CH & NHGS - done the pre-test, but need help with CAF please

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Nicola-D
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:09 am

CH & NHGS - done the pre-test, but need help with CAF please

Post by Nicola-D »

Hello all, I'm new here and best give you a bit of background first.

I'm asking for advice on behalf of my step-son and his mum, they live in Huddersfield (us in Barnsley and so he lives with his mum). He really wants to go to CH (mainly because some of his friends already go there) and his mum has said she feels NHGS is just that bit too far from their home.

Apparently SS did well on the pre-test, coming in the top 25% - she hasn't told me what his actual score or rank was, but I'm trying to find out. I asked whether she had put just CH on the CAF or both schools and she's put both, with CH as first choice, but now she's thinking of changing NHGS to a non-grammar, in case he doesn't do as well in the real test and doesn't qualify for a place in their 3rd choice either and so will end up somewhere else completely. She's also worried that he might just get offered NHGS and not CH.

I've tried to explain that in order to get into CH whatever his rank is will have to be above the 1st 155 other applicants who put CH as their first choice, but I'm not sure she gets it. What would you advise her to do - take NHGS off the CAF if she really doesn't want him to go there and at least then he's a better chance of getting into a school she is happy for him to go to?

Thanks
mitasol
Posts: 2756
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:59 am

Re: CH & NHGS - done the pre-test, but need help with CAF pl

Post by mitasol »

Hi Nicola welcome to the forum.

If she doesn't want NH then I would leave it off the list. You can assume that the top 155 won't all want to go to CH and the rank numbers actually go lower than 310 because some children have other higher preference.

The only reason to include NH would be if she was prepared to accept it as an alternative. As far as I know there are no figures for the last ranked place accepted at each school. I have always found admin at both schools to be very helpful so it might be worth ringing to ask.

If you do find out then please let us know. :D
Nicola-D
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:09 am

Re: CH & NHGS - done the pre-test, but need help with CAF pl

Post by Nicola-D »

Thanks for your reply mitasol. I just found out that his score was 163.5 so hopefully that would mean a good chance of getting a place at CH unless of course (hyperthetically) the 155 places at CH were filled by rank 163 - which as you say is probably unlikely - though his real rank obviously depends on how well everyone else performs on the day compared to him too - don't get me started on how many times I've tried to get this through to her, his grandparent's, his dad etc - who keep asking me "well what score does he need to get to pass" or "how many questions does he need to get right" :? .

I will tell her that I think she should only put CH on the CAF and 2 other choices

Nicola
mitasol
Posts: 2756
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:59 am

Re: CH & NHGS - done the pre-test, but need help with CAF pl

Post by mitasol »

Just make sure she lists the schools on the CAF in her true order of preference! Everyone still seems to get confused about the CAF order too.

edited to add: The standardised score and the rank order are different. A score of 163 is not the same as rank 163.
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