this school because you didn't mention us'
I would really appreciate some guidance !
I would really appreciate some guidance !
I think you need to ask Etienne this one - maybe place it in the appeals section. Under the relatively new code of admissions, it sounds as though to be successful at an appeal in the event of 11+ failure things have changed. It's not necessarily any longer about proving whether your child has the ability and the test result was wrong for some reason.
Where there is locally a system where there is some kind of review panel before the 11+ system is announced, you have to be able to show that the review was not carried out in some way or other. Anyhow, as you see I am a bit vague on this. But what I'm saying is it may be more complicated in the event of failure about just whether or not to put the school on your CAF.
If you did not put the school on your CAF, you could apply for it at the date that the admissions booklet says you can apply to schools that you did not put on your CAF, and then appeal.
Where there is locally a system where there is some kind of review panel before the 11+ system is announced, you have to be able to show that the review was not carried out in some way or other. Anyhow, as you see I am a bit vague on this. But what I'm saying is it may be more complicated in the event of failure about just whether or not to put the school on your CAF.
If you did not put the school on your CAF, you could apply for it at the date that the admissions booklet says you can apply to schools that you did not put on your CAF, and then appeal.
I recently attended a meeting at my dd's school with the headteacher to discuss filling in the SCAF form.
She informed us that we would receive, by post, either a yes or a no as to whether our child had reached the criteria required for Kent 11+. There would be no scores. The school can give you your childs actual scores and advise whether to appeal. We were told that if you were going to appeal in March, you would still need to place the grammar school onto your SCAF form, otherwise you would not stand a chance in the appeal process.
Hope this helps.
She informed us that we would receive, by post, either a yes or a no as to whether our child had reached the criteria required for Kent 11+. There would be no scores. The school can give you your childs actual scores and advise whether to appeal. We were told that if you were going to appeal in March, you would still need to place the grammar school onto your SCAF form, otherwise you would not stand a chance in the appeal process.
Hope this helps.
Yes, you must put the GS down and in first place. This allows you to put in your appeal immediately your application is rejected on March 3rd, rather than having to wait another month to apply. Hopefully, that should get you one of the earlier appeal hearings. And you can still hold on to the 2nd/3rd/4th placed school which you have been allocated after the GS turned you down.
Well it kind of might be right, but it overlooks the fact that you can apply to schools o utside the normal admissions round and appeal, and if you are lucky and swift with it all you may get your appeal at just the same time as those who did not put the school on their SCAF.
Headteacher admissions info is not always the best. Best to e-mail a senior person at the relevant LEA, and also take Etienne's advice re. appeals - she always seems to be the most up to date and authoritative on this website (not sure what her secret is!!)
Headteacher admissions info is not always the best. Best to e-mail a senior person at the relevant LEA, and also take Etienne's advice re. appeals - she always seems to be the most up to date and authoritative on this website (not sure what her secret is!!)
Thank You to everyone who took the time to reply to me. The information you have given has been very helpful.
I live within the London Borough of Bromley and although we have two selective schools in our area they manage their own tests which take place after the CAF is submitted.
The schools I have been looking at are within the Bexley and Kent areas so I very much doubt that my LEA would be able to offer any guidance.I know I could contact the individual schools concerned but I think that unless my DS fails by along way I will still name the grammar schools on my CAF as I hope this will give me the best chance at the appeal stage.(You never know he may surprise me and I won't have to go down this route!!)
Thanks again everyone
I live within the London Borough of Bromley and although we have two selective schools in our area they manage their own tests which take place after the CAF is submitted.
The schools I have been looking at are within the Bexley and Kent areas so I very much doubt that my LEA would be able to offer any guidance.I know I could contact the individual schools concerned but I think that unless my DS fails by along way I will still name the grammar schools on my CAF as I hope this will give me the best chance at the appeal stage.(You never know he may surprise me and I won't have to go down this route!!)
Thanks again everyone
In Bromley we are allowed to name up to 6 schools.
I know some people might think that naming 2 selective schools on a CAF when your child has failed the relative test is a waste. But in our 'Moving on to Secondary School' in Bromley it advises the distance to which local schools have been able to offer places in recent years.
I will mention the 2 which have historically covered my address and other than that if I fill up my CAF with other local comprehensive schools I know too that this will be a waste as they don't come anywhere near my house.
So if my DS fails the Kent and Bexley tests hopefully by mentioning them on the CAF I will be in a better postion than if I don't.
I know some people might think that naming 2 selective schools on a CAF when your child has failed the relative test is a waste. But in our 'Moving on to Secondary School' in Bromley it advises the distance to which local schools have been able to offer places in recent years.
I will mention the 2 which have historically covered my address and other than that if I fill up my CAF with other local comprehensive schools I know too that this will be a waste as they don't come anywhere near my house.
So if my DS fails the Kent and Bexley tests hopefully by mentioning them on the CAF I will be in a better postion than if I don't.
Oh yes if I had six spaces I would definitely put two grammar schools down in an equal preference. One would be lucky to be in an area where there were more than 4 non-selective schools of interest, and in which one might stand a chance of a place.
I was just thinking of how the Kent form used to be - 3 spaces, and not equal preference, so putting grammars down for nothing spelled disaster.
Good luck.
I was just thinking of how the Kent form used to be - 3 spaces, and not equal preference, so putting grammars down for nothing spelled disaster.
Good luck.