question re CAF and allocations

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muminTewkes
Posts: 266
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:57 am

question re CAF and allocations

Post by muminTewkes »

Ok well congrats to all those who are waking with a smile this am :D and thoughts are with those who are not so happy-this blessed 11+ business is god awful IMHO!
DS did well and had a ranked 134 at Pates and scored 237 at STRS.
I think we will put Pates as first on our CAf followed by Tommys.
This is really only due to the transport issue and the fact that it will be easier/shorter for him to get to Pates(should he be lucky enough to get a place eventually!)and he knows x2 children already on the bus.
I personally still feel STRS MAY be better but we have to consider the logistics....
So,my question....!!!
I realise that we have nothing to lose my placing Pates first and if unsuccessful then Tommys becomes our effective first choice,but come March and allocation day IF 14 havent dropped out for various reasons...will we be allocated Tommys?Then do we accept that or do you wait to see if anyone else "drops out"as they work down the list?I am a little confused by this as I know you only get offered one school...so how does this work?
And the million dollar question is how long will it take to possibly get down to rank 134? :? I just dont want to be hanging on(if thats what you do?)come the time that everyones thoughts turn to their new school.
Pates would be nice(logistically)but Id rather KNOW what was happening come the end of sprig iyswim?
Im just unsure of how they work down the list and when you get notified that thats the school youve been allocated!
sorry...heads in a whir over this!Silly,I know,as I appreciate how lucky we are!and DS is still...cool as a cucumber and not remotely concerned...oh to be 10 :wink:
Thanks guys.
Tolstoy
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:25 pm

Re: question re CAF and allocations

Post by Tolstoy »

Tewks when people are notified of their results on March the 1st they have to send a reply back to the LEA accepting their place. At this point many will have made other arrangements, Indies etc or perhaps moved out of the county/ country. If you don't get a Pates place you can request to go on their waiting list. By about April they will have done second round allocations and they will have been taken from that list.

Places still become available after this but in a drip drip way depending on appeals etc.
muminTewkes
Posts: 266
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:57 am

Re: question re CAF and allocations

Post by muminTewkes »

Thanks Tolstoy-obvious really when you think about it with a sane,rational mind!!!!lol
Theres a part of me that just want to KNOW tommys and be done....hmmm...if I could only split myself in 2(or 3 or 4)and have a winged chariot!
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: question re CAF and allocations

Post by capers123 »

Essentially you accept the place offered and also ask to be on the waiting list for the first choice. If it then gets down to you, then you can accept the first choice at that later stage (and the space you had in the school originally offered will be re-offered to someone on their waiting list).

Note that you can also launch an appeal for the first choice. This is not connected to the waiting list at all. Some schools are easier to win appeals for than others. I've heard that Pates is hard, as the school fiercely defends sticking to PAN / class size of 30. But of course, all things are possible. Never sat on a Pates appeal (well, not as I type, anyway), so have no first hand knowledge - just hear-say from other parents.
Capers
gloucsdad
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 10:51 pm

Re: question re CAF and allocations

Post by gloucsdad »

I would say that it is worth talking to the school - maybe the Head.

I 'know' (though I admt that I am not sure how I know other than through this Forum and general real life chat with others) that the offers for Pates go down a long way past 134 every year.

There a really high likliehood of it working out. But, if you prefer STR - take that place instead!

And come teh 1st March, as has been said, you will probably get ate's if it is first on CAF. If not then you will be very high on waiting list and there is lots of movement by start of April. There are people sitting for Pate's from abroad, other parts of the country etc and they will move house, but not all of them will - moving house is harder than ever!

ALso , apparently, some use the Pate's 120 letter to get a discount at a private school
EmeraldE
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:56 pm

Re: question re CAF and allocations

Post by EmeraldE »

I am not sure how far it went down the list last year but would offer a small interject. Some parents with kids at indie schools are chosing to send them to Pates, if they get a place, as it does save an awful lot of money and the education is first rate (with results better than many private establishments). I guess the recession has its effect across the spectrum.
slackmum
Posts: 139
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:21 pm

Re: question re CAF and allocations

Post by slackmum »

On the subject of Pate's and appeals my DS's Y7 class has 31 and I believe so do 2 of the other classes (I am sure there are others on the Forum who can confirm or deny this) that means 3 successful appeals.
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: question re CAF and allocations

Post by capers123 »

slackmum wrote:On the subject of Pate's and appeals my DS's Y7 class has 31 and I believe so do 2 of the other classes (I am sure there are others on the Forum who can confirm or deny this) that means 3 successful appeals.
It could be. However, it could also be admin errors (such as a paper marked incorrectly) picked up before an appeal, where the school has to offer a place even though it takes them over PAN. Doesn't often happen, though.
Capers
turtleglos
Posts: 455
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 12:04 pm

Re: question re CAF and allocations

Post by turtleglos »

We are in the same situation. I have told ds1 that if he wants me to appeal in March, he has to work really hard all year and do very well in the sats. We are thrilled that he got the Grammar we all wanted at the beginning of this process though so not sure if we want to push it that far. We also have to take other things into consideration such as travel time,cost,outside interests,friends......
It is nice for him that he was in the top 160 and therefore a "pass" for Pates, whether we act on this remains to be seen. We are going to look at both schools again in the hope that this helps us to make a decision, preferably before end of Oct. :lol:
I appreciate how lucky we are to be in this position, although it would have been much easier had he been at no 161! :oops:
Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will think it is stupid.
muminTewkes
Posts: 266
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:57 am

Re: question re CAF and allocations

Post by muminTewkes »

turtleglos-
We feel the same about the 160.I want to slap myself though :oops: we PRAYED not to be in the twilight zone for Tommies(which,hopefully we arent!)and didnt really consider Pates if Im honest.
The MAIN reason that Pates would be the easier option is because of the bus.I am SO happy that hopefully he has an STRS place though and Im sure we will sort out the travel if and when.
We are going to look around both this Thursday again.
I certainly wont be appealing though-personally Im not desperate for Pates enough for that angst and would happily take a Tommies place(damn them for not doing a bus :wink: )He was happy,confident and all was good on the day.If he'd been a few mths younger perhaps a top 120 place for Pates?but he isnt and the marks are SO close for those few places that what will be will be.....I do HATE not knowing though!gah!control freak coming out in me :)
We are in a very lucky position.Will you probably put Pates first and see what happens?
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