My dd sat HBS and DAO second rounds last week. I was expecting to get both results later in the month, from which I’d be able to judge her likelihood of getting places, and complete the CAF accordingly (leaving off a school if her chances were remote).

I’ve just had a read of the HBS admissions info - am I right that we don’t get any guidance whatsoever following round 2? So my dd could be near the top of the 300 and guaranteed a place, or else near the bottom with absolutely no chance, but we’d be none the wiser when completing the CAF?

How many slots do you have on your CAF - usual advice is to put the schools in order of genuine preference - so can put HBS and if you don't get it , it won't affect your chances with the second place school

Yes - that's right about HBS. You will have no clue except that DD is in the top 300. The only other possibility(not guaranteed though) is that if you are in the priority HBS catchment and if you are in the top 300, then your DD may get in( Thanks to Daogroupie. I was not aware if you are in the catchment of HBS, then DD do not need to pass 2nd round.)

For HBS-
Academic Ability – Live within 3 miles 34
Academic Ability – All Other Candidates 65
Academic Ability – Eligible for Pupil Premium 5

Total -104

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PP

Thank you - is there a way of calculating the 3 miles distance definitively? My iphone reckons we’re 3.1 miles from HBS, which I guess puts us just outside catchment by about 100 metres - but how would Barnet calculate it do you reckon?

You can set start & finish point on Google maps & it will tell you the straight line distance. It won't be as accurate as the software used by the council but it will be pretty good
Explanation here

You could also ask the local authority?

ETA, the admissions policy states the following:

You may use any available tool on the internet. I have used

https://www.freemaptools.com/distance-b ... tcodes.htm

Look at the "Distance as the Crow Flies", which should be most accurate. The tool which School (council) uses most probably will give the same disstance. (if not we can blame only the software!!)
All the best.

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PP

Catchment applicants do not have to pass the second round, they only have to pass the first round. DG

I heard HBS 2nd round results would be available between 20-23 Oct (before half term, and CAF deadline) and individual results will be sent indicating one of three bands:

Band A - for DDs who scored higher than the average of last four years' lowest score to secure a place on national allocation day in March
Band B - for DDs who scored higher than the lowest score (four year average??) to get a place via WL
Band C- everyone else

Not sure if the above is true or just urban myth. Could anyone confirm or refute please with reliable source?

I don't know about the date, but the bands are no longer given. Please see the HBS admissions policy on the school website.

The reliable source is the HBS website.

The admissions code requires them to give this information.

Your source is years out of date.

They stopped doing bands when they introduced the catchment area.

If HBS is your first choice put it first.

You have been told you are in the top 300 in the same way as Latymer applicants were told this week that they were in the top 650.

HBS does not yet know how many pupil premium and catchment area applicants they will receive so they do not know how many places will be left over for non catchment.

Last year there were 65 places left over for non catchment applicants after 34 applicants from catchment and 5 from pupil premium.

Each year there will be more catchment applicants as parents start to understand that they do not need to do any Maths, Creative Writing or standard format comprehension preparation if they move into the 3 mile catchment.

It will only be a few more years until HBS becomes a fully catchment school and then they will need to start ranking on actual distance to the school as they will have more catchment applicants than they will have places.

DG