DCGS Question

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Liloo
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:42 am

DCGS Question

Post by Liloo »

Unfortunately in the first round of allocations we were not given our first choice of DCGS. We have requested to go on the waiting list, as well as appealing. We live approx 6.1 miles from the school and already have an older son attending. I have 2 questions. Firstly how are the waiting lists determined and secondly, in your experience, what do you think our chances are in the next round of allocations or of a successful appeal?
manicmum
Posts: 55
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 2:14 pm

Re: DCGS Question

Post by manicmum »

Liloo

This web page will take you to the links to the allocation profiles for this year which are updated I believe every 6 weeks as folks confirm which schools they take up. It also has links that show how far the catchment has gone in prior years (last year was a bit odd so I wouldn't bank on that happening again).

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/schools/a ... files.page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

Not an expert so I would ask about appeals under the appeals section of the Forum and review all of the Q&A first and then be clear what specific question that you have that's not covered within there.

The mod's are a great bunch but clearly very busy so tend to point you to Q&A's where the question is open and non-specific.

Good Luck!

You must be close; "Dr Challoner's Grammar School Some applicants offered under rule 2 (catchment) to a distance of 6.069 miles"
manicmum
Posts: 55
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 2:14 pm

Re: DCGS Question

Post by manicmum »

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... bed-school" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Knew it was there somewhere this is the link to the Q&A on appeals based on over subscription.
:)
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: DCGS Question

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Liloo

I am guessing that your son will be very high on the waiting list because the distance is a matter of a hundred yards, and certainly no more. There is usually a bit of movement after March 1st, as you can see here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/school ... n-profiles" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Ignore last year - it was an exception for a particular reason.)

The waiting lists are ordered according to the school's admissions criteria, which is essentially boys living in catchment, then siblings outside of catchment.

It is a waiting game, but hopefully the next round will bring good news.

Sally-Anne
Liloo
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:42 am

Re: DCGS Question

Post by Liloo »

Could someone please advise how many children are historically selected from grammar school waiting lists at the next allocation?
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: DCGS Question

Post by Sally-Anne »

Every school will be different every year for each allocation round.

If you look at the link I posted you will see that some schools allocation distances increased quite a bit in past years, suggesting that there were quite a number of additional children admitted in later rounds. Others did not move at all, so there were no further allocations.
haldeman
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 5:23 pm

Re: DCGS Question

Post by haldeman »

If you already have a son at the school (unless he is in Year 13) and you live in the catchment area, you would already have been allocated a place in the first round as catchment siblings are first in. As you live 6.1 miles away this probably means you live out of the catchment area in somewhere like Beaconsfield...in which case you have no realistic chance of getting in on second allocation.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: DCGS Question

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Liloo

haldeman's suggestion is entirely plausible, but if he is correct I am now curious as to how you come to have an older son attending the school?

Apart from last year, DCGS has not allocated beyond catchment in living memory. I assume therefore that one of the following must apply?

:: Your older son is in Y13, as haldeman suggests

:: Your older son is in Year 7 and gained a place under the unusually wide allocation profile last year.

:: You previously lived in the catchment area and have since moved out of catchment.

:: Your older son was allocated a place following a successful transfer appeal. (Although only 1 or 2 transfer appeals for the school are successful each year.)

:: Your older son transferred to DCGS for Y12 this year, although there is priority for catchment for Sixth Form places as well, which seems likely to rule that out?

:: I can't recall if the DCGS catchment area changed shape at all when the South Bucks boys' schools catchment areas were last reviewed a couple of years ago, but I don't remember a huge furore about it so, on balance, I think probably not!

I only ask because we do like to check for possible problems and errors in the system, whether they are yours or someone else's ...

If you need to send me a PM with the answer you are welcome to do so.

Sally-Anne
Rob Clark
Posts: 1298
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:59 pm

Re: DCGS Question

Post by Rob Clark »

DCGS is a brilliant school, we love it. But there’s no doubt the catchment area has shrunk considerably over the years due to its success – I grew up in Gerrards Cross and DCs who lived in the centre of that town always got a place at DCGS in those days, whereas now they don’t. When we moved back to the area (pre-children) we couldn’t afford GX so had to settle in Amersham – thanks goodness :lol:

OP, I would like to know the answer to Sally-Anne’s question too.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: DCGS Question

Post by Sally-Anne »

Rob Clark wrote:But there’s no doubt the catchment area has shrunk considerably over the years due to its success – I grew up in Gerrards Cross and DCs who lived in the centre of that town always got a place at DCGS in those days, whereas now they don’t.
Splitting hairs, Rob, it is the allocation distance that has shrunk, not the catchment area. Gerrards Cross is still very much in catchment, but I agree that the likelihood of gaining a place has decreased significantly over the years.
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