Question about CAF and order of schools

[Onthepath]

I wondered whether anyone would mind clarifying the following as I'm confusing myself reading other posts which I think have incorrect information.

If your child ranked highly for one school for example rank of 40 for DAO and not so high for another e.g. 220 ish for Latymer but Latymer was your first preference.

If you list Latymer first on the CAF (and DAO second) but rank is not high enough on offer day, you would still get the DAO offer and could stay on Latymer waiting list in case a place came up? You wouldn't lose the DAO place unless you were offered a Latymer one instead?

If you put local comp 3rd, could you stay on wait list for the other 2 (if DAO rank was also waiting list level)?

It's a rhetorical question for us until next year but I wanted to clarify and I don't think I'm the only one confused.

Thanks!

[YoungSuccess]

It was well explained by the QE's Deputy headmaster in his admission talk after the tour. It applies to other schools. If you search "Queen Elizabeth Barnet Part 4 School Tour " on YT, it is there, and meant to help parents.
(Moderator, if that is not allowed, then kindly just edit - it's meant to help. Thank you).

[mum1969]

Hi Onthepath

You are completely correct in what you say, the schools don't know where you have put them on the CAF only that you have put them down.

So in your case - DAO rank 40, Latymer borderline and local comp. If you put Latymer first and DAO second and weren't given Latymer you would definitely get DAO as within the top 65 ranked. You would remain on the waiting list for Latymer and if a place became available you would be offered Latymer and the DAO place withdrawn.

If you were borderline for both Latymer and DAO and got offered the local comp 3rd preference, you would remain on the wait list for Latymer and DAO. If Latymer place came up you would be offered that, removed from DAO wait list and comp place withdrawn as Latymer 1st preference. If DAO place came up you would be offered that but still remain on wait list for Latymer as first preference.

If you place the local comp first on the CAF as you were sure you would get the place there you would be allocated this and not Latymer or DAO as you put the comp as first preference. You would not even be on the wait list for either school as you had been given your first preference on the CAF.

I know it has been said many times on this forum but you MUST list schools in your TRUE order of preference on the CAF.

[Onthepath]

Thanks very much for the clarification.

[vasu]

One silly question, what if one doesn't get their first or the second choice and gets the third listed school on the list, will they be put on both school's waiting list? Or just the first?

[HappyCow]

I am fairly certain that with the schools in SW Consortium, you have to contact the school directly if you want to go on their waiting list. It doesn't happen automatically.
To go on a school's waiting list, you should have applied via your CAF.

[mum1969]

Both.

You will remain on the waiting list for all schools you put as a higher preference to the one allocated.

Some schools will require you to contact the school directly as they manage their own waiting lists although offers are made by the LEA, believe this is the case with the Watford Grammars but with others it is done automatically e.g.DAO. It is best to check with the school directly if in any doubt at the relevant time i.e. after allocation day.

[vasu]

Thank you.