Common Application Form - c'mon, you're all meant to be filling it in RIGHT NOW - why do they ask for "Reason for preference"?

[Fauve]

We think Reason for Preference will only become relevant if things go to appeal - presumably your case will be stronger if you can say that you stated the compelling reason on your Common Application Form. Has anyone asked their LEA?

Yes, we're thinking of doing ours online. But we are asked for reasons for all SIX choices - yup, we get to name 6, too...

Obviously I know we don't have to give reasons...but if the box is there, I feel compelled to fill it in...

I don't think we've got reason for preference on our form.

We've to put three, but I will only be entering two.

We've got until the 7th November.

I didn't fill it it as our reasons were that a, it's close b, we liked it and it seemed a bit daft to write that down - I assumed it was for if you had a slightly more compelling reason than that (we only put 2 choices down as well, could have put 6 but there weren't 4 other schools that we particularly wanted him to go to) I know what you mean though. I sat there and found it hard not to write something.

We've done the CAF, just got one of the supplimentary ones to get in now!

We have "Reason for Preference" in the space under Choices 1, 2 and 3.

So under Choice 1 I could write: "older sibllings attended, it's close and a good school", then under Choice 2 I write "It's not close or good but better than Choice 3", and under Choice 3 I write "I'd rather eat my arm than send DS2 here but you wanted 3 choices and there are only 5 High Schools in the City and the others are worse". Madness.

I HATE all this form-filling. But it's my own fault for NOT choosing the closest school. We've still got 2 supplementary forms to fill in as well as the CAF. We have actually got a compelling reason for our first choice, it's just the other five.

I agree with you, Hassled.

Under my choice 1 it would be, girls school so im thinking that we maybe have a chance because girls only can apply cutting out some competition from the boys.
Choice 2 really preferred to choice 1 but only half the competition as its mixed and dd1 likes choice 1 better.
Choice 3 only on the form because it has a swimming pool and its is easy to get to and you do have 4 spaces on the form so id better go with this rather than the even more local 22% pass rate for 5 gsces(i havent looked to see whether that includes maths and english too scared to)
and choice 4 which is a roman cathloic school we are really near this one, its a good school and maybe pigs might fly and again, its aother one thats not the local 22% one.

It would be more entertaining if we all put our real reasons for preference, wouldn't it?

Thanks for the advice Christie.

Generally speaking I would agree, but we shouldn't have a problem getting our first choice - this applicatin is for DS3, with DS1 and DS2 both still at the school, and whilst I'm not taking anything for granted we meet all the criteria.

After two previous exceedingly stressful applications, I'm determined to be less anxious this year. Just hope it doesn't come back to haunt me.

I've done more horrible form-filling today, and will ring a neighbouring LEA tomorrow to check re Reasons for Preference. Can't ring my own because they're cr@p. If I get a sensible response, I'll post it.

Gosh this thread has just reminded me that I need to get ours done asap - it goes in on thursday.

We have a letter from a Consultant to support DS1's application on medical grounds - do you think that I could put this under Reasons for Preference:

X school is our preferred choice because it is the school most geographically close to home and to Kings College Hospital where DS1 requires treatment on a regular basis( roughly 2-3 visits per term)

What do you think?

Can I just ask a really really stupid question about how they allocate places in the preference system? If you do not get your first choice, are you considered for your second choice under the same criteria as the people who had it as a first choice? ie: Could you then usurp someone who had originally been on the list as having their first choice? Or is the first choice selection immutable and set in stone and you have to fight for second choice only with those who also put it as second choice? If that makes sense....

Oh dear. Was it really that unintelligible.....

Someone must know?

I don't know tbh - but just thought I'd show you aren't being ignored

The schools do not know your preference, they assess every application according to their criteria. You get offered the first school that offers you a place according to your preferences. Eg if you apply for 6 schhols and schools 2, 3 and 5 offer you a place, you only get offered school 2.

....but your 2nd preference is being assessed against people who put it as 1st, 2nd, 3rd....6th. The school just don't know that.

uptomyeyes on Sun 19-Oct-08 17:08:43

"We have a letter from a Consultant to support DS1's application on medical grounds - do you think that I could put this under Reasons for Preference:

X school is our preferred choice because it is the school most geographically close to home and to Kings College Hospital where DS1 requires treatment on a regular basis( roughly 2-3 visits per term)

What do you think?"

Yes, definitely (though no need to mention how often). Also any reason you can think of why your school of choice is better fitted to meet your son's medical needs. You need to put as much as you can in that box, and letters from any supporting medics you can think of. We got in on dd's medical needs, but had to take it to appeal as we had not supplied enough evidence+reasons.

I agree with Cory - give as much compelling detail as you possibly can.

The LEA rang me back and said that you should make use of the Reason for Preference boxes if you have a compelling reason - otherwise, if you appeal, the school will say, well, why didn't you mention this when you applied?

I'm getting very antsy about this; I wanted to press the submit button today, but now think I'll have to think some more about those damn Reason... boxes. Had to ring dh to reassure me that our deadline really isn't until Friday 24 October if done online...but I'll try to get it in before then in case our computer is subjected to a zombie attack, or stolen by aliens. That would be bad. And dd would have no school to go to.

I cant quite seem to push that Submit button either, I think I know our choices but keep having second thoughts. Last year 20 out of the 30 children from our primary put just one secondary school on their list and all got offered a terrible failing school. they did eventually get in to the school they wanted but that wasn't till the summer holidays, very stressful.

I spent so much time talking about this subject with other parents , I have set up a new website www.schooltalkuk.com its a forum and website all about making these difficult decisions, please come and have a look and help us get things rolling, thanks hope to see you there, sam x

I would, Sam, but it would make me more antsy. Oh, it looks interesting, though. Will go into it later...