11 Plus Exams Forum

Can someone help me on the school preferences?

Suppose I give the choices in this order.
Wilson
Tiffin
Sutton

A few questions -
1. Suppose DS gets allocated into Sutton first. Can he accept that, and will he still be considered for Tiffin/Wilson? How long max do boys keep moving like this unless everything is closed?
2. What if he gets into Tiffin a month later, and moves. Will he still be considered for Wilson?
3. What if later on, he finds that he likes Tiffin after all, and doesn't want to change? Can he stay or does he have to move?
4. What if he doesn't accept the Sutton offer, and goes independent instead? Will he be notified if a vacancy arises in Wilson/Tiffin?
5. What if 2 children have got the same standard score for Wilson, which is the last allocation. A has given Wilson as first choice, and B has given Tiffin as first choice, but doesnt make it to Tiffin. Who will get admitted into Wilson A or B. ( I know there are other characteristics, but what I mean to ask is whether the preference will put B at a disadvantage)

Thanks !

1. Yes accept SGS, keep yourself on the list for the others, but find out where you are on that list. There is movement up until the the end of the first term, but not a lot by then. Most movement is done over Easter with some still later into the summer. The induction days at the schools are another point of movement. A child that does not turn up for an induction day is likely not going to take up their place. Some of those are towards the end of the summer term, some later. If your son is well down the waiting list the it may be better to remove your son from that list and move on with more certainty for him.

2.Yes

3. Remove him for the Wilsons waiting list at that point.

4. I believe he would if you remain on their waiting lists.

5. No there is no disadvantage to putting the school lower or higher on you CAF. the child offered the place will be the child next on their ranking list which will be ranked according to score and some other factor which I believe is distance from the front door of the school. The schools have no clue whatsoever where you put them on the CAF.

ThreeKids wrote:1. Yes accept SGS, keep yourself on the list for the others, but find out where you are on that list. There is movement up until the the end of the first term, but not a lot by then. Most movement is done over Easter with some still later into the summer. The induction days at the schools are another point of movement. A child that does not turn up for an induction day is likely not going to take up their place. Some of those are towards the end of the summer term, some later. If your son is well down the waiting list the it may be better to remove your son from that list and move on with more certainty for him.

2.Yes

3. Remove him for the Wilsons waiting list at that point.

4. I believe he would if you remain on their waiting lists.

5. No there is no disadvantage to putting the school lower or higher on you CAF. the child offered the place will be the child next on their ranking list which will be ranked according to score and some other factor which I believe is distance from the front door of the school. The schools have no clue whatsoever where you put them on the CAF.

Thanks ThreeKids, very useful indeed.
Sorry but one more and I'm off to filling the forms ! Where are the waitlists maintained... is it any central area with our council, or within the individual schools? wow.. so there is movement at end of first term as well as easter time. That's quite a bit into Year 7!

Schools that are academies maintain their own waiting lists but all offers must come via your home council
The school informs your council that they can offer you a place and council then writes to you with the offer telling you that if you accept it, you automatically lose the place at the school where you currently hold an offer.
By law, these waiting lists have to be maintained until the end of the Winter term so if you have not had news by that stage, it is worth contacting each school direct to ask about staying on a continued interest list or to enquire how they allocate places that come up later in Year 7 and beyond.

Thanks London_mum !

Movement in the first term of year 7 is rare, but there are instances of kids just not turning up on the first day, or doing a week and simply really not liking the school. By that stage though the movement is minimal. I also know of 2 boys who were offered a place after they had bought the school uniform for their allocated school and attended the settling in days, and both turned down their places. There is a point where everybody has got used to what is going to happen and to change at that point in time is very unsettling.

But how can that be... if I get into Wilson, my first choice.. and then after 2 weeks in the school, I decide I dont like it.. there is nothing I can do about it right? I cant go to Sutton and tell them to put me on their wait list? Or are you telling me I can?

mommyg wrote:But how can that be... if I get into Wilson, my first choice.. and then after 2 weeks in the school, I decide I dont like it.. there is nothing I can do about it right? I cant go to Sutton and tell them to put me on their wait list? Or are you telling me I can?

Now that's a question I can't answer!! I have no idea where the boys that disappear in the first term go. It may be that they get offered a higher preference school and take that place, but I would be very surprised if they go backwards down their preference list. I would hazard a guess that it is very rare indeed and not something that you really need to worry about to be honest. If it were my child and I would not change once we had started without incredibly good reason.

ThreeKids wrote:

mommyg wrote:But how can that be... if I get into Wilson, my first choice.. and then after 2 weeks in the school, I decide I dont like it.. there is nothing I can do about it right? I cant go to Sutton and tell them to put me on their wait list? Or are you telling me I can?

Now that's a question I can't answer!! I have no idea where the boys that disappear in the first term go. It may be that they get offered a higher preference school and take that place, but I would be very surprised if they go backwards down their preference list. I would hazard a guess that it is very rare indeed and not something that you really need to worry about to be honest. If it were my child and I would not change once we had started without incredibly good reason.

Agree .. DS settles in quite well wherever you put him. So I dont see me changing either once he gets a place..

ThreeKids wrote:

mommyg wrote:But how can that be... if I get into Wilson, my first choice.. and then after 2 weeks in the school, I decide I dont like it.. there is nothing I can do about it right? I cant go to Sutton and tell them to put me on their wait list? Or are you telling me I can?

Now that's a question I can't answer!! I have no idea where the boys that disappear in the first term go. It may be that they get offered a higher preference school and take that place, but I would be very surprised if they go backwards down their preference list. I would hazard a guess that it is very rare indeed and not something that you really need to worry about to be honest. If it were my child and I would not change once we had started without incredibly good reason.

Sometimes people do decide to go down the preference list - can be because there is little to choose between the schools and actually they would have preferred to go somewhere else, they ask and a place may be available. other disappear and go to private schools, which may still not be full a the time the state school start term..