DAO Rank allocations 1st March 2018

[Daogroupie]

It means that more of the students that were holding ranks 110 and above were allocated the school than last year.

This does not mean it was their first choice. Their first choice could have been HBS, Latymer, DAO or St Ms.

We don't know how many of the 65 currently holding an academic place put DAO second or lower and are waiting for a place elsewhere.

I know at least one who is in the top 25 of the waiting list at QE and is very likely to get a place as those who have decided to take a private school place turn down their QE places. There will also be those turning down HBS for private school. Last year I knew of 3 who turned down HBS for Habs so freeing up HBS spaces for those who are waiting and could have holding DAO places.

All we know is that DAO needed to go down 45 ranks to fill their 65 places compared to the 64 ranks it took last year.

It does however mean that the ranks are unlikely to reach this year yet alone the 150s.

Those holding ranks 111 to 123 have reason to be hopeful as the waiting list generally goes down around 12 places.

There will be ranks missing from 111 to 123 who either have not applied or have been given a school that they ranked higher than DAO.

The waiting list moved 29 ranks last year. I think that is unlikely this year but nobody is in control of what happens. DG

[ale21279]

Another question, if twins sit the exam, only one passes, does the other twin get a sibling place for that year?

[Daogroupie]

Yes. This is called the multiple birth policy and applies to triplets and any other multiple birth. DG

[evmc]

Hi, does anyone have any idea what the chances of rank 125 getting a place this time? Thanks.

[Daogroupie]

It is not your rank that is relevant now it is your waiting list position.

I know at least two ranks have disappeared between 111 and 131.

So your waiting list number should be 13 or below.

The list usually moves around 12 places so in my opinion you have a very good chance. DG

[Daogroupie]

The academic waiting list has moved five spaces so the last rank to get in is now 115.

The music list has not moved at all and remains on rank 13.

Movement compared to other schools is as follows:

QE 12 places
Parmiters 9 places
Latymer 8 places

Compared to previous years at DAO 5 spaces is very slow movement. By March 23rd last year the waiting list had reached 145, 16 places higher than the 129 rank of March 1st.

It then went another 13 places by the end of July.

This year looks far more like 2015 when it reached 120 on May 18th and did not move again.

The average move over the past few years has been 13 places so I hope it will reach the mid 120s but it is not looking good at this point.

I don't think it will reach into the 130s this year but I would love to be wrong.

DG

[ToadMum]

The academic waiting list has moved five spaces so the last rank to get in is now 115.

The music list has not moved at all and remains on rank 13.

This is very slow movement. By March 23rd last year the waiting list had reached 145, 16 places higher than the 129 rank of March 1st.

It then went another 13 places by the end of July.

This year looks far more like 2015 when it reached 120 on May 18th and did not move again.

The average move over the past few years has been 13 places so I hope it will reach the mid 120s but it is not looking good at this point.

I don't think it will reach into the 130s this year but I would love to be wrong.

DG

Out of interest, why? Obviously, if one knows someone personally who is hoping for a place from the waiting list, one might say, 'I hope the waiting list moves at least that far, for your sake', but I've never understood wanting as many people as possible - who listed somewhere like DAO / QE in such a position on their CAF that they were offered it on March 1st - really to have wanted somewhere else, just for the sake of it?

In fact, if, say, my DS was initially at a waiting list position of over a third of the intake of QE and was then offered a place, I might have second thoughts about whether I really wanted him to go there after all, given that so many who initially had places now didn't .

[Daogroupie]

DAO is the very first exam of the 2018 11 plus exam season. Many families use it as a mock for HBS, QE and Latymer and for private schools in January.

Those who want private schools will put DAO on their CAF even though they have no intention of going to state school. As those wanting another state school will have put it higher those who are left now who will give up places are those who are going to take the private school place and those waiting for a waiting list place at QE , HBS and Latymer.

As those students would rather go somewhere else they are better off to go somewhere else and to leave the places at DAO to those who really want to go there.

I have seen students who come in off the waiting list make a major contribution to the school because they really wanted to go there. I see them all the time in Sport, Music and Drama and in the newsletters.

I see the same in HBS, QE and Latymer.

If their families prefer other schools then they should go to those schools if they can and leave the places for those who really want them.

The difference between being on the waiting list and getting place is very marginal. 1 lost mark, 12 places down the waiting list so there is no real difference between those who have a place and those who do not. It is much better for the school to have students who really want to go there rather than those who just happened to get a handful more marks on exam day. DG

[ale21279]

According to DAO website, the distance places have now gone as far as 1041.78 metres from the school - I think this is unheard of in recent years?

2015-2017: 391-667m

http://damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk/admi ... ions-info/

[Daogroupie]

This is because the rules governing distance places have changed and some of those who thought they had avoided all the preparation for a academic or music place by moving close have been caught out by not reading the criteria carefully enough.

So more places for the local students rather than the ones who have just moved in to get a place at the school. DG