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CAF Form - Risky?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:02 pm
by malibu
I know this has probably been asked several times, but I'm struggling with the CAF Form :?

I'm thinking of the following:

1. Dartford (DS score unlikely to get him in, but worth a try!)
2. Gravesend
3. Wilmington
4. Leigh Tech


Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that if you do not live in Gravesham, you're unlikely to receive an offer from Gravesend Grammar. We live just over 5 miles from Wilmington Grammar - so may not get an offer! Finally, Leigh Tech allocates places using the 'fair banding' system; so again, no guarantee of an offer.

So, the question is, would I be silly not to place a 'guaranteed' school on the CAF Form?

Re: CAF Form - Risky?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:47 pm
by Lass
I think that would depend on what school you think you'd be allocated if you get none of your choices, and whether you'd be happy to send DS there? Obviously you will be able to go on waiting lists and appeal to the schools you want if you are unsuccessful, but would you feel safer if you had an acceptable alternative on there?

Re: CAF Form - Risky?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:40 pm
by malibu
Thanks Lass, I believe we'd get the local comp for our area, which I wouldn't send my DS to! I'll go back to the Admission booklet, for the hundredth time :mrgreen:

Re: CAF Form - Risky?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:31 pm
by Lass
malibu wrote:Thanks Lass, I believe we'd get the local comp for our area, which I wouldn't send my DS to! I'll go back to the Admission booklet, for the hundredth time :mrgreen:
I'm in a similar position to you - Wilmington is our first choice and hopefully we'll get in on area. DGS second choice but DS score is probably not high enough (403) and I dont have that gut feeling it's the right school for him anyway. Gravesend is too far from us and we contemplated Leigh, but in the end opted for Knole and Wilmington Academy as 3rd and 4th choices as we are desperate not to get allocated either of our 2 closest comps!

Nothing to stop us appealing for 1st choice if we dont get it, or going on waiting lists. It'll be bad enough if we dont get the school we really want but I'd hate to have the additional pressure of being allocated a school we really didn't like!

Re: CAF Form - Risky?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:55 pm
by malibu
Lass wrote: I'm in a similar position to you - Wilmington is our first choice and hopefully we'll get in on area.
Lass, if you don't mind me asking, how far away from Wilmington are you?

Re: CAF Form - Risky?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:05 pm
by Lass
malibu wrote:
Lass wrote: I'm in a similar position to you - Wilmington is our first choice and hopefully we'll get in on area.
Lass, if you don't mind me asking, how far away from Wilmington are you?
3.6 miles "as the crow flies" if I have calculated correctly. I know in previous years this would have been sufficient but there are no guarantees, are there? :(

Re: CAF Form - Risky?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 7:54 pm
by Fluffy66
My DS is in Y8 at GGS and we had similar choices to you apart from the DGS option. I'm wondering if your local comp is Swan Valley? :D

We are out of area, just, for GGS but for 2011 and 2012 entry boys from out of area got in. Certainly for 2011 the ones i know about didn't have to appeal. I also know for 2011 entry WGS went out 9.4 miles as this was stated on our appeal paperwork.

As for Leigh this was were my DS was originally given a place, he was in the top band. We looked at Leigh when my DS was in Y5 and 6 and both years the HT (or whatever he's called) stated they sometimes struggle to fill this top band as children tend to go to grammars. For 2011 entry i know of 1 other boy and us who gave up places at Leigh at the beginning of July because we/they won appeals so freeing up places there. I also know of a child who was in the top band who started at St Johns but transferred to Leigh early in Y7.

Our SCAF read GGS, WGS, Leigh, SV. I actually quite liked SV but, and its a big but, it wasn't suitable for my DS but if he had to go to a comp i wanted it to be local.

Fluffy

Re: CAF Form - Risky?

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:37 am
by malibu
Fluffy66 wrote: I'm wondering if your local comp is Swan Valley? :D
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Thanks Lass and Fluffy66, I think I've made my decision. Your comments have helped :wink:

Re: CAF Form - Risky?

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:08 pm
by GeorgieBlue
In case it helps, last year there was a particular problem with NW Kent boys GS places. We did not get a GS place on first allocation and live 6.8 miles from WGSB and 6.1 miles from GGS.

An unofficial source advised us that GGS offered out to 5.8 miles on first allocation (well outside of Gravesham itself).

From our appeal paperwork the last boy offered a place at WGSB on 1st March lived 6.07 miles from the school. Of course with a lower intake WGSB has 30 less places to allocate in the first place.

Good luck :)