Folks - am seeking a quick bit of advice on a worst case scenario before filling in the CAF. I have read up the really useful and informed views on here, but not actually found a view on this particular issue.

As previously posted, DD scored a 218 and we are Southern Priority Circle / on time / in catchment etc. Based on my own data mining, and the great supply of info here, it looks like the AQSs will rise this year, but based on her overall ranking of 866 and the movement on waitlists etc. it could be that if we sat it out we could be in a position to get an SGGS place by Sept - certainly not at first pass with this score. We could probably squeeze into an auto-AGS place with a 218 - but maybe tight if AQS rises a lot

So my nightmare scenario is, if we choose SGGS first, and AGS second, and don't get an automatic AGS place in March would we be waitlisted for SGGS as choice #1, and not for AGS as choice #2 ?
If so, and the waitlists do not allow an SGGS place then we would surely miss out on both ?

Any thoughts on this possible horrible situation ? Thanks

You can go on the waiting list for all the schools that are higher on your CAF than the one you're allocated on offer day. So if you don't get either of those schools on offer day, you can go in the waiting list for both. Some authorities will automatically add you to the waiting lists, others ask you to confirm that you want to go on, but you'll be given the details on offer day if you don't get your first preference.

Do make sure your third preference is a school you're happy with and that you're certain to get. Otherwise you could be allocated any school on offer day and it might not be one you want.

streathammum is right - if you are Southern Priority and Warwickshire (as opposed to those bits of Worcestershire) you have 6 choices on your CAF. Fill it in in true order of preference 1) SGGS 2) AGS 3)? 4)? 5)? 6?....of course, you may not want to fill all the choices in but you must make sure that below position 1 and 2 there is a school you are guaranteed a place at (for example your local catchment school).

Then, if you are not allocated 1 or 2 in March, accept whatever school you are allocated and make sure you are on the waiting list for any above (in Warks this always used to be automatic, but best to read whatever they send out in March, in case they have moved the goalposts again!!) The waiting list score (ie the minimum score to be allowed on the wait list) for AGS has been 5 below AQS for the last two years at least, so that gives you a bit of wiggle room but you may find you get an offer first pass with them - keep fingers crossed but do not leave your CAF till the last minute - systems have been known to crash - get it in and forget about it!

In the scenario you have posted:
1 - SGGS
2 - AGS
3-5 schools x, y, z
you won't know whether or not you would have got a place at AGS, if you do qualify for SGGS.

If you don't initially qualify for an offer from either of those schools, you can go on the waiting list for both - and appeal as well, if you decide to. The same goes for any of schools x, y or z you are not offered - you can ask to go on the waiting list for lower preference schools, but to be able to appeal for school z when you had been offered school y, you would have make a new, late application, or ask for the order of your preferences to be amended. You can only appeal if you have been turned down, which you haven't been if you could be allocated a higher preference.

Cross-posted with KCG

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Thanks so much everyone for the practical and well-informed answers - takes a lot of pressure of the decision making now.
Great to know there are some seriously knowledgeable users on this forum !

No worries - thank you for acknowledging the responses - nice to have a polite forumite! Do let us know how your DD gets on in March - or beyond.