School appeals - help offered

curlywurly1973

thanks thats really helpful, I didnt really know where to start, my parents live near the new school and they would help out. Thanks again.

curlywurly1973

Btw yes the school are mostly good with ds's needs but he does have a full statement. Having said that we have had our ups and downs, once the headmaster shouted at him in the lunch canteen in front of half the school because didnt want his tablet (was going through this stage) he then sent him home with no written letter, or !!!!!! all Just said very rudly to me its about time he did as he was told. Its more that im worried how the change would affect him, we have kind of just hung in there with it all.

catliz

Hi

I wonder if u could give me some advise please. I am moving twenty miles to a new area and have applied to the catchment primary school (opposite my new house). My oldest child was successful in yr3 but my youngest not successful in reception to the class sizes exceeding the allowed amount. I know that this is nr impossible to win but the alternative school has very poor offsted reports and is not in a good area (wold not buy a house there!) although it is in walking distance so no argument there either. the school did use to have three rec classes but reduced them and a new housing estate was built and added to catchment! they have two classes of 30 and 33 currently but argue if they accept my son they will need to close the library to open a new class eventually........ help please my appeal is 9th feb

Savvy_Sue

catliz wrote: »

I wonder if u could give me some advise please. I am moving twenty miles to a new area and have applied to the catchment primary school (opposite my new house). My oldest child was successful in yr3 but my youngest not successful in reception to the class sizes exceeding the allowed amount. I know that this is nr impossible to win but the alternative school has very poor offsted reports and is not in a good area (wold not buy a house there!) although it is in walking distance so no argument there either. the school did use to have three rec classes but reduced them and a new housing estate was built and added to catchment! they have two classes of 30 and 33 currently but argue if they accept my son they will need to close the library to open a new class eventually........ help please my appeal is 9th feb

I cannot help much with the appeal, really I think your only strong grounds are if the school has broken its own admissions criteria by admitting above their PAN. Which would mean getting the information on the grounds used to admit the children who've tipped it over 30.

However, at what point does your youngest reach compulsory school age? And how many are on the waiting list for Reception at your school of choice? And can the school give any indication of how many children moved in and out of the school in the last few years?

You see, if I felt that strongly about the other school, I'd consider not sending youngest to school until they reached compulsory school age. If that's not until Year 1, then you've got a few months, during which you might find the other school is better than you think, or you might realise your chosen school is not as good as you think.

Mind you, my background is of sending mine to the local and allegedly poor local primary school in preference to the next local and allegedly good school. It worked very well for mine: I think these schools were so glad to have bright boys with supportive parents that they leant over backwards to 'stretch' them. But I got good vibes from visits to the 'poor' schools, and not-so-good vibes from the 'good' schools: if you have not yet visited the other school I really would do that ASAP and see what you think.

catliz

Thank you SS, I am visiting both of the schools on Monday to get my own view, I am worried that the catchment 'outstanding' school demands a huge amount from its pupils and my friends have informed me about the crazy amount of homework their eight year olds are expected to do! The 'satisfactory' school is smaller and has a reputationted of being nurturing. My youngest is five in June, he was in private nursery and started in reception in september, i just worry about him losing out if i keep him out until next sept and then they still may have the same issue when applying for a yr 1 place. :-(

geek84

Hi Folks
I have twins who are in year 6, so today they found out that they will not be going to their preferred secondary school. They have been allocated a place each on the school marked as 3rd choice on the application form.
Do you think it is worth appealing against this decision? The school in question is a Church Of England school and presumably they have already looked through the Supporting Evidence Form from our faith leader, but do you think I should try and gather more information from my faith representative in order to present it at the appeal (if I decide to go ahead with it).
Also, if I do appeal, I have the option of taking someone with me. Who would be the best person to take with me? Would it be someone from the Education dept in the council or my faith leader, or somebody else?
If my appeal gets rejected, do you think I should not persue it more or can I have some sort of a 2nd appeal?
Thanks in advance for your response.

Spendless

geek84- what was the criteria in order for obtaining a place at the CofE school? ie do you know why you haven't been allocated places?

geek84

Hi Spendless

Many thanks indeed for your speedy reply.

No, I haven't been given a reason. I applied under their catergory C allocation which was admission of children from other faiths. I did get a 'Supporting Evidence Form' completed from the leader of my local temple (as requested by the school). The letter the wrote was quite 'solid', and I thought it would put me in a good position as compared to the rest of the applicants. It was a complete shock, when I found out today that a place has not been offered. On top of that, I am a governor at that school!!

Spendless

geek84 wrote: »

Hi Spendless

Many thanks indeed for your speedy reply.

No, I haven't been given a reason. I applied under their catergory C allocation which was admission of children from other faiths. I did get a 'Supporting Evidence Form' completed from the leader of my local temple (as requested by the school). The letter the wrote was quite 'solid', and I thought it would put me in a good position as compared to the rest of the applicants. It was a complete shock, when I found out today that a place has not been offered. On top of that, I am a governor at that school!!

Sorry geek, I had a 'home drama' after school, so never got back online to answer. What are criterias A and B? If they are children with special needs and looked after children in public care ie they are only likely to be a handful of kids filling that criteria then appeal. If criteria A and B are catchment and older sibling attending and the school was full with these, then you possibly didn't stand a chance, but it would depend on how many others got in under category C and should you have taken precedence over any others.

Many years ago I got a reception place for my DS (now in yr7) at a CofE school, but several didn't get in. Those parents went to appeal and it was discovered that the school hadn't followed its own admission criteria. Eg pupils that hadn't submitted a letter of faith from their Church leader took precedence over others when they shouldn't have. The school was ordered to let in the pupils who should have had a place and they had to fund a larger classroom/teacher as it took them over their admission number. I never sent my son there in the end cos a school that doesn't follow its own rules didn't appeal to me.

JC9297

geek84 wrote: »

On top of that, I am a governor at that school!!

Well this, quite rightly, has no relevance whatsoever.