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Original poster

Do the schools ever find out where you put them on the CAF list

35 replies

dorisbumble · 26/10/2013 10:07

Hi filling in the CAF today and totally panicked. Is it only if you have to appeal that they see the CAF? Do they actually see the form at this stage?

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prh47bridge · 28/10/2013 17:42

Blu - They can but I suspect from the form that they may pay more attention if it comes from a local parent. Nonetheless I'd do it myself but I don't have time at the moment.

edam · 28/10/2013 16:36

Thanks tiggy. Think we are OK actually, ds just had a sudden urge towards the one 20 minutes away at the last minute but he'd been thrilled by the other one when he saw that.

Blu · 28/10/2013 16:23

Anyone can fill in an Objection Form on the Schools Adjudicator website, can't they?

prh47bridge · 28/10/2013 10:27

Nationally around 85% of parents receive an offer from their first choice secondary school. That is probably a factor in the continued belief by many parents that first preferences are admitted first.

Unfortunately this misleads some parents every year into putting the local school they don't like as their first preference ahead of the school they really want, thereby pretty much guaranteeing that they won't get their preferred school.

Do we have any parents in Wiltshire willing to report RWBA to the Schools Adjudicator? They really shouldn't be making that sort of statement on their website.

tiggytape · 28/10/2013 07:53

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Retroformica · 28/10/2013 05:07

Schools probably want you to put them as first choice as you are more likely (our area anyway) to get your first option.

Retroformica · 28/10/2013 05:05

Ive had the same concern and spoke to an official last month for clarification. In our area each school received a list of pupils who put the school as an option. The school have no idea if its a first or last or middle preference. The school put all the children into a rank of entitlement, they then let the LEA allocate places.

prh47bridge · 27/10/2013 15:40

No it is not possible. I thought they had removed that statement from their website. I am disappointed to see that it is back. They should be referred to the Schools Adjudicator.

tiggytape · 27/10/2013 15:39

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Blu · 27/10/2013 15:20

Schools do give out odd messages though. There was a thread a couple of weeks ago about a school that said it intended to admit based on being first choice. It says so on it's website : "If you are intending to apply for a place at this school for September 2014, you should note that the School has the intention of admitting all applications where the School is placed as first choice." Is this possible?? It's here

MarinaResurgens · 27/10/2013 13:12

tiggytape, you are a mine of information, thank you for such clear explanations. We have successfully negotiated a Pan-London CAF once already and I still find myself having the odd wibble second time around Confused

WereTricksPotter · 27/10/2013 12:47

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tiggytape · 27/10/2013 10:26

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Whereisegg · 27/10/2013 09:23

I totally panicked Grin

edam · 27/10/2013 09:15

Drat, wish I'd checked with MN rather than believed what another parent (whose eldest went up to secondary two years ago) told me.

Never mind, we are equally happy to get either our first or second places, both good schools. First choice is nearer our house, 12 minutes walk instead of 20, so I'm confident we'll get it. But it seems we would have got it whether we'd put it first or fourth...

Felt v. odd having to put four schools down. I can see how it works for the county, because there are a few big towns where there are four or more secondaries, but we live in a small town where there are three - and number three is a church school that ds stands no chance of getting in to (fortunately it's our least favourite anyway).

We had to put a school in the nearest big town that is horribly over-subscribed and ds would never get into in a month of Sundays, just to fill up the form. Madness.

tiggytape · 27/10/2013 09:05

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MarinaResurgens · 27/10/2013 00:04

We had this happen too, whereisegg. It was a church school, too Hmm
Luckily we knew better than to believe that nonsense (second time round for us) but I wonder how many parents panicked at that point

admission · 26/10/2013 21:55

Head teacher who make these statements that you must put their school down as first preference or you have no chance of getting a place are plainly incorrect, either through ignorance of the admission system or deliberately trying to manipulate you into making a potentially wrong decision.
There is however an interesting thought, the code is clear that if someone in authority, such as the head teacher, says you have a place then that is taken as fact. Where the head says if you do not put us down as first preference you will not get a place how far away are they away from saying if you put us down as first priority you are "guaranteed" a place. I would suggest not that far.

Whereisegg · 26/10/2013 21:16

Yes I recently started a thread as our favourite non grammar school told us that if we didn't put them as first choice, we wouldn't get a place.

It was at the open evening so probably lots of panicking parents.

MN put me straight Smile

Good luck op!

WereTricksPotter · 26/10/2013 20:58

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WereTricksPotter · 26/10/2013 20:57

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Original poster
dorisbumble · 26/10/2013 20:54

I think schools get info on numbers of applications and their rankings. Maybe that's why they want you to list them higher on the caf? Ego?

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tiggytape · 26/10/2013 20:52

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Original poster
dorisbumble · 26/10/2013 20:40

Okay. Can relax ever so slightly until March so!

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WereTricksPotter · 26/10/2013 20:40

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