Alty Boys Results
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Preference
Quote from my Trafford CAF 2010 guidance notes.
"All Local Authorities use an equal preference or "blind preference" system. This means that schools will never know whether you have put them first, second , third or even last and cannot say "put us first or we will not give you a place". So you can tell us what you really want without worrying that it will affect your child's chance of achieving a place at any school."
Hope this helps and reassures!
"All Local Authorities use an equal preference or "blind preference" system. This means that schools will never know whether you have put them first, second , third or even last and cannot say "put us first or we will not give you a place". So you can tell us what you really want without worrying that it will affect your child's chance of achieving a place at any school."
Hope this helps and reassures!
The idea of blind preference can be misleading. It does not mean you will get offers from all 6 (3 for some LA) schools, but LA will try to accomodate your preference with your 1st choice. If that fails, through over subscription, they try your 2nd choice. They do not approach all 6 schools, otherwise you could end up with 6 offers. They follow the order your specify
But if all places are filled by 1st choice round at your 2nd choice school, then you will miss out on the 2nd choice, and the LA will go to school 3rd on your list. They are not discriminating, but there has to be a cut off. The school does not get to see your preference, but will get the list of everyone that selected then first and qualify so they can try to fill their role. When they have filled their role, the LA will then ignore them as they work down the preference list untill each dc is accomodated.
The end result is, if dc is not offered by any school, as they have filled their role, then the LA will allocated dc to school with vacancies nearest to you.
On a positive note, both Girls and Boys added an extra form last year (and the couple of years before). But the head teachers will not commit to this until the governors agree, and until they see the CAF choices.
If you are outside LA, your 1st preference for each LA is sent, and you could potentially get multiple offers, from schools in different LA's. (Note this is changing next year so 1st choice is 1st on list regardless of LA).
But if all places are filled by 1st choice round at your 2nd choice school, then you will miss out on the 2nd choice, and the LA will go to school 3rd on your list. They are not discriminating, but there has to be a cut off. The school does not get to see your preference, but will get the list of everyone that selected then first and qualify so they can try to fill their role. When they have filled their role, the LA will then ignore them as they work down the preference list untill each dc is accomodated.
The end result is, if dc is not offered by any school, as they have filled their role, then the LA will allocated dc to school with vacancies nearest to you.
On a positive note, both Girls and Boys added an extra form last year (and the couple of years before). But the head teachers will not commit to this until the governors agree, and until they see the CAF choices.
If you are outside LA, your 1st preference for each LA is sent, and you could potentially get multiple offers, from schools in different LA's. (Note this is changing next year so 1st choice is 1st on list regardless of LA).
The wording in last year's guidance notes is:
"If, for example, you have applied for places at Ashton-on Mersey, BTH and Sale Grammar your child's name will be placed on each of the 3 schools' lists."
"The lists will be sorted into order according to each school's admisson criteria"
"Trafford will look at the lists and see which of your chosen schools can offer you a place. If all 3 schools can offer a place, Trafford will allocate a place at the school you have ranked highest on your form. Similarly, if only 2 of your chosen schools can offer a place, Trafford will allocate the school you have listed highest of the 2."
Following these rules places someone who put a school 3rd but didn't get choice 1 or 2 would get a place over someone who put it first but was lower ranked according to the admissions criteria.
"If, for example, you have applied for places at Ashton-on Mersey, BTH and Sale Grammar your child's name will be placed on each of the 3 schools' lists."
"The lists will be sorted into order according to each school's admisson criteria"
"Trafford will look at the lists and see which of your chosen schools can offer you a place. If all 3 schools can offer a place, Trafford will allocate a place at the school you have ranked highest on your form. Similarly, if only 2 of your chosen schools can offer a place, Trafford will allocate the school you have listed highest of the 2."
Following these rules places someone who put a school 3rd but didn't get choice 1 or 2 would get a place over someone who put it first but was lower ranked according to the admissions criteria.
This is not correct. Your application will be considered as if it was your first preference.But if all places are filled by 1st choice round at your 2nd choice school, then you will miss out on the 2nd choice
You will be considered for each school that you apply to as if it was your only choice (ie first).
You will then be offered the school highest on your list for which you qualify.
-sorry had to edit that a couple of times
Mitasol, how can the LA consider each child fairly if it does not start with the initial ranking from the CAF.
I believe the LA knowing which schools each child "qualifies" for, then starts, school by school, filling the role with 1st preferences. To do it child by child would be blatantly unfair on the child they look at last.
This then will mean over subscribed schools get filled up with 1st preferences.
If child A ranks Alti GS, Sale GS, Stretford GS only in that order, and is out of catchment, and even though qualified for all, they could end up losing out on all 3.
Alti is over subscribed with 1st preferences so resorts to the admissions criteria and choices based on distance. Child A lives to far so is not offered a place.
If Child A had chosen Sale as 1st, even though they are ooc, they live closer to others and would have been offered a place. However, as they have ranked Sale 2nd, Sale fill role with 1st preferences without having to go to 2nd preferences. This means someone living further away than child A gets a place at Sale purely because they ranked them 1st.
The only hope child has is that Stretford is not filled with 1st and 2nd preferences, otherwise the LA will allocate school with places nearest to them, which is likely to be sink school.
