Hi,

Can someone advise how the allotment from CAF works? We get 6 choices in our form, so I say for example put down the first 3 from London schools and next 3 from our local area (my DD has passed all exams so far but for one) -how is the allocation handled?

1) DAO
2) Latymer
3) Non-such
4) DCHS
5) BHS (within catchment)
6) Local comp

In the above case, assuming BHS - choice 5 is what we get as we live in catchment, would we go into waiting list in the top 4? If say she is chosen in choice 1 DAO, do we automatically lose places in the remaining 5 ranked lower than 1? If we change our mind in March/April 2018 before accepting the offer for choice 1 - can we do it? What is the process then, say we want to accept BHS and not DAO in March? Do we go into waiting list in BHS as places would have been allotted then

Please advise.

Thanks in advance

If you got allocated BHS, you would go on the waiting list for the ones above. I am not sure that you would qulaify for Latymer unless you move into catchment though? I may be wrong...

If you got allocated DAO - because this is the one you listed first, the council believe this is the one you really, really want so you would not then go on the waiting list of any school listed below.

If you then change your mind, all you can do is ask to be put on the waiting list for BHS, and hope that a place comes up and that you are the nearest in distance (I think I am right that BHS just requires you to score above 121 and then other admissions criteria come into play, distance being the main one?) You then just have to hope.

I suggest, if BHS is what you really want then put it first - it's a good school and is obviously local to you which makes a huge difference between being able to have a fantastic educational experience, getting involved with everything the school has to offer, and one where you spend more time travelling and can't access everything.

You will be allocated a place at your highest ranked school at which you can be offered one.

So if you can be offered DAO, you will be - and it becomes totally irrelevant that you might have been given of your lower ranked schools. You never find out.

Same goes, all the way down your list and yes, you will either automatically go on waiting lists for higher preferences, or you may have to ask. Ask your LA about this, or better still, read all the information on its website about how the whole admissions process works.

Changing your preferences after 31st October will usually make your whole application 'late' and only considered after all the on-time applications have been dealt with. An exception may be made if you are changing address before a given date, but given the spread of your applications, I would guess that you are aiming to move, or not, after March 1st?

Whatever school you are allocated, if you then decided you really wanted a lower preference, you could ask to
be added to that school's waiting list and hope that a place becomes available. Waiting lists have to be maintained in oversubscription criteria order at least until the end of the first term, so you might go straight in at the top, or you might rank somewhere in the middle, or at the bottom, depending on the highest criterion you meet.

So all in all, make your decision now, rank your schools in your true order of preference and stick with it.

Cross-posted with KCG. You won't be given any different advice from anyone who actually understands how the system works. And BTW we mainly got to that understanding by reading, marking and inwardly digesting (as my dad used to say ) the information provided by our local authorities. And other people's, every time someone asks on here and we go away and look to see what their LA has to say about the (national) coordinated system .

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Thank you so much - that was very useful. I was getting quite confused with the choices otherwise. Also, is it a must to put a local Comp school or can we choose all 6 grammar schools?

Thank you ToadMum. Your advice is very useful as always. We are hoping to move depending on the school she gets, yes. But I will rank per the best 6 choices and fingers crossed, it would work

If you don't put at least one that they will definitely get a place at then you run the risk of being allocated a place at anywhere that has a place free - which could be the one no one wants or is miles away.

How can your child have sat the DAO exam if you don't live in the priority area? I thought that wasn't allowed? Also if your DD has passed the Bucks 11 plus I can't begin to imagine why you would move for another school. Do you have other children to think about? Finally, if you live in catchment for BHS, you don't have a local comp (which are all ability school), you have a local Upper School.

Usually that is good advice, but the OP is in catchment for Beaconsfield High School and his DD has qualified. BHS has allocated to all girls in catchment for the last 7 years. There would have to be an extraordinary turn of fate for her not to be allocated the school.

Why do you have a Partially selective comprehensive school on top of your list ? Is that your true preference ?
If you are allocated a place in DAO at any given time, then you won't be considered for any other schools below in your list unless you amend the waiting list again.

Both Latymer and Nonsuch are good schools but you have to move. For Nonsuch, you can delay your move to sep 2018 if your DD is in top 85

Thanks everyone, for the kind advice. This forum has been tremendously helpful with newcomers like me over the last few months.

I haven't decided on the schools yet - just gave a few as examples, but DCHS and BHS are definitely on as they are local to me. The rest depends on how much we are willing to relocate, which is doubtful considering I have a second child to consider.