CAF choice order
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CAF choice order
Nearing to completing the CAF form I came across the another point regarding the choice options to be put on the CAF.
We all understand very well that councils make allocations according to the preference on the CAF form but it seems putting a school on lower preference may result in the unsuccessful even though same school on higher preference may result successful.
Example:
Preference #1: St. Olaves
Preference #2: QE (Scored 250)
Preference #3: Wilson
Assume in above case Preference#1 was not allocated, and one would assume choice #2 will be granted. With QE 250 score its almost 99% change of success, but because it was mentioned as preference#2, it may not get awarded at all.
It seems process followed in the council is, they get merit lists from different school and they allocate places according to the Preferences, i.e Preference#1 will be filled in first, and IF THERE IS ANY seat left, preference#2 will
be allocated.
Though I donot agree with that argument, I invite members to project their views and if any has come across or clarified with any council?
We all understand very well that councils make allocations according to the preference on the CAF form but it seems putting a school on lower preference may result in the unsuccessful even though same school on higher preference may result successful.
Example:
Preference #1: St. Olaves
Preference #2: QE (Scored 250)
Preference #3: Wilson
Assume in above case Preference#1 was not allocated, and one would assume choice #2 will be granted. With QE 250 score its almost 99% change of success, but because it was mentioned as preference#2, it may not get awarded at all.
It seems process followed in the council is, they get merit lists from different school and they allocate places according to the Preferences, i.e Preference#1 will be filled in first, and IF THERE IS ANY seat left, preference#2 will
be allocated.
Though I donot agree with that argument, I invite members to project their views and if any has come across or clarified with any council?
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streathammum
- Posts: 1252
- Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 6:02 pm
Re: CAF choice order
No, that's not how it works.
Allocations are made in accordance with the school's admissions criteria - all the children who out the school anywhere on the CAF are ranked in order. If you have a very good score for your second preference school you will rank highly - probably higher than many children who have put it as a first preference - and you would be offered a place at that school before those other children, even though it was their first choice and your second.
Allocations are made in accordance with the school's admissions criteria - all the children who out the school anywhere on the CAF are ranked in order. If you have a very good score for your second preference school you will rank highly - probably higher than many children who have put it as a first preference - and you would be offered a place at that school before those other children, even though it was their first choice and your second.
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kenyancowgirl
- Posts: 6738
- Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm
Re: CAF choice order
Streathammum is right...it is called the equal preference system. Search the threads on here about this. If you do not meet the criteria for your first choice school, your second choice becomes your first.
Re: CAF choice order
If your first preference school cannot offer you a place (i.e. you do not come far enough up the school's ranked list of applicants), then your second preference effectively becomes your first preference. And so on, until (in this example) the allocations system (which is mainly automated) finds a school on your list which ranks you far enough up its list for you (or rather your DC) to be offered a place there.nvsv wrote:Nearing to completing the CAF form I came across the another point regarding the choice options to be put on the CAF.
We all understand very well that councils make allocations according to the preference on the CAF form but it seems putting a school on lower preference may result in the unsuccessful even though same school on higher preference may result successful.
Example:
Preference #1: St. Olaves
Preference #2: QE (Scored 250)
Preference #3: Wilson
Assume in above case Preference#1 was not allocated, and one would assume choice #2 will be granted. With QE 250 score its almost 99% change of success, but because it was mentioned as preference#2, it may not get awarded at all.
It seems process followed in the council is, they get merit lists from different school and they allocate places according to the Preferences, i.e Preference#1 will be filled in first, and IF THERE IS ANY seat left, preference#2 will
be allocated.
Though I donot agree with that argument, I invite members to project their views and if any has come across or clarified with any council?
No 'filling up schools with first preferences and no places being left over for second preferences', although of course, a popular school will probably have been ranked in first or second place by the majority of applicants, not just the ones it itself ranked highly against its admissions criteria.
Which local authority do you live in, I haven't yet come across one which didn't explain the equal preference system clearly.
If you qualify for a place at your second preference school, the only reason you would not be allocated that place is if you also qualify for the school you told your LA you would like even more, that is, the one you listed as you first preference.
Cross posted but posting anyway...
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Re: CAF choice order
Many thanks for explanation. I will go thru equal preference system again
Re: CAF choice order
Always fill the CAF in your true order of preference.
The only "strategy" is that you should have at least one school on there which is a "safe bet". This is simply to ensure that you do get one school that you have chosen (even if somewhat reluctantly). If you are ineligible for all the schools you have picked, you will be given the nearest undersubscribed non-faith school available - which could be a lot further away than you might think. Occasionally you don't get a school offer in March, and end up waiting to see what might be available.
Schools are unaware of your preference when they rank the applicants. You will not lose out on the QE place by putting it 2nd, 4th or even 6th. The only way that you would lose it is either if 250 isn't high enough to get a place this year (very very unlikely), or you get a place at a school that you have listed higher on the CAF.
You'll be aware of the distances involved. You will only get an offer from 1 school on 1 March, so make sure that your ds can get to all the schools listed.
The only "strategy" is that you should have at least one school on there which is a "safe bet". This is simply to ensure that you do get one school that you have chosen (even if somewhat reluctantly). If you are ineligible for all the schools you have picked, you will be given the nearest undersubscribed non-faith school available - which could be a lot further away than you might think. Occasionally you don't get a school offer in March, and end up waiting to see what might be available.
Schools are unaware of your preference when they rank the applicants. You will not lose out on the QE place by putting it 2nd, 4th or even 6th. The only way that you would lose it is either if 250 isn't high enough to get a place this year (very very unlikely), or you get a place at a school that you have listed higher on the CAF.
You'll be aware of the distances involved. You will only get an offer from 1 school on 1 March, so make sure that your ds can get to all the schools listed.
Re: CAF choice order
Always fill the CAF form in the order of your preference. Do not put a school you really want as last choice because you think your child may not get in. None of us know what cutoffs will be for this year because it all depends on who has applied to a particular school. So always fill CAF in the true order of your preference. I know many people who did not do this and later found their child could have actually got in as they were in cut off of that year. You dont need to fill as per the scores the child scored. You need to fill as per the choice you feel you need. If your child has not qualified for choice 1 their choicr2 automatically becomes choice 1 and they will be ranked for that school based on admission criteria alone for example scores or scores and distance not how many put that school as first preference. Good luck.
