Curious Q about school allocations

[MrsBrownsBoyz]

Good afternoon, just wondering if anybody knows of any children who passed the Kent test this year in the Canterbury, HerneBay, Whitstable area, did not get any of the grammar schools on their CAF. What schools were they allocated?.

Forgot to add, were these schools already on their CAF or were the schools allocated because no other school was chosen.

[T12ACY]

You could email the LA and put in a freedom of information request for this information I would think, but they may refuse to fulfill the request broken down as you are asking and just generalise. It was discussed at a meeting I attended recently but I can't remember the specific detail. There were very few children countywide who didn't get a school on their CAF. Most children not allocated the GS of their first choice were offered a school on the form so if the parent listed a non selective school the LA consider they have a place at one of the preferences so are not listed as not getting the GS as such. That may not have made sense, hence my suggestion to email the LA

I know locally there was an issue but the LA dispute this if a school listed on the CAF was offered. It's all political!!!!

[MrsBrownsBoyz]

Hi T12ACY, I suspect you are right and the LA, will refuse as it`s a too specific area. So far the parents i`ve spoken to who didn`t get a GS on their CAF were awarded GS further a field, because the schools on their CAF were full. We put a non selective on as 4th and thought this was for the best, as we are told to put 4 down otherwise your child may go to where there are places, I didn`t want some undesirable miles and miles and miles away.

We`re still gonna appeal to the 3 GS, I must be mad or what! My child passed the kent test, so i`ve really got to try and do this, I really admire anybody else going through appeals, it really isn`t for the faint hearted, I don`t think. Now i`ve 3 to go through At the moment everything is revolving around me getting through these and I know the great advise and support from this site, from everyone, is so invaluable.

[T12ACY]

Have you asked to be added to all 3 waiting lists, I guess you have? There can be quite a bit of movement between now and appeals being heard so you may not even have to go through it. I know I put school's on our CAF which with hindsight I didn't even want but you feel a certain pressure to fill up the form.

I do feel for you, having attended 2 appeals 3 years ago genuinely know the pressure you are under. My sanity was saved by this forum and just being able to ask what seemed like silly questions, it made all the difference to me to be able to sound out all the things buzzing around in my head.

If you do have to go ahead all I can say is you do kind of learn as you go along. My second hearing was a different experience to my first as I knew what to expect by the time I got there.

[MrsBrownsBoyz]

Hi T12ACY,
Yes, i`ve added to their waiting list, even emailed the schools to make sure, but they directed me to fill out the form. Fingers, toes and everything else crossed, that the waiting lists move in my direction, or at least one school. Will find out around 17th April (I think it is), if we managed to get in on the first round of lists, then it`s up to the schools.

I`ve told my child that i`m appealing to the schools, but won`t say when they are, when I get the dates.
As far as i`m aware, the other children who managed to get the GS aren`t appealing, which is a godsend.
That`s less appeals to fight against.

[MrsBrownsBoyz]

I was just thinking, if stage 1 is individual instead of a group hearing, if I then state my case against the school and the panel agrees with me, would the rest of the hearing go ahead as normal, (as i`m guessing both stage 1 & 2 will be heard straight after each other and not on different days, if you had a group hearing). Or would the panel just stop at the end of stage 1 and basically say you`ve won
Hope that makes sense.

Also maybe a little advice on the amount I should say during my personal hearing. Would you make this part alot more personal, than the statement, or would you keep it very factual. Also how long would you keep it going, would 5-10 minutes sound too little or too long. We are only appealing on distance, so why the school is most suited, is the only route we can go down.

[mystery]

We're any of your 3 super selective? Where do live just so I don't move there by mistake it sounds bad that you can out down three grammars and not get any of them.

[MrsBrownsBoyz]

Hi Mystery,
Yeah it`s not exactly a party here, but chin up and hope for the best. People i`ve spoken to, can`t believe it either, but have to plod along. Not sure what else we can do? if we don`t get one school from the appeals.