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Do I bother filling the CAF if so have sibling preference?

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 4:39 am
by Ungratefulbiped
My youngest was selective (hooray!) and is only 1 year below his brother who started BGS this year. Coincidentally, we moved within a mile of the school as well. (I swear! The house sale took 2 years and lots of disappointments. We spent 14 years in a bread box!).
People say to fill out the CAF with several schools, but my non- selective choices need supplementary forms and taking off work in the middle of the day and running around for signatures and banding tests. So it's not a simple matter of listing them.
Do I bother? I know nothing is guaranteed but would it be idiotic to only list the one sibling school?
Thanks!

Re: Do I bother filling the CAF if so have sibling preferenc

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 4:56 am
by Sorrel
Sounds like only listing the one school wouldn't be reckless, you must be good as guaranteed a place. Presume alternative choice is Coopers and I certainly wouldn't go through the hassle of banding tests. But why not just put the other Bexley grammars on the form?

Re: Do I bother filling the CAF if so have sibling preferenc

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 5:11 am
by Ungratefulbiped
Faith schools take precedence for us. Then would list Crown Woods just to fill the spaces up on the list. I'd only put CSGS so looks like just listing the two might be fine. It goes against everything we're told! Ha.

Re: Do I bother filling the CAF if so have sibling preferenc

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 5:23 am
by Sorrel
Well, they say you should always include a school that has historically covered your location, and Bexley must historically have taken selective siblings living a mile from the school all the time! Bexley and C&S will be belt and braces and not make your CAF look too bare.

Re: Do I bother filling the CAF if so have sibling preferenc

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 8:40 am
by hermanmunster
I only put one school (not in your area) but then it was a case of passing test (which 47 in area pupils did for 112 places) and being in area (could see it out of the window).

Everyone has to decide based on the info they have, the main concern is when people don't research it and fill up CAF form with impossible choices, sometimes on the basis of "well they will have to give me one of those" - doesn't work like that. Hence usual advice about a boack up etc!

Good Luck with CAFs!

Re: Do I bother filling the CAF if so have sibling preferenc

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 8:51 am
by georgiadani
I think you would be safe to put just BGS down. You’re in one of the highest priority groups. Saying that I’d still put C&S and Beth’s on the CAF just because you can.

Re: Do I bother filling the CAF if so have sibling preferenc

Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 2:40 pm
by PeppermintCreams
I would list the other grammar schools as well, just to be safe. My 6th choice was a church school but I didn't fill the form in. :lol: