School appeals - help offered

Bubby

certainly in all of the schools we looked at (in 2 counties) catchment came before siblings out of catchment

tbg_2

We didn't get our daughter into the first choice school. For us it's a big deal as our childminder lives 50 yards from our first choice. She cannot transport her to and from the 2nd/3rd choice for her commitment to other children. We will lose her services, during term and holiday time.

Our daughter has been going to the childminder since being 1 year old - and she's fantastic. A second family. All our parents lives over 100 miles away, so we're 'on our on'

Also, the other challenge is because our daughter will be only 4yrs and 2 weeks old when she starts in Sept, she will only do half days for the first term That means a midday pickup.

The only way that's going to work is if my wife gives up her job - no company will allow flexible working from 37.5 hrs a week to 15 ! Any severe part time cut will mean not enough money coming in to pay the bills and the mortgage.

We know of one closer person not getting in the school, 2 people who will not take it as their first choice, and someone else who got 2 different letters of acceptable even tho they only have one child.

Mebe this isn't enough for an appeal ?

ragz_2

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

However there must be procedures for those who move between applying and starting, so your best bet might be to find out what those are.

If anyone knows this I'd love to hear the answer - we are moving in a month, no idea where to yet but may not be able to find somehwree in our town. I applied for my sons school place already before I knew we may have to move.

Fly_Baby

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Not necessarily true any more. In fact if you look at the criteria in this post (again), there's no mention of siblings at all.

Maybe because it's a church school? But then, in the area where I live siblings do come before the distance from school in most schools...

So it's always worth checking with a particular school (obviously!).

Savvy_Sue

tbg wrote: »

We didn't get our daughter into the first choice school. For us it's a big deal as our childminder lives 50 yards from our first choice. She cannot transport her to and from the 2nd/3rd choice for her commitment to other children. We will lose her services, during term and holiday time.

Our daughter has been going to the childminder since being 1 year old - and she's fantastic. A second family. All our parents lives over 100 miles away, so we're 'on our on'

Also, the other challenge is because our daughter will be only 4yrs and 2 weeks old when she starts in Sept, she will only do half days for the first term That means a midday pickup.

The only way that's going to work is if my wife gives up her job - no company will allow flexible working from 37.5 hrs a week to 15 ! Any severe part time cut will mean not enough money coming in to pay the bills and the mortgage.

We know of one closer person not getting in the school, 2 people who will not take it as their first choice, and someone else who got 2 different letters of acceptable even tho they only have one child.

Mebe this isn't enough for an appeal ?

None of that's enough for an appeal - your childcare arrangements are of no concern whatsoever to the LEA.

However, if you know of two parents who were offered but have declined places, getting your name onto the waiting list can't happen soon enough ...

thebaileys

Hello,

Thought I would just pop by with an update.

Im am still wating to hear from the Head. However, the Admissions Dept called me today to explain that the breakdown of allocation numbers that they had sent out were for a school of the same name around 5 miles from us!

There is a letter on its way to me, and the other parents with the correct breakdown enclosed.

They also advised me that my son is 1st on the waiting list. So now I have to wait for this letter before I finish off the appeals form.

If there is a child from the categorys below my son ,that is what I will base my appeal on, as he has only just missed out.

A lot of familys from the school are emigrating, so fingers crossed one of the parents will be offered a Fab Job somewhere far away! Lol

Bubby

I really hope it works out for you (fingers crossed), have you given any thought as to what school would be your second choice? We decided to do this so that if our daughter didn't get in at least we had a back up plan:)

Gayle_Mountford-Roe

Hi Can anyone offer me any help in preparing for a secondary school appeal?
My Son really wanted to attend a local school specializing in sports.He was able to apply for a sports place as his first choice and through normal entry routes as his second place.He took a sports trial at the school following our application and we were led to believe he had been sucessful.However he has been offered his 3rd choice of school which is an equal distance away but not over subscribed.
Naturally we are extremely disappointed but would this be sufficient grounds to win an appeal and what sorts of evidence would help support my appeal?

thebaileys

Bubby wrote: »

I really hope it works out for you (fingers crossed), have you given any thought as to what school would be your second choice? We decided to do this so that if our daughter didn't get in at least we had a back up plan:)

Thank you.

Yes I emailed the LEA admission's department last tuesday and gave them the names of two other Catholic Schools in the area that we would consider.

Our 2nd choice, is the school that both myself and partner attended, it used to be an school, when it was run by the Nuns-think a lot was the fear factor lol!
I have looked into the Ofsted and the last two, the most recent being December 2009, was not at all good, with lost of satisfactory scores, including for the level of teaching, and standards achieved by learners.

Other comments made were that mathematics was one of the area's in which pupils were not progressing well, and that more focus was needed.

My son although only at nursery excels in Maths.

Because we do not know what school he is going to, I am trying to think of things to put on my appeal, for I cannot put 'I do not want him to go to this school because of etc etc....' I can only put my reasons for wanting him to attend my first choice.

The head called me today, and said that all of the 30 children she has offered places to are Catholic, oh well back to the drawing board!

Bubby

thebaileys wrote: »

Thank you.

Yes I emailed the LEA admission's department last tuesday and gave them the names of two other Catholic Schools in the area that we would consider.

Our 2nd choice, is the school that both myself and partner attended, it used to be an school, when it was run by the Nuns-think a lot was the fear factor lol!
I have looked into the Ofsted and the last two, the most recent being December 2009, was not at all good, with lost of satisfactory scores, including for the level of teaching, and standards achieved by learners.

Other comments made were that mathematics was one of the area's in which pupils were not progressing well, and that more focus was needed.

My son although only at nursery excels in Maths.

Because we do not know what school he is going to, I am trying to think of things to put on my appeal, for I cannot put 'I do not want him to go to this school because of etc etc....' I can only put my reasons for wanting him to attend my first choice.

The head called me today, and said that all of the 30 children she has offered places to are Catholic, oh well back to the drawing board!

Oh dear:(

I wouldn't go on Ofsted it really does not give a true picture of how a school is day to day. We went on this originally for our first child and the school that came out really well was ok but nothing special and the school that we had concerns about has a fantastic local reputation and we were extremely impressed with. Have you booked to go and have a look round any of these other schools? I would do that along with looking through their last few years results.
Hopefully if there is no appeal then at least you can feel happy with your second choice:)