Allocation query

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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Guest1663

Allocation query

Post by Guest1663 »

Can anyone answer this?
Would an out-of-catchment applicant for a Bucks school who put it as their first choice have priority over an in-catchment applicant who put the same school as their second choice but did not get their first-choice school for some reason? (Assuming both have a VRT score of 121+) What I'm trying to say is - does the system allocate all places according to first choices before moving on to second and subsequent choices, or does it concentrate initially on catchment area? (iyswim!)
Guest55

Post by Guest55 »

I think the system looks at all the schools you have listed and sees which ones can be offered and then takes your top ranked one -

You cannot tell what other people who live nearer than you have put - Have you specific schools in mind because it probably depends on how 'popular' the schools are and how close you live?

Presumably you have looked at last year's allocation profile?
Jed

Post by Jed »

The answer is no. In-catchment would have priority over out-of-catchment even if the school was last on the list of the in-catchment pupil and first on the list of the out-of-catchment.

Bucks operate a system of equal preference. Each school considers ALL applicants equally without knowing where the school is placed on the preference list. They then inform the CC of those they can offer a place and the CC will allocacte you the one highest up your list. I believe there is then a second round before the March 1 offers when schools will offer to the CC places freed up by those allocated choices higher up their list.

Hope this makes sense!

Jed
Guest55

Post by Guest55 »

It's not done by the schools but by a computer at County Hall! The schools don't know who has been allocated until March 1st -

I believe that the computer inputs every child and then the system runs through a few times until everyone is allocated - or not! Some children will get a school they did not list -
Jed

Post by Jed »

Ah - thank you for that Guest 55. A teacher's insight. I was wondering how they managed to allocate remaining places after the initial offers from the schools.

Jed
hugh

Post by hugh »

But the bottom line, answering the question, is that in-catchmetn children will always take priority over out of catchment, regardless of 11+ score or where they put it on their form.
Guest1663

Post by Guest1663 »

Thanks for all your replies. I understand it now... I think....!
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