School appeals - help offered

bestpud

Neff wrote: »

Hi could anyone help or give ideas?
We moved to another town recently and put our 13 year old in
nearest school, even tho it was bottom of the schools for the area
and has a very bad reputation, but we thought we would give it a try.
Daughter was bullied badly even involving comments about having
her throat cut!
Spoke to year head who said child that made comment was all mouth and
trousers!!
Daughter too scared to go to school, school is pretty bad education wise and run down.
Anyway applied for another school that is simaliar to old school, top of the tables, good education ect but its full, well its 6 pupils over in her year, so we are appealing..

What would you use as grounds to appeal, so far we are going to
mention the school didnt seem to care if its kids made comments about knifes.
That we had doubts about school reputation but we would give it a go, and the new school is same as old one, good education and she would thrive
there.
Do we say the school year is already 6 over, so what harm is one more?
Shes no snob, nor am i, but other school is very chav, very run down,
my daughter is not perfect, but well spoken and has manners, and doesnt understand chav speak!!
The school we would like is more what she is used to
Shes not going to school atm as shes too frightened!!
Any help would be brill.

I do not know how you would do this though the LEA, sorry.

However, my friend knows two children who managed to get a transfer to a better secondary school when they were being bullied at the (similar it seems) school my children went to. She told me about it when I was tearing my hair with the school.

The other school is CofE and deals with has a slightly different admission procedure to other schools in the area, but it still all goes though the LEA. Neither child attends Church.

The parenst simply arranged a meeting with the Head Teacher and said what was going on. In both cases, the Head gave the children quite a drilling and each parent (different years and no link between them at all, expect for knowing my friend) thought he was being very hard on them. But both got in and were told afterwards that he does that to make sure they are actually being bullied and do want to change schools (as in, not just because mum and dad don't like their current school iyswim). The school is well oversubscribed and there woudl have been no places for either of them.

Maybe that is worth a go, especially as she is actually not attending school at present?

Are you in contact with the LEA about her non-attendance? I would suggest you let them know asap why she is not in school.

Other than that, have you looked at any other school in the area?

sal-ad_daze

Hi Sorry, I hope I'm not too late.
I'm really sorry to hear your daughter is having such a rough time, but keeping her off school isn't going to help anyone. You need to go into school and be 'forceful' ask to see their bullying policy and ensure that they are enforcing it. Ask what they propose to do to make your daughter feel safe and secure whilst at school, it's their responsibility after all.
Then go to your LA and request a school transfer for your daughter, they will then have to inform you of schools in the authority with places in your daughters' year. Visit these schools, check their bullying policies, check that non of the bullies friends or relatives attend these schools. If you feel that you've covered these points then you may want to accept a place at one of the schools if it's impossible for her to go back to the present school.
An appeal must be FOR the school you're requesting not AGAINST the present school so, do your homework. Go to the school look around, does the school look full to bursting, are the classrooms small? You say the school is 6 over in your daughters' year, how is the school organised; how many forms of entry are there, do they set the classes, what is the average class size? The more you can find out, the more ammunition you have.
Also, as bestpud says, are there schools in your area that administer their own admissions? Faith schools, Foundation or Trust Schools? It's worth a try there as well, they make their own decisions.
Hope that helps, good luck.

debs10

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.

I messed up my sons online application to secondary school, instead of putting his catchment school which is the one he would like to go to, I put another school, I did realise my mistake almost straight away and went in and corrected it. The admisisons team rang me to say they had received the two applications but could only accept the first which was the wrong one, they even said they could see what I had done but were unable to change the rules. I am gutted and have not been able to sleep since the phone call in november, I feel that I have messed up my sons future because of a mistake which I admit is all my fault. What chance do you think I would stand at an appeal hearing?

HappySad

debs10 wrote: »

I messed up my sons online application to secondary school, instead of putting his catchment school which is the one he would like to go to, I put another school, I did realise my mistake almost straight away and went in and corrected it. The admisisons team rang me to say they had received the two applications but could only accept the first which was the wrong one, they even said they could see what I had done but were unable to change the rules. I am gutted and have not been able to sleep since the phone call in november, I feel that I have messed up my sons future because of a mistake which I admit is all my fault. What chance do you think I would stand at an appeal hearing?

I am sooo sorry for your situation and wish you all the best with the appeal. I got good advice from the book that was recommended and also from the charity called ACE. Look at the first few pages of this thread and you will find the details of these two. The ace service allows you to text in your question and they then text you useful advice.

Having experience an appeal I can only say that all your soul and life is completely taken up by this until you know your son is going to a good place. I would say that you should go there yourself in person to the council and speak to the top manager until you get the them to take your correct application for. It is worth a try.

Also think about a back up for your son. Is the other school OK? If not then look about what other school you can send your son to. We tried for a good state school and ended up sending him to a good private school because we failed in the appeal.

All the best with this. :0):A

Sarahsaver

:eek: i just moved my boys from a school with 30 per class, ds1 now in a class of 18! and its a very nice state school
debs 10 that sounds very unfair what happened to you
have you contacted your local councillor?

debs10

HappySad wrote: »

I am sooo sorry for your situation and wish you all the best with the appeal. I got good advice from the book that was recommended and also from the charity called ACE. Look at the first few pages of this thread and you will find the details of these two. The ace service allows you to text in your question and they then text you useful advice.

Having experience an appeal I can only say that all your soul and life is completely taken up by this until you know your son is going to a good place. I would say that you should go there yourself in person to the council and speak to the top manager until you get the them to take your correct application for. It is worth a try.

Also think about a back up for your son. Is the other school OK? If not then look about what other school you can send your son to. We tried for a good state school and ended up sending him to a good private school because we failed in the appeal.

All the best with this. :0):A

Thanks I finally plucked up the courage to speak to the pupil admissions office they appeared to know who I was and said it was as frustrating for them as it was for me!! I have to wait until March 2nd when the allocations come out then either go on the waiting list, or appeal, they said I had a good chance as it is his allocated school anyway, but not able to help with my answer as to where I stand if I appealed. I dont know what grounds that I would give other than my pure stupidty!! Your suggestions were a great help I did phone ACE and they suggested I tried to ring admissions, and I am glad I have now. I have also ordered Ben Rooneys book from the library, and will try and compile a case, just what I'm going to say I'm not sure yet. Thanks for you help.

bunty109

Debs, I am not sure where you live but in my authority you can change your online admissions form as many times as you want up until the closing date: there's certainly no "we only take your first attempt at applying" rule here....why offer online admissions if it is so unsophisticated?!!

car25

You can get some great advice from admissions and appeals experts on the following government ParentsCentre forum http://www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/jiveforums/category.jspa?categoryID=103 (although it looks like a new forum site, it is in fact an old site that has been redesigned).

debs10

Sarahsaver

No I have not yet buts thanks I will try that if all else fails

debs10

bunty09
I wish it was the same down here, but they appear to be very cut throat where this is concerned.