School appeals - help offered

caragrundy

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,

Not sure if you can help, but I have just recently found out that my son has not been successful in getting a place at any of my 4 preferred choices of schools.

We have been offered a school which is much farther away from us, which I feel is not as good as the one that he currently attends (preschool)

I wonder if you can offer any advice on how I might tackle the appeal and is there any basis on which I could win?

I would appreciate any advice that you may be able to offer

Cara

poet123

What types of school have you applied for (VA/VC/County) and where do you live in relation to the schools or how do you fit the criteria for the faith schools?

City_Girl_2

I would be grateful for any advice on wording for my Appeal letter to accompany my form of Appeal. My twin boys have been allocated different schools, both are on the waiting list for the other. One is 1st on a list of 16 and the other 2nd on a list of 32. We are desperate for both our sons to go to either of these two schools, would be more happy with our first choice but not disappointed with our second. One of our sons is shy and sensitive and not as confident as his brother and he relys on him. This apart from the fact that, apart from an odd trip to the Dr's, the boys have never spent any time apart, are very close and get on really well. How is it right to split them up.

It is impossible for me to get to both schools, in different directions from home, and myself to work on time.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks
CITY

Savvy_Sue

before going down the formal appeals route, I would just check with the school whether they'd expect you to get a place for both boys at either school. Given that you are 1st and 2nd, that doesn't need many people to drop out to give them a place together.

Having said that, I believe children admitted after appeal would 'leapfrog' the waiting list, but it's still a question worth asking.

The difficulty of getting both boys to school on time if they are not at the same school may be admissible grounds for appeal: getting yourself to work on time after dropping them is not relevant grounds for appeal, so not worth mentioning as far as I know.

Bens_Mom

Hi
Wondering if anyone can help,

I have today found out my little boy has been accepted to our 3rd choice primary school (all LA) - which we are going to accept and hope I can get one of our other choices by appeal....

The thing is I am a disabled parent (i suffer from non epileptic seizures) so I included my medical notes from the doctor and I got a letter from the health visitor saying why my first choice school (which is 0.7miles away) was preferential for my son -

Firstly for me, it has a flat route whereas the others have slopes and hills around us, If I were to have a seizure then my partner or carer who need to get me home easily would have an easier route... For me to be able to walk him to school is also good for us both and makes me feel more of a mother....

Secondly, the school in question has trained councillors on site and special rooms for children with emotional needs to use (My son gets upset following me having a seizure so these would be ideal for him to express himself)

Now the thing is, because I didnt include a consultants letter, (which I am now trying to obtain) They didnt find the above 'adequate', Im finding this hard to see as fair policy.... When I initially rang up and took the information to them, They told me it would be enough to put him to the top of his group (out of area) which I was happy with,

So to my disapointment today, I find out he wasnt placed in the school of preferance and that 4 other children got placements for being closer to the school even though they were out of area also....

So, can anyone help me with advice on 'good' words to use as Im so fuming with the whole situation which doesnt help me emotionally and brigs on more seizures.... :mad: :(

flea72

City_Girl wrote: »

I would be grateful for any advice on wording for my Appeal letter to accompany my form of Appeal. My twin boys have been allocated different schools, both are on the waiting list for the other. One is 1st on a list of 16 and the other 2nd on a list of 32. We are desperate for both our sons to go to either of these two schools, would be more happy with our first choice but not disappointed with our second. One of our sons is shy and sensitive and not as confident as his brother and he relys on him. This apart from the fact that, apart from an odd trip to the Dr's, the boys have never spent any time apart, are very close and get on really well. How is it right to split them up.

It is impossible for me to get to both schools, in different directions from home, and myself to work on time.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks
CITY

unfortunately, all of the reasons you cite are not grounds for appeal

your working situation is of no concern, neither is the logistical nightmare of having to be in two places at once. the board assume that you can easily change jobs, and that friends/family/childcare can be called on to cover all other eventualities

you are allowed to state your case at appeal, about your boys not wanting to be split, and it would have a detrimental affect on them, but the board do not have to take this into consideration

unfortunately at primary level, the only way you can get a decision overturned is if the county have made a mistake in assessing your application

yes, i would still appeal, mainly for my own peace, knowing that i had done all i could, but your only real hope is that someone rejects their place between now and October

can i just ask, are both schools outside your catchment?

F

flea72

Bens_Mom wrote: »

Hi
Wondering if anyone can help,

The thing is I am a disabled parent

So to my disapointment today, I find out he wasnt placed in the school of preferance and that 4 other children got placements for being closer to the school even though they were out of area also....

So, can anyone help me with advice on 'good' words to use as Im so fuming with the whole situation which doesnt help me emotionally and brigs on more seizures.... :mad: :(

your own medical needs arent a consideration for the application process, it is based on the childs needs, and that is why you havent jumped the queue ahead of people who live nearer than yourself

i dont have any good words of advice, you are just going to have to go down the appeals process like everyone else. again, make your statement, and scrutinise all the docs to see if the LA have made a booboo, and hope for the best. do you know how far down the waiting lists you are?

F

Bens_Mom

flea72 wrote: »

your own medical needs arent a consideration for the application process, it is based on the childs needs, and that is why you havent jumped the queue ahead of people who live nearer than yourself

i dont have any good words of advice, you are just going to have to go down the appeals process like everyone else. again, make your statement, and scrutinise all the docs to see if the LA have made a booboo, and hope for the best. do you know how far down the waiting lists you are?

F

Thank Fleas72 for your response,

I was previously told he would go to the top of the non-catchment area list as they have a duty to make sure a young (4year old) child can get to and from school safely, However they say they asked for additional docmentation from my consultant of 3 yers ago, When said i was unsure on this as I hadnt seen him since a diagnosis had been made, They said what they had would be ok, Only to change there minds today....

I also have to wait until all the places have been confirmed before
I find out how high up the list he would be.

That takes us up to 10th May, and any appeals need to be in by June12th I believe..

stormy-weathers

Hi All

I wondered if there was anyone on the board who has experience of
exclusion appeal hearings at both the Governing body and Independent appeal hearing stages.

I've only just come across this helpful thread so thought i would ask.

Thanks Everyone

Regards

Storm

SILVERBIRD_3

Hi All - as many of you are writing I too have been declined a place at the school that I wanted my 4 year old daughter to attend in September even though her brother goes to the school the reason for this is as follows, and any advice on whether you think I would be able to challenge the decision at appeal due to their extremely unfair decision in marking my 2ND application as LATE!

I completed the relevant application form as required and submitted this by mail at the end of November, well before the deadline, and assumed that this had been recieved by the authority. In mid January, in conversation with other parents, I learned that they had received confirmation of receipt of their forms. Given that I had not received any confirmation at all, I contacted the authority to ascertain the position. I was told not to worry as there were still a batch of receipts to be sent out, however, on further investigation on their part, I was informed that my application could not be found. As a result of this another set of forms was emailed to me, which I completed and returned the same day.



Subsequently, in conversation with with the authority I was informed that my application would be regarded as late, even though given the above circumstances, I had reacted as quickly as possible.



Considering the fact that my application forms were submitted on time, and were either lost in the post or in administrative procedures, I now find that through no fault of mine, I am in this disadvantageous position.