Hi all,

I live in Croxley Green (near Rickmansworth) Hertfordshire. Am thinking of applying either Dr Challoner's or Chesham Grammar for my son. I was told once that I should not bother with Dr Challoner's as the catchment area is so small that I will not have a chance (at 7.07miles), however I may stand a chance with Chesham Grammar (7.59miles). Just wondering if this is the case? Thank you in advance. I've had a look at the spreadsheet, am just on the borderline, hence can't decide. Chesham's catchment seemed to have shrunk significantly last year!

You won't get DCGS as you aren't close enough or in catchment. CGS might be possible but the distances have shrunk significantly in recent years. What is your back-up local option?

Which school did you prefer when you visited? Which is easier to get to?

We really liked both, and whether it's mixed or single sex doesn't matter for him. He will just get to school via the met line, so both are viable. Other local options will be the SW Herts ones.

As I understand it, you write on your CAF the schools in order that you actually want them. If you're not qualified, whether by distance or by some other criterion such as not reaching the qualifying score, for your first choice, your second choice becomes your effective first choice and so on down the list. It is essential to put one school down that you actually definitely will get into though, or you might end up with no viable place come March. In other words, apply to them both if he reaches the standard in the test. Though from what I can tell he wouldn't get in at DC.

What I think Amber is trying to say is that make sure you put a cachement non-selective on your CAF even if it's at the bottom. Otherwise, if you put only GS's and either don't qualify or are out of allocation, you WILL be given an undersubscribed comp/upper/academy that may be further away than any of the GSs, you will not just be put into the nearest non selective. I know someone who 4 years ago only put a single school on the CAF form for their child in the mistaken belief that "it was the only school right for their child. They lived 2 miles from the school and it had a 1.5 mile cachement.
The child was allocated a different comp 4 miles across town needing 2 buses to reach it...

Thanks Amber. I only have 4 choices on the form. If I have no chance with DC, then I won't waste the choice and I can put another school down....

Aethel, yes I agree. Will put a 'safety net' one that I know will get in via distance that's non-selective. But that also means I only left with 3 choices!

With only 4 slots on the CAF, you are quite right not to name Challoners. From out of catchment it really would be a complete long shot, and a waste of a preference.

Even if, by some remote chance, DCGS did allocate as far as you this year, CGS is still a very good alternative, and you will have lost nothing.

Apologies; I thought it was clear. But yes, by my 'school you will definitely get into' I guess I meant a school in your catchment area, if you have one. Well yes; but how many do you want? Are there really more than 4 schools on the table here?

Just looked at the admission spreadsheet again - Has the spreadsheet been updated in the last week or so?

Chesham is now 6.531m (OA) and DCGS is now 7.298m (OA)??

DCGS is the girls school I think.