Hi,
Need to know a bit more about -how preference system work In Kent while applying for a school

For example

Student -1 - applied for the school as -
1st choice - St. Olaves and
2nd choice - Dartford Grammar School (OOC, Mark Scored 397)

Student -2- applied for the school as –
1st choice -Dartford Grammar School (OOC, Mark Scored 396)

Lets assume student-1 does not get a place in St. Olaves.
Does Student-1 has more chance to get a place in Dartford Grammar School than student-2?

Thanks..

Hi. Yes, as I understand it, with a higher Kent score, student 1 has a better chance than student 2 of getting into DGS. Doesn't matter that he put St Olave's first, as he didn't get offered a place there.

Student 1 would get the place over student 2. From an extreme perspective, if a student put DGS 6th, but had a score of 397 (to use your example), if they were not eligible for places at any of schools 1-5, but were eligible for DGS, they would get that place over someone who had put it 1st with a score of 396.

It works as a parallel system, so places aren't filled for 1st choices first, then second choices etc.

It is the same way preferences work anywhere. When head teachers say 'you need to put us first' they are not being honest. If they say 'if you want to come, put us first' - they are not saying you won't get in if you don't. They are just saying, if you like us best, put us at the top.

Your order of preferences should always be based what school you want most, second, third etc.

Thank you

I am sure you know but just to clarify for others (it has caused confusion in the past) - St Olaves is in the Borough of Bromley and not Kent. You still put the schools in your true order of preference but you have to have sat the Olaves test (not Kent) to qualify for St Olaves. Putting them in your true order of preference does not negate your chances of getting a lower placed school should your DS qualify.

There is one system for allocation of state secondary places that is run through the education authorities.

There is no separate system for Kent.

You can apply for schools in different education authorities from your own and you do not use a separate form, it is all done on one form and the education authorities run a single system between them.

There are some minor differences such as Herts only has four preferences and some authorities allow the schools to contact the parents directly when an offer is made from the waiting list and some insist this has to come from them.

Other posters have already explained the preference system. DG

I assume by 'list', you only mean waiting list?

The (single) offer of a secondary school place must come from the applicant's home local authority, on national offer day (or subsequently, where no preferences can be met initially). Schools must not make contact with applicants until after this has occurred.

(Boring old https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389388/School_Admissions_Code_2014_-_19_Dec.pdf again, I'm afraid).

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Just remember to list your schools in order of preference because if you put a) St Olaves b) DGS and you get DGS you can always appeal higher up the chain not below.

Is that true though? My understanding was that Kent would let you go on the waiting list or appeal for any of the schools on your CAF, regardless of whether they are higher or lower preference than the school offered. Whereas some LAs only let you appeal/wait list for higher preferences. No idea about Bromley though.

Please read the KCC website, it is all stated clearly there.

https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-c ... hool-offer

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