School appeals - help offered

BeckyR1

Hi,

I'll try to keep this as brief as possible. We're currently living in Australia and will be moving back to UK mid August. My husband is on a forces posting. We have rented our home and will be moving back in on our return.

Unfortunately the school which my daughter would have moved up to had we not been posted overseas is full and we need to appeal. All my daughter's friends are now attending this school. My daughter has no idea that she may not be able to go to our local school and that she will be separated from her friends. This, on top of the 'trauma' of moving back and leaving her friends in Australia will have an extremely negative impact on her I fear.

I have been told verbally that the school admitted one child last year over the PAN and this child was neither in care of had special educational needs. I feel that I have a strong case as our house is within the catchment area, my daughter would have been offered a place had we not been on a compulsory military posting and the fact that it will be damaging to her welfare not to just 'slot in' with her existing friends.

Any advise will be gratefully received.

Thanks.
BeckyR

HappySad

My school appeal results come out next week. Very nervious about it.

pinkfizz77

Wish I'd found this thread a few weeks ago
Currently appealing (appeal to be held on 14th) and I am so confused!!!!
Moved a month ago (60 miles) and obviously applied for schools for my eldest (12yrs)
Put two choices down and was refused both on grounds that they are both full and offered a place at school c, I am gutted she has been offered this place!!!!
My main reasons for applying are:
The only friends my dd has made since moving here all attend our choice school. I know this isn't a great reason but we knew noone when we moved here and I know it would help dd if she could attend choice school (espec as she has got close to our next door neighbour who also attends choice school).
The choice school is very similar to her old school, academically and has similarities on ofsted report. Similar attitudes to parental involvement and care to pupils. Probably a flimsy argument but gotta try
Choice school has excellent clubs etc which would help dd with her confidence and academic achievement
School c is a specialist sports school, choice specialises in maths and computing. My daughter hates sport but loves computers

I realise my reasons are flimsy to say the least and I will openly admit that the fact that school c has a pass rate of 29% and has been labelled as failing factors in my opinion as well as it's reputation for truancy, bullying and problems with attitudes etc (though cannot seem to find facts to support this)

Have received the LAs arguments and boy are they confusing, so much jargon!
basically boils down to:
"to comply would prejudice the proficient of efficient education etcetc"
"MAL of 235 and to exceed this etc etc"]
looks like we are out of catchment area (wasn't aware what catchment area we were in as wasn't aware of what this area was actually called iyswim and more kids round here go to choice school than school c (two busses to choice, one to school c)
anticipated school numbers will be 1415 when net capacity is 1398 (confused moi????)
claiming that to admit more pupils would add to congestion etc

Sorry for all the info lol
To be honest I don't think we've got a cat in hells chance of winning but I honestly do believe my daughter would do better at choice than school c(not just academically).
I suffer from depression so this is really hard for me, I hate being in situations where I have to deal with people, dds grandma has said she will come with me to appeal but she's proving useless at the mo
I just don't know how to argue against their arguments!!! Would it help to find out exactly how many pupils are currently in her year (though by the time she gets to attend the school it will be september)? WHo would I ask?
ANY advice or suggestions very very gratefully received
Thank you

HappySad

School appeal charity. You can text them your problem and they will text you back advice.
http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/

Post your question here for informed advice
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/viewforum.php?f=35

REad read and read some more about appeal.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Win-Your-School-Appeal/dp/0713682361/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215427199&sr=8-1

Question and answer about school appeal.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus-appeals-questions-answers.php#e11

Hope this helps


We went through the appeal but did not win it. We are now going to send our son to a private school.

jfmkent

Hi, wonder if anyone can shed anylight on whether i can get a copy of my appeal's minutes, had the appeal in May 08, presented facts (which I'd got off DoE website) which countered the schools POV on refusing my son a place, info and 'how to' gathered got from MSE. Anyway eventually got letter saying not sucessful, but in the appeals letter no mention of my main argument. I have asked for copy of minutes, which they will mot release to me quoting data protection and exemption from freedom of information act. I intend to take it further, but i don't even know what's been minuted, i suspect not my main argument. the company that ran the appel on behalf of the school, an absolute sham, calls never returned, lost paperwork so i don't have much confidence in them have minuted all my points. Any thought anyone?

HappySad

jfmkent wrote: »

Hi, wonder if anyone can shed anylight on whether i can get a copy of my appeal's minutes, had the appeal in May 08, presented facts (which I'd got off DoE website) which countered the schools POV on refusing my son a place, info and 'how to' gathered got from MSE. Anyway eventually got letter saying not sucessful, but in the appeals letter no mention of my main argument. I have asked for copy of minutes, which they will mot release to me quoting data protection and exemption from freedom of information act. I intend to take it further, but i don't even know what's been minuted, i suspect not my main argument. the company that ran the appel on behalf of the school, an absolute sham, calls never returned, lost paperwork so i don't have much confidence in them have minuted all my points. Any thought anyone?

They putting your question on the elevenplus forum that I list above as someone where professional would be able to help you. Also try contacting the ACE school appeal charity (also listed above) as they can also help you to.

With my school appeal rejection letter it completely listed all the points that we made and we feel that during and after our appeal that all our arguments were listened to and taken in to account. So I looks like you may have a case there. Good luck with this and as you have a change to getting somewhere you MUST take it as this is your child's future that you are fighting for.


Good luck

dimple

Hi

My twin boys have been turned down for 3 schools in the area that we live in, they were due to start reception this month. They will be 5 in Novemeber and are currently in private day care. I moved house after the applications for school admissions deadline and put down the 3 schools nearest to my house.

