School appeals - help offered

JoJoArmani

Friday ww find out my eldests secondary school, don't forsee any problems but I learnt to never count my chickens!

Alas middle daughter is still in a different primary to eldest and youngest... Wish somone would just move house and let her in... Some people are so selfish ha ha ha. Thank god I can sort of laugh about it now.

Good luck everyone :-)

stressedoutparent

loveandlight wrote: »

Well done russco pico. I know the euphoria you are feeling as I too won an appeal in May this year and I just wish that every parent could have their children go to a good school. It just isn't fair at all.

Unfortunately we didn't have any money to spend on getting any help and to be honest I would say if you have the money definitely spend it on getting help as it is worth it but if you don't then it really doesn't matter as you can still win by submitting a well thought out written statement. Both the appeal panel and the LEA all congratulated me on the written statement I gave them and they said how well thought out it was and they wished other parents would present their statements the same way. It was that that won it as the spotlight remained firmly on the LEA then and I was hardly asked any questions at all.

I don't know whether you are allowed to do this but if anyone wants a copy of my statement you can just pm me and I'll send you a copy so at least you'll have the framework and you'll just need to make it your own. I know what its like to have no money to get appeal help and how bad that makes you feel as a parent especially as you feel bad enough at having to fight to get them into a good school in the first place.

How do I pm you I am new to this but would be very grateful for a copy of your statement if you still have it

silvercar

taliwillow wrote: »

I have an appeal hearing in 3 weeks for my daughter to get into Foundation Stage. We appealed for our first choice school last year and didn't win that appeal. Our second choice and catchment school had pre school as a priority over catchment which is why we didn't get in. We recently found out that an appeal was put against another school with the same admissions policy in July 2012 and this appeal was upheld as it was considered against the admission code to give priority to children who have in some way paid you and as pre school children are funded, they had indirectly paid the school. Based on this appeal our catchment school has changed their admission rules ready for this year taking out the pre school admissions section. So I have put in an appeal on the basis that if the appeal was true in the case of the other school then surely it is for this school. I was feeling fairly confident that we would win as it seems fairly clear cut to me. But now I am getting little niggles of worry and wondering if there is any more evidence that I could provide to help the case?
Has anyone had any experience of this type of case and have any advice?
Thanks
Taliwllow

I thought that the adjudicator had ruled that the school had to comply for September 2014 but not for 2013. If it is the school I am thinking of.

http://www.thejc.com/community/community-life/102924/gove-upholds-complaint-over-admissions-rules

taliwillow

No it wasn't that school Silvercar. It was a school in Slough. But that is good to hear that another appeal was won on that basis so it gives me more hope that we have a good chance.
Thanks.

missimaxo

If anyone has a copy of their appeal statement for secondary school that they would be willing to share with me I would be most grateful. We are gutted that my daughter did not get any of her chosen schools and has been allocated a different school, but simply have no idea where to start!

susancs

missimaxo wrote: »

If anyone has a copy of their appeal statement for secondary school that they would be willing to share with me I would be most grateful. We are gutted that my daughter did not get any of her chosen schools and has been allocated a different school, but simply have no idea where to start!

There is a book recommended in post 6 of this thread by Hayleyjg that people have found useful. It is sold on Amazon and has good reviews. It might be useful to read to see if you have any grounds to make an appeal. You should also make sure your child is put on the continuing interest waiting list for a school place at the school you prefer and check where she is on the list as places may become available before September due to people moving, deciding on another school etc..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Win-Your-School-Appeal/dp/1408111403

Savvy_Sue

missimaxo wrote: »

If anyone has a copy of their appeal statement for secondary school that they would be willing to share with me I would be most grateful. We are gutted that my daughter did not get any of her chosen schools and has been allocated a different school, but simply have no idea where to start!

You start by putting her on the waiting list for each school, and ask where she is on that list. If she's high up, a lot can change in 6 months - people move, people decide to go private etc.

Then get Ben Rooney's book and work through it.

Next step is probably checking whether the formal procedures for admission were followed at all your choices ... eg if admission criteria puts distance to school above siblings, were any siblings admitted who live further than you? It's usually the other way round, of course.

Then could be worth seeing whether they're above PAN (Planned Admission Number) in the year group above, if so there's a precedent, but you might save that one for the appeal hearing.

Remember, the fact that you may not want your dd at school x has no bearing here. You are looking for reasons why she should be admitted to school A, B or C. "I want her to go there" isn't a good enough reason.

Ann0505

stressedoutparent wrote: »

How do I pm you I am new to this but would be very grateful for a copy of your statement if you still have it

Can you also send me a copy of the statement Thanks Ann all help is greatfully received at this stressful time.

Pinkiepie_2

could you send me a copy too? i am at my wits end

geoffky

Please can i point out that we ended up with our daughter getting into a school over a hour away from where we live(our preferred option)

The lack of friends around here for my daughter has had a big impact on her social life and she often spends her weekends in the general area of where the school is, as her friends are there..

She has said that she wished we had sent her to a local school.

She does fencing and other sports after school so misses the one bus home which means we are forever doing the journey to pick her up..

It is something we really had not planned when we applied for the school so when choosing what school include this in your thoughts..
Especially if you are both at work later as they will miss out on after school activities if there is no one to pick them up..