order of schools on scaf form
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order of schools on scaf form
Hi, this is my first posting but have been coming on the site for a long time. Not posted before cos most of the questions I would have asked had already been asked by someone else and answered with very good advice.
First of all congrats to all those with children who got the results that they wanted and commiserations to those who didn't - I was crying when reading the postings.
I do now have a question which appears no one else has asked and I need some advice (you may think that the answer is obvious)...
We live in Kent and my DS took both the Bexley and the Kent tests this year. He passed the Bexley test but failed the Kent test. He is devestated as all of his mates passed the kent test and all want to go to Wilmington. He always said that going to a school with none of his mates wouldn't be a problem but now the choice has been taken away from him, it obviously is a problem.
We are over the moon that he has passed the bexley test but our problem is distance, if last year is anything to go by we'll be ok but the year before it was only 3.2 miles - no chance!.
As he is so upset about not passing the kent test we want to go down the appeal route in March. The Head has advised us to appeal the Kent test and will support us but we are unsure of how to complete the scaf form. Was going to put Beths 1st then Wilmington 2nd but someone has said to me that if we are lucky enough to get Beths then it won't go to the 2nd choice, we won't get the refusal letter and therefore we won't have the opportunity to appeal for Wilmington.
I know it states in the booklets that the order of preference doesn't make a difference and therefore if we put Wilmington first we would get a letter of refusal and then it would go to Beths but am still worried about this. Any advice would be greatful, have changed the preference order twice now but haven't submitted the scaf yet.
HELP!
Mints
think I had anything to add to any of the forums and a lot of
First of all congrats to all those with children who got the results that they wanted and commiserations to those who didn't - I was crying when reading the postings.
I do now have a question which appears no one else has asked and I need some advice (you may think that the answer is obvious)...
We live in Kent and my DS took both the Bexley and the Kent tests this year. He passed the Bexley test but failed the Kent test. He is devestated as all of his mates passed the kent test and all want to go to Wilmington. He always said that going to a school with none of his mates wouldn't be a problem but now the choice has been taken away from him, it obviously is a problem.
We are over the moon that he has passed the bexley test but our problem is distance, if last year is anything to go by we'll be ok but the year before it was only 3.2 miles - no chance!.
As he is so upset about not passing the kent test we want to go down the appeal route in March. The Head has advised us to appeal the Kent test and will support us but we are unsure of how to complete the scaf form. Was going to put Beths 1st then Wilmington 2nd but someone has said to me that if we are lucky enough to get Beths then it won't go to the 2nd choice, we won't get the refusal letter and therefore we won't have the opportunity to appeal for Wilmington.
I know it states in the booklets that the order of preference doesn't make a difference and therefore if we put Wilmington first we would get a letter of refusal and then it would go to Beths but am still worried about this. Any advice would be greatful, have changed the preference order twice now but haven't submitted the scaf yet.
HELP!
Mints
think I had anything to add to any of the forums and a lot of
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WesterhamMum
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:08 pm
- Location: Westerham, Kent
Hi Mints
I am no expert but the way I understand it is that you must put Wilmington first on your SCAF if it really is your first choice. Otherwise as you quite rightly said, you may be offered Beths and then cannot appeal for a place at Wilmington as Beths was a higher choice. If you put Wilmington first, you will obviously not get offered a place there on March 2nd as your DC did not pass the Kent test but that will mean that you can then appeal for Wilmington and this will not affect your chances of gaining a place at Beths just in case the appeal is not successful.
I hope this makes sense and good luck.
WesterhamMum.
P.S. Happily my CAF had to be in last week (Bromley LEA) so I am now quite relaxed!
I am no expert but the way I understand it is that you must put Wilmington first on your SCAF if it really is your first choice. Otherwise as you quite rightly said, you may be offered Beths and then cannot appeal for a place at Wilmington as Beths was a higher choice. If you put Wilmington first, you will obviously not get offered a place there on March 2nd as your DC did not pass the Kent test but that will mean that you can then appeal for Wilmington and this will not affect your chances of gaining a place at Beths just in case the appeal is not successful.
I hope this makes sense and good luck.
WesterhamMum.
P.S. Happily my CAF had to be in last week (Bromley LEA) so I am now quite relaxed!
Hi westerham mum,
Thanks for replying to my post, didn't think anyone would give me advice on this one as I could see people reading it thinking DAH!!.
I was going to change my preference order again today as I spoke to someone at Kent (on the advice of a friend) and KCC told me that I could put Wilmington 4th and still appeal it even if I was offered my first choice -came off the phone thinking I'll call again in a couple of days to ask someone else!!
I am going to do exactly what you've suggested, as it makes sense, submit the form tomorrow and forget about it - well until March any way.
Hate all of this, got to go through it another 2 times over the next couple of years!! Hopefully I can sit back and relax this time tomorrow.
Thanks
Mints
Thanks for replying to my post, didn't think anyone would give me advice on this one as I could see people reading it thinking DAH!!.
I was going to change my preference order again today as I spoke to someone at Kent (on the advice of a friend) and KCC told me that I could put Wilmington 4th and still appeal it even if I was offered my first choice -came off the phone thinking I'll call again in a couple of days to ask someone else!!
I am going to do exactly what you've suggested, as it makes sense, submit the form tomorrow and forget about it - well until March any way.
Hate all of this, got to go through it another 2 times over the next couple of years!! Hopefully I can sit back and relax this time tomorrow.
Thanks
Mints
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WesterhamMum
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:08 pm
- Location: Westerham, Kent
Hi Mints
I agree with you, I would not trust the advice given to me by this person at KCC without double checking. I have always been under the impression that you can only appeal upwards. If as we are advised, we are putting the schools down in our true order of preference now, it would make no sense for anyone to appeal for a school lower down on their list.
I have a daughter who follows the very next year so have to start all over again with the preparation again soon but at least I only have to go through it once more! I just hope that they do not change all the process again next year, I have only just got to grips with the procedures this year!
Good luck and I hope you do manage to relax soon!
WesterhamMum.
I agree with you, I would not trust the advice given to me by this person at KCC without double checking. I have always been under the impression that you can only appeal upwards. If as we are advised, we are putting the schools down in our true order of preference now, it would make no sense for anyone to appeal for a school lower down on their list.
I have a daughter who follows the very next year so have to start all over again with the preparation again soon but at least I only have to go through it once more! I just hope that they do not change all the process again next year, I have only just got to grips with the procedures this year!
Good luck and I hope you do manage to relax soon!
WesterhamMum.
