School Appeals - what questions were you asked? What did you ask?

Kimitatsu

Blue_monkey- please feel free to use anything there and if you need anymore then pm me

We also found that the clerk to the admissions board was a mine of information, I rang her as I was worried and asked her what the format was and she gave me lots of useful advice

From our experience it certainly was not an interogation, our panel were lovely and very understanding. You just need to put across how much easier it would be for him and you to go to this school.

Check with your local authority but if you qualify for transport (due to distance) but you choose to take him yourself there may be a mileage rate that you can claim - all helps!

blue_monkey_2

Hi everyone, I thought I would come back and let you know how things went last week. They made us wait a week before lettings us know the outcome!! And he letter arrived today....

I did not want to post before for fear of tempting fate - but my son got a place at the school!!

I went and spoke about the children needing to integrate into the village, that my daughter had a place at the school, that my son needs a smaller school due to his ASD and the other schools were full, also that they would never be part of the village if they were at a school miles away. I also emphasised that the school has already ignored it's own admissions policy by admitting 3 more children that their allowance in one of the years. It transpired that this was the case and that there was a 'clerical error' (which was unlawful apparently) the govenor rep also went on then to say that they used the bigger classrooms for bigger year groups and moved the classes as they needed. And I think that just about did it. They could make space for him as the school is not running to capacity.

The govenor rep was nearly 50 minutes late for the hearing too so that went down well with the panel but we was asked 3 or 4 questions and we had around 5 minuts of reading out and questions being asked, the rest of the 30 minutes was directed at the school. I have to confess that they were pretty hard on him and always wanted to know more indepth about his answers. I had prepapred a long statement of things I wanted to say about why he should go an I have to say, the panel were brilliant and very understanding, they even asked at the end whether I had asked all the questions that I needed to ask. I would say to anyone, please do not be nervous about speaking in front of them, they were brilliant, friendly and really understanding.

we came out feeling confident but you do never know and as I say, i did not want to temt fate. Not too sure how I contact the school to arrange his admission now that it is closed mind, likewise in buying uniforms etc...

But he is in, I am kind of nervous too as it is a new start for all of us now. Thanks for all of your help along the way.

Js_Other_Half

Fab news Blue Monkey!!!

pinkfizz77

well done you!!
makes all that hard work worthwhile

susanbevan

Kimitatsu wrote: »

When we had our appeal (back in April but we were told within the week) we had to sit in front of a panel of three independant people who were not connected to the school.

The school had sent us their statement as to why they could accept no more children so that did not need to be read out again.

The panel then asked us to explain why we thought out child was an exceptional case, so we explained that his transport was an issue (he would have to travel 45 minutes each way to his nominated school as opposed to 20 minutes to this school) and there is no road, he would have to cross a major A road to get to the bus stop, and walk along the grass verge to do so.

We explained that all of his friends were going to this school (out of 12 there were only 2 that were turned down for this school as we were both out of catchment) and that socially that would set him back.

And then we linked it into every child matters on the basis that he could return to the child minder in the event that there was no-one else home (we live in a very rural area with very few neighbours)

We also gave them letters from the head of his current school, instructors from the clubs he attends etc.

It was one of the most nerve racking things I have to say I have ever done, but I saw the head of the school the next day and his advice was that we did the right thing and told them everything we thought was relevant. It is the only chance you get to tell them, so talk about the stability that he needs given his condition, that it is close to the school (and you can be on hand if needed), that his home life has been disrupted recently and that he needs to be settled rather than having to move in a year or two, and that financially it is damamging the family unit (they have to take those things into account too!).

Good luck with it, the panel are usually really nice people, who want to see the best done for each child.

Hi, can i ask was your appeal for secondary or primary school?
and when you linked it too every child maters was that in the schools policy or in an education policy/ childerens policy that others could use.
many thanks :A

dizziblonde

Every Child Matters is national - schools are really really hot on trying to prove they're hitting all the 5 outcomes at the moment.

The Government's aim is for every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need to:

• Be healthy
• Stay safe
• Enjoy and achieve
• Make a positive contribution
• Achieve economic well-being

There's a tonne more stuff about making sure all the stuff involved with children links together (rather than the whole left hand not knowing what the right hand's doing debacles they can get) but that's the gist of it. I'm guessing the poster hit the "stay safe" strand by focusing on the child's access to nearby childminder if required.

Just on a related story - my mum had a battle to get my (catholic) lil bro into the catholic secondary school, as she'd kept him at a non-catholic primary in order for him to be near his childminder as he had a number of health issues. She got him in on an appeal panel then tried to help a family friend get his son in - went to the panel, the school swanned in late and made a comment like "we're 100% on decisions this year, let's make this one the same" which went down like a lead balloon - result... my mother took the 100% streak instead.

susanbevan

thanks, already done stage 1 of appeal all parents, school rep and appeal panel. Personal appeal tomorrow not looking forward to it or the questions
sue