And so our journey begins....

[kenyancowgirl]

WoK is your first choice school isn't it? What I mean is, if you forget about the score for now, if you had "free" choice of the schools WoK would be your first choice, wouldn't it? If the answer if yes then put that first on your CAF. Back to reality - you know you haven't quite made the qualification, so you know you will be rejected by WoK but then your second choice on the CAF will be looked at as if it was your first choice and so on, until you are offered a place at your highest listed school for which you meet the admissions criteria. In the meantime, the "rejection" from WoK will allow you to appeal for a place there.

[FortyNinePence]

It doesn’t matter where you put it on the form as long as it’s on there.

If your child hasn’t passed they can’t go on the waiting list for any grammar schools. This would only happen after an appeal if they won the non qualification part of the appeal but not the oversubscription part.

[memphis]

It doesn’t matter where you put it on the form as long as it’s on there.

If your child hasn’t passed they can’t go on the waiting list for any grammar schools. This would only happen after an appeal if they won the non qualification part of the appeal but not the oversubscription part.

My understanding is that you can only appeal against decisions to refuse admission, and in their defense the admission authority will then explain and justify why they "rejected" or turned down your application.

If you received an offer from your no.1 choice (or no.2, or no. 3, or any of your higher preference), that means the lower preference school hasn't, strictly speaking, "rejected" your application. Also, are there any reasons as to why people would appeal for the lower preferred school, having already expressed their preferences on the CAF?

[hermanmunster]

My understanding is that you can only appeal against decisions to refuse admission, and in their defense the admission authority will then explain and justify why they "rejected" or turned down your application.

If you received an offer from your no.1 choice (or no.2, or no. 3, or any of your higher preference), that means the lower preference school hasn't, strictly speaking, "rejected" your application. Also, are there any reasons as to why people would appeal for the lower preferred school, having already expressed their preferences on the CAF?

People do sometimes change their views by March and after March can ask to change preference / be put on the WL of schools further down the CAF and even apply to schools that weren't on the CAF in the first place. Doesn't happen very often and would often be an uphill struggle via oversubscription appeals

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a26" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[memphis]

My understanding is that you can only appeal against decisions to refuse admission, and in their defense the admission authority will then explain and justify why they "rejected" or turned down your application.

If you received an offer from your no.1 choice (or no.2, or no. 3, or any of your higher preference), that means the lower preference school hasn't, strictly speaking, "rejected" your application. Also, are there any reasons as to why people would appeal for the lower preferred school, having already expressed their preferences on the CAF?

People do sometimes change their views by March and after March can ask to change preference / be put on the WL of schools further down the CAF and even apply to schools that weren't on the CAF in the first place. Doesn't happen very often and would often be an uphill struggle via oversubscription appeals

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a26" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks hermanmunster. What about the "rejection" part? Assuming you change your mind and go on the waiting list for the less preferred school. How does it work if the school hasn't rejected you?

[hermanmunster]

presumably if you ask to be considered for the lower preference school then they will say that there are no spaces (ie rejection) and you can go on the waiting list .

[crowbella]

Thank you everyone, I have now completed my form and we have put WOK first so fingers crossed we get our second option! We met yesterday with the Headmistress and the Head of Key Stage 2. They will fully support us, provide as much evidence as possible and believe she would excel and have no reservations about her attending a grammar. All things we as parents believed were true but it was lovely to hear it from them. So it seems we will be on track to give it the best shot possible. We will soon start the process of drafting our letter and getting letters from scout leaders etc. It has given us that thing called hope, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not!

[FortyNinePence]

All the best crowbella!

I will just reiterate that in Kent, you can’t go on the waiting list of a grammar unless you have passed and that you can appeal for any school shown on your CAF, and my experience of two appeals in Kent last year is that the panels do not know where on your list the school is and neither do they ask.

[Etienne]

..... and getting letters from scout leaders etc.

From the Q&As:

katel’s story

We have been using the fantastic guidance from Etienne and others on here and we were well on the way when we went to see our son’s head teacher yesterday who threw us into a panic by talking about letters from choir masters and scout masters and football coaches and stuff about “the whole child” – directly contrary to Etienne’s advice and what we had been doing. When we got home, we rang the LEA Secondary Admissions Team, who confirmed what the Head had said. All we could think was that things had changed somehow. We were completely confused!

Then, late last night the Head rang us at home. He said that he had just talked to the Clerk of a Kent appeals panel, who said that both he (the Head) and the Admissions Team were absolutely wrong, and Etienne’s guidance is spot on!

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appea ... cation#b48" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FortyNinePence]

..... and getting letters from scout leaders etc.

From the Q&As:

katel’s story

We have been using the fantastic guidance from Etienne and others on here and we were well on the way when we went to see our son’s head teacher yesterday who threw us into a panic by talking about letters from choir masters and scout masters and football coaches and stuff about “the whole child” – directly contrary to Etienne’s advice and what we had been doing. When we got home, we rang the LEA Secondary Admissions Team, who confirmed what the Head had said. All we could think was that things had changed somehow. We were completely confused!

Then, late last night the Head rang us at home. He said that he had just talked to the Clerk of a Kent appeals panel, who said that both he (the Head) and the Admissions Team were absolutely wrong, and Etienne’s guidance is spot on!

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appea ... cation#b48" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This wasn’t my experience at two appeals in Kent last year. Both panels were VERY interested in extra curricular ( incl Guides letter ). In fact one panel expressly mentioned at the group hearing how much value they placed on extra curricular proof and that they wanted to see “well rounded” children.