The admission in my area is done by catchment area and all of these schools fall within mine. I have still been turned down and have an appeal next week. They did not offer me any alternatives that were near to me and suggested some schools that were about 4 miles away in a completly different area, although they did not offer a place there, they just said that there may be places there.

Myself and my husband both work full time and have no family in the area we now live in so it would be impossible for us to take our children to the suggested schools.

Do you have any ideas that may help swing the case in my favour?

Dimple

bestpud

dimple wrote: »

Hi

My twin boys have been turned down for 3 schools in the area that we live in, they were due to start reception this month. They will be 5 in Novemeber and are currently in private day care. I moved house after the applications for school admissions deadline and put down the 3 schools nearest to my house.

The admission in my area is done by catchment area and all of these schools fall within mine. I have still been turned down and have an appeal next week. They did not offer me any alternatives that were near to me and suggested some schools that were about 4 miles away in a completly different area, although they did not offer a place there, they just said that there may be places there.

Myself and my husband both work full time and have no family in the area we now live in so it would be impossible for us to take our children to the suggested schools.

Do you have any ideas that may help swing the case in my favour?

Dimple

The problem you have is the places were all allocated before you moved and once that has happened, they will not remove a place from someone who applied in time.

As I understand it, you have to show your children would suffer more by going to a different school than the children at your preferred schools would suffer by having two extra bodies in the class room.

Are there specific reasons, other than transport, why you feel your chosen schools are better able to provide for your childrens' needs? This is the kind of thing you need to think about.

Also, have you checked the admission criteria and looked to see if the school has the capacity to take two more children? There is details earlier in this thread about checking the size of the school against the PAN etc.

Other than that, is there any chance of them going to different schools, as in you checking of there is one place at two of the schools iyswim?

Also, have you checked if they may have places next year, as they are stricter about reception class sizes? That would mean using one of the other schools for the first year and then moving them.

sal-ad_daze

dimple wrote: »

Hi

My twin boys have been turned down for 3 schools in the area that we live in, they were due to start reception this month. They will be 5 in Novemeber and are currently in private day care. I moved house after the applications for school admissions deadline and put down the 3 schools nearest to my house.

The admission in my area is done by catchment area and all of these schools fall within mine. I have still been turned down and have an appeal next week. They did not offer me any alternatives that were near to me and suggested some schools that were about 4 miles away in a completly different area, although they did not offer a place there, they just said that there may be places there.

Myself and my husband both work full time and have no family in the area we now live in so it would be impossible for us to take our children to the suggested schools.

Do you have any ideas that may help swing the case in my favour?

Dimple

I've only just discovered this thread! I too sit on admission appeals panels.

Dimple, your main problem is that in Key Stage 1 (infants) the schools will break the law if they admit more than 30 children to a class.
The Authorities argue these appeals on 'Qualifying Measures' which basically mean that if another child is placed in the class then the school will have to take on another qualified teacher and/or open up another classroom where there physically isn't one.
These appeals are the hardest for panels to do because they're hands are tied, there are only two criteria where they can allow an appeal and both are based on maladministration by the authority.
There is greater leeway in schools that vertically stream their classes (usually in yr1/2) or have odd admission numbers, you have to make the authority prove that it is impossible to allow another child into the school so look closely at the admission numbers of the school and how the HT arranges the classes, if you can prove that there is a way for (in your case) two more to be admitted without breaching the qualifying measures then they should allow your appeal.
I do feel for you, I sat on a panel where a mum was appealing for her twins, one had a place the other didn't. The twin was last to be admitted on distance criterea but by the time they got to them there was only one place left so only one twin was allocated.
The authority claimed there was nothing they could do, rules is rules, but we took legal advice and found a way to prove maladministration in this case and the twin got in.

Good luck to you, the panel will do everything it can to help parents out but unfortunately in KS1 legally there's not a lot they can do.

Not much help I know, but KS2 do not have a maximum class number so if you are 'in zone' and apply you must be given a place.

HTH

Sal

bestpud

sal-ad_daze wrote: »

I've only just discovered this thread! I too sit on admission appeals panels.

Dimple, your main problem is that in Key Stage 1 (infants) the schools will break the law if they admit more than 30 children to a class.
The Authorities argue these appeals on 'Qualifying Measures' which basically mean that if another child is placed in the class then the school will have to take on another qualified teacher and/or open up another classroom where there physically isn't one.
These appeals are the hardest for panels to do because they're hands are tied, there are only two criteria where they can allow an appeal and both are based on maladministration by the authority.
There is greater leeway in schools that vertically stream their classes (usually in yr1/2) or have odd admission numbers, you have to make the authority prove that it is impossible to allow another child into the school so look closely at the admission numbers of the school and how the HT arranges the classes, if you can prove that there is a way for (in your case) two more to be admitted without breaching the qualifying measures then they should allow your appeal.
I do feel for you, I sat on a panel where a mum was appealing for her twins, one had a place the other didn't. The twin was last to be admitted on distance criterea but by the time they got to them there was only one place left so only one twin was allocated.
The authority claimed there was nothing they could do, rules is rules, but we took legal advice and found a way to prove maladministration in this case and the twin got in.

Good luck to you, the panel will do everything it can to help parents out but unfortunately in KS1 legally there's not a lot they can do.

Not much help I know, but KS2 do not have a maximum class number so if you are 'in zone' and apply you must be given a place.

HTH

Sal

It's so nice to hear there are human beings on these panels! I think, as a parent, it can feel as though they are a big barrier you need to overcome rather than people out to help iyswim?

Could I just check your last point out please?

Are you saying that as long as a child is living within the catchment area before they reach key stage 2, the school have to take them? Even if they are oversubscribed and/or have a waiting list?