Hi

My son takes the 11plus in Sept and if he asses would like to go to RGS (our catchment Grammar - 3.75 miles). We thought it would be straight forward if he pases that he should get the school of his choice. However I hear that many of the Bucks grammar schools are over subscribed this year and RGS catchment went to a distance of just over 2 miles this year? Does anyone know if this is correct? What distance does it normally go to? I know many children in Beaconsfield normally are within the distance? Thanks

I will move your post to Buckinghamshire.
If you look at this thread you will find links to this years allocations.
The Bucks grammar schools are always oversubscribed, some more than others, and of course it will vary each year.
Edited to add: it looks as though you would be right on the edge of being sure of being allocated a place on March 1st, assuming a qualifying score. JHGS would presumably be a safe one to put second.

Just to add that the common Application Form (CAF) is, of course, not a form of “choice” but an expression of preference.

Nobody is guaranteed a school of their choice but are allowed to express their preferences. It is semantics of course in some situations/areas but an important distinction in others

Following on (not at all a hobby horse of mine, of course )...

The 'choice' you do have is which schools you do - or don't- name as your preferences. You do not need to name every grammar school you got your DC to sit for, just because they got a reasonable score, if the result is that you have no school at all on your list that is actually as near to a certainty as can be. Similarly, don't include a school that you don't want at all (unless as a 'least worst option' final preference). By all means, express frustration that you got School D and not School A, when last year's application patterns would have got you a place at School A - but getting School D is not in itself the result of a ridiculous, malicious act on the part of the local authority, who only see that you have asked for a place there and are wondering why you are just not a little bit more grateful that they didn't have to go down as far as your School E, F, or that school three buses away that has the smallest PAN in the area and is never popular enough ever even to get to that and so is the 'nearest undersubscribed school' for everyone within a 20 mile radius '.

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Thank you

Sorry I I knew about the CAF but had assumed (as per previous years) that my son would get into his catchment grammar if he passed...it seems based on this year he would not have got a place as we are 3.75 miles away but catchment!

There are no definites of course but if you hadn’t been allocated in the first round this year you would have in the 2nd.

https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/4513476/allocation-profile-2019-second-round-final.pdf

But yes it is a worry - I know a number of people who are in the catchment for Great Marlow but haven’t been offered (and are in position 10+ on the waiting list) and despite putting all sensible options on the CAF have been allocated schools up to 20 miles away!!

SWBGS have not offered all of catchment for the last 4 years with the distance shrinking every year.

You should get RGS though and if not would get JHGS.

Thanks Kittymum - gosh it is so complicated and seems so unfair...

xx