School appeals - help offered

Dustykitten

On a practical note can you check things like the PAN (Published Admission Number) for the school and the prejudice of accepting one more? Find out how lessons are taught ie the cohort may be 6x30 but they may be taught in 7 or 8 sets. Find out the current numbers of existing year groups to see if any are higher. Remember that waiting lists are often fluid things especially at this time of year so don't pin your hopes on where you are right now unless you know it goes in chronological order (local schools here still apply the over subscription criteria to the Continued Interest list).

N9eav

Is the preferred school an academy?

helphelphelphelp

Hi, yes the school is an academy.

With regards to her emotional state, I dont encourage her to sit there crying, although we do talk about those we have lost. I am one for getting on with life so she would not be copying me and seeing me moping around. But I think you are underestimating the impact of what it is for an 8 year old child to watch their brother spend 9 months seriously ill in hospital, only for him to die. Her uncle then comitted suicide. She has one natural grandparent suriviving and she is convinced that everyone around her dies. How many children, or even adults have had that many losses in their lives and come through it completely unscathed? She will get there, but just needs that little bit of support. I knw what you are saying, get her to have a fresh start, but her brother and uncle are part of her life even though they are no longer here. I still talk about my son, I have 3 children. One may not be alive, but I cant deny his existence because of it, and doing so makes me feel realy guilty. Its a tough one.

I will contact the council tomorrow to find out where we are on the waiting list but did this on line yesterday. I should think I need to wait a while before I get an accurate figure as a lot of people will do theirs via post and some of them may be higher on the list, but for all those in the same criteria, I think I am near the top of the list.

Will also contact the school tomorrow and get class sizes for the past two years and also try and find out how many people they have accepted so far this year and under which criteria.

peachyprice

Don't get too disheartened if they can't tell your yet. Our LEA have stated they won't know waiting lists until the 8th.

JC9297

You seem to be focussing a lot on her need to have access to a counsellor, are you sure the allocated school does not have a counsellor? I would have thought this would be quite unusual nowadays.

balletshoes

you will be waiting for at least a fortnight before all the acceptances are in - we just got our offer letter yesterday, and have 14 days to reply (also an academy).

FBaby

DOn't forget that the waiting list isn't static. If someone new moves in closer to the school than you, or with special needs, maybe siblings, they would get on the waiting list in front of your DD even though they got on it at a later date.

poet123

JC9297 wrote: »

You seem to be focussing a lot on her need to have access to a counsellor, are you sure the allocated school does not have a counsellor? I would have thought this would be quite unusual nowadays.

A lot of counselling services have gone under LEA cutbacks. I work in a college and ours has been axed. Similarly, at Primary level the school nurse visits are being scaled right back to phone contact every 2 weeks to discuss any issues which have arisen in that time, and if deemed serious enough the school will get a visit after that.

I sit on appeals panels for our LEA occasionally ( due to work commitment I am not a regular member, but sit as and when) The best advice I can give you is to try to present your case as politely and unemotionally as possible and be pleasant to the "opposition" as it is always counter productive to be otherwise. You would be amazed how many people get very emotional, and how many make snide remarks about the school staff who made the decisions. Factual evidence is key.

Ruthy1604

Hi
I wonder if anyone can give me some advice on waiting lists versus appeals. The current situation is that we are on the wait list for our first choice (but how far down we don't know yet). All I know is that they have offered 238 places & got 66 on the wait list.

We have been offered our 2nd choice (which is our catchment school), but all DD's friends are going to our first choice school. DD settles anywhere easily & I think eventually she would be happy at either school, but we would prefer the first choice one.

My question is that if some children who have been offered decline their place, do they offer to the waiting list or do they hold those places for the appeals? I honestly don't think we have much grounds to appeal, but I'd like to think we are fairly high up the waiting list so might have a chance.

I hope this makes sense!

Ruth

susancs

Ruthy1604 wrote: »

Hi
I wonder if anyone can give me some advice on waiting lists versus appeals. The current situation is that we are on the wait list for our first choice (but how far down we don't know yet). All I know is that they have offered 238 places & got 66 on the wait list.

We have been offered our 2nd choice (which is our catchment school), but all DD's friends are going to our first choice school. DD settles anywhere easily & I think eventually she would be happy at either school, but we would prefer the first choice one.

My question is that if some children who have been offered decline their place, do they offer to the waiting list or do they hold those places for the appeals? I honestly don't think we have much grounds to appeal, but I'd like to think we are fairly high up the waiting list so might have a chance.

I hope this makes sense!

Ruth

According to ACE in a Guardian Newspaper forum (ACE4 on 2 March 2010)
"It is good that you have put your name on the waiting list but it is important to remember that being on the waiting list is no guarantee that you will get a school place. In addition to being on the waiting list you should consider appealing. If you win your appeal then you will be given a place over the first person on the waiting list. The Appeal Panel cannot take into account your position on the waiting list in reaching its decision"

So it seems winning appeal candidates have preferance over waiting list candidates.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2010/mar/01/did-child-get-school-place