As a parent or guardian, your child’s education is one of the most important aspects of their journey towards a bright future. The Local Authority Preference Form, often a pivotal step in this journey, may seem like a daunting task. Which school truly is the preference? How can I fill in the form to get the most out of a lower qualifying score for Grammar Schools? Is there a way to guarantee a space in a school? Deciding on the next steps is a pivotal part of your child’s academic development but these are really important questions. Here at Smart 11+ Tuition, we understand the complexity of entry to secondary school education, so we have put together this blog to help unravel the process for you and answer some of those burning questions.
From crucial dates to school selection strategies, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive in, so you can embark on this educational journey with confidence and clarity.
What is the local authority preference form?
The local authority preference form is the method by which, each local council, collects parents’ preferences for their child’s secondary school education. If you are looking for your child to go to Grammar School or Comprehensive School then you need to list these schools on your local authority preference form. There is a maximum of 6 schools that you can list on the form, and even if your child has achieved the qualifying score in the 11+ exam, we still recommend that you list BOTH Grammar and Comprehensive schools on your form.
Why do you recommend that?
Because it is vital that there are back-up options for hugely oversubscribed schools. Unfortunately across the West Midlands, the Grammar Schools are very oversubscribed. Don’t believe us? Check out this Newspaper article highlighting this issue.
When do you need to submit the form?
You will receive your child’s test score by Mid October. You must complete your Local Authority preference form by the End of October.
If your child has achieved the qualifying score, make sure you check the ‘cut-off’ scores for the previous cohort to have a better idea of the likelihood of gaining a place. Additionally, having an awareness of the category your child fits into will help you understand your child’s chances.
For more information on this, check out our blog on Understanding your Child’d 11+ Results.
What order should I place the schools?
That is entirely your preference.
There is not unfortunately a magical method to guarantee a space at a Grammar or Comprehensive school. Once you find out your child’s result on the 11+ exam, you can make a decision about which of the schools will accept that score.
For instance, if your son achieved 214, and you were thinking about Camp Hill for Boys as your preferred school, but you were outside of the catchment area. It may be prudent to look at other options for your first choice school as Camp Hill for Boys has not accepted pupils in category five (outside of catchment) for 2023 entry or 2021 entry.
It is therefore really key that you consider the result, the category your child is in, and the previous cohorts’ cut-off scores, to be able to make an informed final decision.
How do you find out which school is better?
This is a question we are asked a lot. We would highly recommend attending the Grammar School Open Days before the local authority preference form is due. This is to ensure that the school you are applying for has everything you are looking for in a secondary and your child feels comfortable in this environment.
For more information about submitting your form check out your local council site.
Can I list more than one grammar school?
Yes!
Again, this is entirely your choice. We would only recommend that not all six options are grammar schools, to give you a backup option just in case.
What happens next?
The forms are reviewed by the local authority. If you have listed a school outside of the local authority, they will contact the chosen local authority to advise them and they will take this in to account.
Offers are made on National Offer Day which is 1st March.
