Order of schools on CAF form

[Future2020]

Good luck! We’ve gone for 1.Pates 2.STRS 3.Crypt, lucky enough that we visited the grammars last year in person or I’d be clueless!

[2Socks]

We're still undecided. It's looking like 3 grammars and 2 comprehensives, but we are still undecided about the order or even the choice of either.
I was disappointed with Barnwoods presentation (linked by someone else in this thread, apologies, on mobile so can't hunt to quote it easily!) When they mentioned that you had to put it down as first choice. Either they don't know how the admissions process works or they are trying to obscure it. Either way, it's disappointing. That said, DD is still very keen, even though we are probably too far out.

[Polgara_Glos]

I know the bit on the presentation you mean

"Must put Barnwood Park as your first choice to
have a chance of getting in."

I did wince, it's worded badly but actually there is a grain of truth. It would be better as 'If you want your child to go to Barnwood, you must rank us first or you may risk being allocated a different school (If you rank for 2 schools, the highest preference will be given). '

The example case studies given by GCC show people do put down schools in what they think is a tactical manner, rather than true preference.

I've copied the example

https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/medi ... ondary.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mr L lived reasonably close to some community and faith schools. He wanted his child to attend a faith school. Mr
L mistakenly listed the community schools higher on his application form than the faith school that he wanted his
child to attend. He was offered one of the community schools which he had listed. Mr L appealed for the faith
school but was unsuccessful. Had he listed his choice of schools in the correct preference order, his child may
have been offered a place at the faith school.

interestingly Pates said the same thing in the presentation we attended. I would assume you'd rank for all grammars if you ranked for Pates? So if you wanted Pates you must put it first.

[Future2020]

I did notice that when I scrolled through. I think the application process is more confusing this year, when we don’t know the results prior to submitting the CAF form. It will be interesting to know how many appeals this year?

Good luck with making your decisions, it’s a tough one. I’m still not convinced and keeping doubting myself but we all loved Pates, so fingers crossed!

[Mumto3Girls]

Have 2 DDs who have decided on a different order of schools. Best case scenario, we end up with them both at the same school as their elder sister. Worst case scenario, we end up with 3 at different schools plus my own school =four sets of school logistics to manage!

Have decided not to think about it any more as it's hurting my brain. Not knowing the results before submission of CAF makes it feel like a lottery

[cheltdad]

I know the bit on the presentation you mean

"Must put Barnwood Park as your first choice to
have a chance of getting in."

I did wince, it's worded badly but actually there is a grain of truth. It would be better as 'If you want your child to go to Barnwood, you must rank us first or you may risk being allocated a different school (If you rank for 2 schools, the highest preference will be given). '

The example case studies given by GCC show people do put down schools in what they think is a tactical manner, rather than true preference.

I've copied the example

https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/medi ... ondary.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mr L lived reasonably close to some community and faith schools. He wanted his child to attend a faith school. Mr
L mistakenly listed the community schools higher on his application form than the faith school that he wanted his
child to attend. He was offered one of the community schools which he had listed. Mr L appealed for the faith
school but was unsuccessful. Had he listed his choice of schools in the correct preference order, his child may
have been offered a place at the faith school.

interestingly Pates said the same thing in the presentation we attended. I would assume you'd rank for all grammars if you ranked for Pates? So if you wanted Pates you must put it first.

This seems to come up every year and it's a shame the schools keep making statements that are confusing.

They're not really supposed to know what order you put them on the CAF - and it's actually illegal to use that as a direct criteria (i.e. take you off the list for a specific school as a first step because you didn't put them top), but if you qualify (based on the lists that get generated for each school you choose) for more than one then the order on the form will affect which one you are offered.

In that sense it's probably true to say that if you qualify for Pates and don't put them top you won't get in - but that's probably because that such a score for Pates would put you so far up the list for any of the others then you would get a place at them as well, and if you list one of them above Pates then that's the one you would be offered.

There is an example here (of you replace the "distance" criteria they use in this exampe "with ranking in the list of those that have put the school down" then it's the same idea):

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/schoo ... nce-system" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and more info here:

https://www.theschoolrun.com/equal-pref ... -explained" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope that helps.

[MUMTOHAYA]

My son 1st choice STR (rank 354) 2nd choice Crypt (rank 599) and 3rd choice Marling (rank 323)

Fingers crossed, any advice appreciated.

[cheltdad]

My son 1st choice STR (rank 354) 2nd choice Crypt (rank 599) and 3rd choice Marling (rank 323)

Fingers crossed, any advice appreciated.

As always it depends on who has put which school where on the CAF and how the lists split, but - based on the previous years - my reading of this would be:

The STR rank is around where the lowest offer was in previous years - so depending on the exact split this year that rank could be slightly too low, but is potentially OK

Based on previous years the Crypt rank is quite some way above the rank they went down to - so should be pretty safe.

I believe the Marling one is on the right side of where they got to before, so would appear to be OK (but perhaps less certain than the Crypt rank)

So there's probably a chance that you'd get STR on "Allocation Day", and very good chance (I'm tempted to say "definite" but that's always dangerous) of Crypt if not.

If that happens: Don't reject the Crypt place - or you'll loose it, and ask to go on the STR waiting list. If you reject the Crypt place and then don't succeed with the STR waiting list request you'd end up with wherever the Council decide there is a spare space.

[MUMTOHAYA]

Thanks very much for the analysis, it’s very useful

[Polgara_Glos]

So, big question. Would anyone who did qualify change their CAFs if they were able to? (Some areas are allowing late changes but not us).

We would not bothered having two comp choices but our preferences remain the same.