If they go school 1, and then bump up those that missed out on Alti, ie making Child A 1st preference Sale, then the LA is discrimintaing against the child who chose Sale 1st but lives further than Child A.
I believe the LA knowing which schools each child "qualifies" for, then starts, school by school, filling the role with 1st preferences. To do it child by child would be blatantly unfair on the child they look at last.
This then will mean over subscribed schools get filled up with 1st preferences.
If child A ranks Alti GS, Sale GS, Stretford GS only in that order, and is out of catchment, and even though qualified for all, they could end up losing out on all 3.
Alti is over subscribed with 1st preferences so resorts to the admissions criteria and choices based on distance. Child A lives to far so is not offered a place.
If Child A had chosen Sale as 1st, even though they are ooc, they live closer to others and would have been offered a place. However, as they have ranked Sale 2nd, Sale fill role with 1st preferences without having to go to 2nd preferences. This means someone living further away than child A gets a place at Sale purely because they ranked them 1st.
The only hope child has is that Stretford is not filled with 1st and 2nd preferences, otherwise the LA will allocate school with places nearest to them, which is likely to be sink school.
If they go school 1, and then bump up those that missed out on Alti, ie making Child A 1st preference Sale, then the LA is discrimintaing against the child who chose Sale 1st but lives further than Child A.
Dear Gman,
All three of the schools ranked on your application form will stand an equal chance of success because they are all considered at the same time.
For example, everyone who list Alty on the CAF (either 1st, 2nd or 3rd), will go on one single list. This list is reordered only according to the over-subscription criteria, at this stage it is irrelevant where you ranked it on the CAF.
Those who meet the over-subscription criteria best, will be at the top of the list.
It is only at the final stage that your preference comes into play. If you qualify for more than one school you will be offered the one highest on your list.
I really do recommend that you contact the LEA before completing your CAF. They will be able to explain this process far better than I can.
All three of the schools ranked on your application form will stand an equal chance of success because they are all considered at the same time.
For example, everyone who list Alty on the CAF (either 1st, 2nd or 3rd), will go on one single list. This list is reordered only according to the over-subscription criteria, at this stage it is irrelevant where you ranked it on the CAF.
Those who meet the over-subscription criteria best, will be at the top of the list.
It is only at the final stage that your preference comes into play. If you qualify for more than one school you will be offered the one highest on your list.
I really do recommend that you contact the LEA before completing your CAF. They will be able to explain this process far better than I can.
Re: allocation of places
Hello,
Mitasol is definitely correct, our DS went through this process 2 years ago (the 1st year it was like this) so I know how agonising it is.
The nuts and bolts of it are - Here goes...!
*Your list of preferences go to your local education authority (e.g.Trafford)
*The LEA then sends info to all schools that you have listed, informing them you have expressed a preference for that school.
*The school puts all applicants in rank order according to their oversubscription criteria.(schools do not know where you have ranked them.)
*The school sends the list of names (in ranked order) back to the LEA who then allocate places - The LEA look at who you put as your 1st preference - if this school can offer you a place, this is what you will be offered. Your child's name will then be taken off the other schools lists (meaning others below you on those lists all move up a place)
*If your 1st preference school is not able to offer you a place the LEA looks at your 2nd preference and repeats the process. You will either get a place at school number 2 or the LEA will go on to your 3rd preference and so on.
*It is the LEA that offers places in March (not the schools)
The idea of this procedure was to try and make things fairer, they call it the 'equal preference scheme' - LEA's are required by an act of parliament to operate these 'schemes.'
You really should put schools in the order that you really want them because if your 1st choice school can offer you a place you will not be offered any of your subsequent choices.
If you only get 3 choices, then it is probably a good idea to have your 3rd choice as your 'safety net.'
Phew!! I really hope my scribblings have helped someone, because I remember having sleepless nights over conflicting advice we kept getting a couple of years ago!! - but that's another story! ha ha!
Best Wishes
Mums
Hello,
Mitasol is definitely correct, our DS went through this process 2 years ago (the 1st year it was like this) so I know how agonising it is.
The nuts and bolts of it are - Here goes...!
*Your list of preferences go to your local education authority (e.g.Trafford)
*The LEA then sends info to all schools that you have listed, informing them you have expressed a preference for that school.
*The school puts all applicants in rank order according to their oversubscription criteria.(schools do not know where you have ranked them.)
*The school sends the list of names (in ranked order) back to the LEA who then allocate places - The LEA look at who you put as your 1st preference - if this school can offer you a place, this is what you will be offered. Your child's name will then be taken off the other schools lists (meaning others below you on those lists all move up a place)
*If your 1st preference school is not able to offer you a place the LEA looks at your 2nd preference and repeats the process. You will either get a place at school number 2 or the LEA will go on to your 3rd preference and so on.
*It is the LEA that offers places in March (not the schools)
The idea of this procedure was to try and make things fairer, they call it the 'equal preference scheme' - LEA's are required by an act of parliament to operate these 'schemes.'
You really should put schools in the order that you really want them because if your 1st choice school can offer you a place you will not be offered any of your subsequent choices.
If you only get 3 choices, then it is probably a good idea to have your 3rd choice as your 'safety net.'
Phew!! I really hope my scribblings have helped someone, because I remember having sleepless nights over conflicting advice we kept getting a couple of years ago!! - but that's another story! ha ha!
Best Wishes
Mums