School appeals - help offered

dis90

hayleyjg wrote: »

I work for an local authority in the school admissions team and have many years experience of school appeals (both admissions and exclusions) so if anyone has any questions I would be happy to help.

My son was turned down and I am awaiting the appeal paper work from the school. No reason was given and my older son goes to the school. Every boy in his class got in and at his old primary as well. Both Us and his Teachers are at a loss as his has very good predicted SAT's and was given a glowing report. I was told that because of this "farer system" might be the reason :mad: The other boys have siblings at the school and it is one of their criteria. It is the only school we went for... What would be my best line of attack for appealing.

silvercar

If it is a genuine mistake and being a sibing should have given him a place, a quick phonecall may put it right.

Even if you go through the appeal process, if one of the admission criteria listed is siblings, then you need to show that a non-sibling (which is therefore a lower priority) has been given a place and you should automatically win your appeal.

HappySad

Ben Rooney has the same book but the lastest edition.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Win-Your-School-Appeal/dp/0713682361/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205835526&sr=8-1

HappySad

Can anyone provide some help as I now know I need to go through the appeal process. How could my application be rejected on medical grounds when I have put so much into it, along with the professors letter. You can PM me or post your support here.

Thanks
HappySad

kimphony

hayleyjg wrote: »

I work for an local authority in the school admissions team and have many years experience of school appeals (both admissions and exclusions) so if anyone has any questions I would be happy to help.

Hi Hayleyjg can you please advise me as I am totally devastated at my daughter being refused entry to my 1st choice school on the grounds that there were more applicants than places and that other applicants had a higher priority than my child.
apparantly it has foundation places and open places . they put me in the category of open place as I did not get a letter from the local church stating that i was a regular member there. I do attend the local church, however it is very erratically as myself and my sister are both carers for my mother who is seriously ill and housebound with emphysema. my sister cares during the week and i do weekends so she can get out and earn some cash and also get a break as she is only 26. my mum refuses anyone else to help her.
I spoke tto the vicar who though sympathetic clearly stated as i was not a regular worshipper there he would not write me a letter,.

I am a 10 minute walk from the school and it is the nearest c of e school to my home. this is very important as I am a single mum who had to give up her job when my 4 year old was almost a year old as she had terrible sleep problems and my employer was very reluctant to cut my hours ! I was practically forced out of my job and as i was very exhausted and suffering from post natal depression i gave in without a fight. since then however i have been living on the breadline and am desperate to get back into work. I have been living in the same area for the last 18 years and am completely isolated as is my child. the oly sense of community i get is from church whwn i can attend and i need my child to feel part of a community. there are no young children where i live so she has no interaction with other children so is painfully shy, I need her to go to the chusrch school as it is the nearest in walking distance for my other daughter as she will be the one taking her to and from school. she had a car accisdent 3 years ago and her mobility is severely restricted, she is able to walk to that school but not the one they have offered as it is much further and involves a bus journey . my daughter will not travel alone on public transport as she is now petrified. the only alternative is a primary school very close to my home but i refuse to send her there on the grounds that my children attended there and had too be removed as i feared for their safety after my 5 year old son was assaulted through the school fence whilst playing in the playground by a man on the street. his face was clawed and the school never informed me or called the police until i arrived at home time to pick him up. If my child cannot attend this school i will not be able to get a job as i will have no one to help me take her to and from school my family are suffering greatly living on benefits and i am suffering severe depression because of everything. sorry this message is so long winded but is there anything in it you can pick out that might help an appeal many thanks

kim

kimphony

hayleyjg wrote: »

I work for an local authority in the school admissions team and have many years experience of school appeals (both admissions and exclusions) so if anyone has any questions I would be happy to help.

Hi Hayleyjg can you please advise me as I am totally devastated at my daughter being refused entry to my 1st choice school on the grounds that there were more applicants than places and that other applicants had a higher priority than my child.
apparantly it has foundation places and open places . they put me in the category of open place as I did not get a letter from the local church stating that i was a regular member there. I do attend the local church, however it is very erratically as myself and my sister are both carers for my mother who is seriously ill and housebound with emphysema. my sister cares during the week and i do weekends so she can get out and earn some cash and also get a break as she is only 26. my mum refuses anyone else to help her.
I spoke tto the vicar who though sympathetic clearly stated as i was not a regular worshipper there he would not write me a letter,.

