School appeals - help offered

Maha23 wrote: »

Hi everyone. Can anyone please give me advise on school appeals? Dd didn't get her 1s choice secondary school. I have many grounds that I feel are important to appeal on. The school is the only faith based (even tho it welcomes all faiths And none faith) in the area. It's a single gender (girls). We follow the ethos of the school. It's the only school in the area which will allow our daughter to continue learning French. My younger sister who 2 years older than my daughter and is her best friend and role model attends the school. All DD's friends are due to attend this school. I have given my appeal form, but need help with preparing my written statement. Please I need all the advise and help I can get. :huh:

To be successful at a school appeal you usually have to provide evidence that the school criteria was not applied correctly and if it had been your child would have got a place.

If you are appealing on the basis of expectional needs that a particular school is the only one that can meet these needs it is best to get evidence to back this up e.g professionals involved with your child. If she is part of the faith group community, has been educated in that faith at a local faith feeder school could your child's headteacher support your appeal, as well as the faith minister? Her cousin attending the school will probably not be considered a valid reason as they would be unlikely to see each other much as in different years. You need to consider evidencing why it is the only school who can meet her particular needs e.g why does she need to attend a single gender school instead of a mixed? Why does she need to continue learning French instead of another language? It must be a need, preferably backed up by evidence rather than a preference to stand a chance at appeal.

What is the school's defence? How many children do they have in Y3 atm?

How far is the school your Y3 child has been allocated to?

You have to bear in mind that not so long ago, many Y3 children would change from infant to junior school, not necessarily on the same site, so wanting them at the same school may not be a strong ground for appeal.

Hi all,
I have just received school refusal for my first choice of school for my 4 year old. I feel so deflated. I have a 7 year old, who I fought hard last year to get him into the school, and feel I can't do this again!
It is a CofE school, we are practicing Christians.
The school is VA, I completed the online admissions form in January and there was no mention on the form when I completed it, that I needed to complete a supplementary form (when I did my sons it clearly stated this).
I have just looked on the school website and there is a sup form that they say needs to be completed with when applying for a place. Why wasn't this made clear on the online application? Do I have any good grounds? I feel my son might have been offered a place if this extra information was available. I have looked at the admission criteria and feel he would have received a place, especially as we are Christians, and he has a sibling in the school.
There is no way we can take my 2 children to 2 different schools and a daughter to a childminders. My mum has cancer and my hubbby works nights. Whilst I am at work he does the school run and cares for my mum, this would just not be feasible. any advice would be greatly received. Many thanks.

tiltal wrote: »

Hi all,
I have just received school refusal for my first choice of school for my 4 year old. I feel so deflated. I have a 7 year old, who I fought hard last year to get him into the school, and feel I can't do this again!
It is a CofE school, we are practicing Christians.
The school is VA, I completed the online admissions form in January and there was no mention on the form when I completed it, that I needed to complete a supplementary form (when I did my sons it clearly stated this).
I have just looked on the school website and there is a sup form that they say needs to be completed with when applying for a place. Why wasn't this made clear on the online application? Do I have any good grounds? I feel my son might have been offered a place if this extra information was available. I have looked at the admission criteria and feel he would have received a place, especially as we are Christians, and he has a sibling in the school.
There is no way we can take my 2 children to 2 different schools and a daughter to a childminders. My mum has cancer and my hubbby works nights. Whilst I am at work he does the school run and cares for my mum, this would just not be feasible. any advice would be greatly received. Many thanks.

Usually the requirement to submit the SIF for faith schools is in the admissions policy and if it was not stated clearly in this, then you would have a good case for appeal, as you would have probably got a place if this requirement was made clear on the faith schools admission policy.

Either way complete the SIF with the evidence that may be required such as baptismal certificate and signature of your church minister and hand it in the school asap as it would probably put you top of the waiting list when it opens.

It may also be worth making an appointment to see the Head teacher to discuss the issue. I am surprised that the Head teacher did not mention school applications for siblings and a reminder about the SIF in the newsletter when the online council applications were due to open.

There may well be places opening up before September as children may move or not take up the place. Just make sure you are on the waiting list as soon as it opens.

I am very upset to find out today that my 4 year old has not got a place at our preferred school with her siblings. Any advice on grounds for appeal would be really appreciated.

So we moved into area last year and there were no places for my 2 primary aged children at our catchment school so we had to send them to a school a 10 min drive away. We are very happy with this school and were planning on sending our other 2 children there when the time came.

My DD was due to start reception last year but we deferred her entry due to her being a summer baby and having a developmental delay of a year (just been discharged from paediatrics) She attends a nursery which specialises in children with additional needs and she has thrived there. The Senco from my preferred school visited DD at nursery and agreed she should be deferred.

I was told to still apply last year and then turn the place down, which we did and she was offered our preferred school last year but not this year.

I cannot get all the children to school at the same time and even if I could my DD is very familiar with the preferred school and would be staying with friends from nursery which is very important for her because they are at the same developmental stage iyswim.

I am now wishing I just accepted her place last year as now she is going to have to go to a school which is totally unfamiliar and she will take ages to settle and it is really going to set her back.

Do I have any grounds for appeal?