Thank you for your replies.. My son loved the school and he really would like to go there. But with the 357.06 OOC I was thinking we don’t stand a chance but with the replies I am having little hope...

It is my 1st choice as so many other OOC parents,.

If on the secondary application if I put the preferences:
1. Kegs
2. Westcliff..

And if from Kegs I get waiting list , then I loose chances for even for the Westcliif?

Sorry if I sound silly. But just trying to clear my doubts.

If you don’t get Kegs you will be put on the waiting list for Kegs and Westcliff would become top of your list, if you’re not offered Westcliff then you’d be put on the waiting list for both Kegs and Westcliff, then your third choice school becomes top of your list and so on until Essex can offer you a school.

Which means that you must list schools in true preference order.
If you put the schools you are more likely to be offered at the top then you will be offered one of them and never be considered for the others (eg KEGS)

Do not exclude a school ( eg KEGS ) because you aren't sure if your score is sufficient.
But do make sure you have a least one school ( preferably two) that is acceptable and which you are almost certain to be offered. Otherwise you could end up being wait listed for all your choices and allocated a school miles away/ that's totally unsuitable.

Thank you members..

I will definitely put my preferences wisely.