I am a 10 minute walk from the school and it is the nearest c of e school to my home. this is very important as I am a single mum who is who had to give up her job when my 4 year old was almost a year old as she had terrible sleep problems and my employer was very reluctant to cut my hours ! I was practically forced out of my job and as i was very exhausted and suffering from post natal depression i gave in without a fight. since then however i have been living on the breadline and am desperate to get back into work. I have been living in the same area for the last 18 years and am completely isolated as is my child. the oly sense of community i get is from church whwn i can attend and i need my child to feel part of a community. there are no young children where i live so she has no interaction with other children so is painfully shy, I need her to go to the chusrch school as it is the nearest in walking distance for my other daughter as she will be the one taking her to and from school. she had a car accisdent 3 years ago and her mobility is severely restricted, she is able to walk to that school but not the one they have offered as it is much further and involves a bus journey . my daughter will not travel alone on public transport since she was involved in a car accident she is now petrified. the only alternative is a primary school very close to my home but i refuse to send her there on the grounds that my elder children attended there and had to be removed as i feared for their safety after my 5 year old son was assaulted through the school fence whilst playing in the playground by a man on the street. his face was clawed and the school never informed me or called the police until i arrived at home time to pick him up. If my child cannot attend this school i will not be able to get a job as i will have no one to help me take her to and from school my family are suffering greatly living on benefits and i am suffering severe depression because of everything. and i feel my daughters mental wellbeing will be greatly affected. sorry this message is so long winded but is there anything in it you can pick out that might help an appeal many thanks

kim

Arry

*Jumps on the bandwagon*

my step son has not been offered ANY of our three choices. The possible reason is we moved shortly before selection began. Apparently the LEA 'lost' our evidence of the move so he went to the bottom of the pile.

As such we feel we were offered "What was left". The school really is not an option and I feel so strongly about this I feel sick and struggle to type. My son has learning difficulties and (although not statemented) he is heading into his SATS and has been told he has the reading/numeracy age of someone 4 years younger.

The school he has been offered is nealy 5 minutes away and 2 buses. It would mean leaving home at 7am to be there for 9am. Our choosen school is less than a 10 minute walk. Now, I'm lead to believe we cannot appeal on location alone and would be grateful for any advice on how we can construct a strong appeal application.

Are these 'appeal packs' worth the £2.99 (well this is MSE!) and is it worth me considering appointing a solicitor?

Many thanks

Arry

*Jumps on the bandwagon*

my step son has not been offered ANY of our three choices. The possible reason is we moved shortly before selection began. Apparently the LEA 'lost' our evidence of the move so he went to the bottom of the pile.

As such we feel we were offered "What was left". The school really is not an option and I feel so strongly about this I feel sick and struggle to type. My son has learning difficulties and (although not statemented) he is heading into his SATS and has been told he has the reading/numeracy age of someone 4 years younger.

The school he has been offered is nealy 5 minutes away and 2 buses. It would mean leaving home at 7am to be there for 9am. Our choosen school is less than a 10 minute walk. Now, I'm lead to believe we cannot appeal on location alone and would be grateful for any advice on how we can construct a strong appeal application.

Are these 'appeal packs' worth the £2.99 (well this is MSE!) and is it worth me considering appointing a solicitor?

Many thanks

Arry

Ooops, sorry for the double post!

busiscoming2

Hi I have a question for haleyjg or anyone else that may be able to help:
Am obviously doing school appeal, I aked LEA andthe school I want son to go to for the admission nos for yr7 for the past 8 years. Lea could only supply back to 2003 the school to 2001. The problem I have is that the figures are different for 2003 - 2005 the Lea are saying there is one pupil more per year, and with 2006 the school have 21 more pupils and 2007 the Lea have 18 more pupils!
Do I try to find out where the discrepancy lies or can I use this conflict of information to my advantage at an appeal?
Thanks