School appeals - help offered

Daisymoocow

we definitely didn't receive any further correspondence with regards to the application. I have been worrying about this since September and religiously checked my emails etc. IF a separate form was sent out by the LEA or school - we definitely didn't receive it. Where do we stand if this is the case.?Our vicar has also stated that she wasn't approached by either for clarification, yet according to the admissions criteria - it shows one child was admitted under the same criteria as we should have been - so they must have got clarification for them from somewhere :-(

susancs

Daisymoocow wrote: »

we definitely didn't receive any further correspondence with regards to the application. I have been worrying about this since September and religiously checked my emails etc. IF a separate form was sent out by the LEA or school - we definitely didn't receive it. Where do we stand if this is the case.?Our vicar has also stated that she wasn't approached by either for clarification, yet according to the admissions criteria - it shows one child was admitted under the same criteria as we should have been - so they must have got clarification for them from somewhere :-(

If the schools published admissions policy does not state that a supplementary information form (SIF) or evidence such as a baptism certificate and Minister reference is required, in addition to the LEA application then this should not be considered in the application selection process and if it was the admissions criteria would not have been correctly applied. In our area and surrounding areas faith schools have the SIF form on their websites with the admissions policy and they are given out with the prospectus when visiting the school, the LEA and school do not send out the form via mail or email.

pleasedelete

Daisymoocow wrote: »

They didn't ask for any further information - there was a small box that we ticked for religion and then a type of comments box in which we put we were regular church goers, both of our children were baptised at this church and my daughter attended sunday school and the pre-school. We then had the message on submission that stated if further clarification was required, we would be contacted.We only had one application form as the school in question is VA and the board decided that the LEA should deal with all applications.

The LA can handle the admissions in VA however there is often a 2nd form that gets returned to the school. They both rank the applications, liaise but then the LA offers the places on behalf of the school.

Are you sure that you did the full application? it would be unusual to do a selective , oversubscribed VA school just through the general LA form. Some church schools just use the LA form however usually VC and without any faith admission criteria. I dont know a VA school with a faith based admission criteria that does not have an additional process (form).

Spendless

Daisymoocow- Have you either got the hard copy of the school admissions from your application, or can you look on-line at next years to make sure you completed everything?

I've just had a nosey at my council's website and for faith schools they had this instruction

Please note:
If you are applying for a Church School you must also complete the relevant additional information form which can be found in the document list at the right hand side of this page.

squashy

It sounds as if the process you are talking about is applying to the LA, in which case it's a generic form for all county and VA/VC schools. I would be very surprised if such a school DIDN'T require an additional form to be submitted directly to the school. After all, how would the school test candidates against its admissions criteria otherwise? It would be suicidal for a school to take people on their word for it as they would just end up offering children who didn't in reality qualify for a place (e.g. never quite got round to that baptism...), then end up with a load of appeals.

I know you say that no-one contacted you, but in reality the onus would be on you to check with the relevant school that you had provided everything required. The LA paperwork usually makes reference to this as in post #885 above. Sorry if this is not what you want to hear!

pleasedelete

You do the 2 forms at the same time- the LA dont send it out. You usually access it on line via the schools website or some schools may send it out of you ask them.

The onus is on you to make the application- both the LA one and the foundation school application. There is no process in place to make sure that parents have applied for a school.

susancs

pleasedelete wrote: »

The LA can handle the admissions in VA however there is often a 2nd form that gets returned to the school. They both rank the applications, liaise but then the LA offers the places on behalf of the school.

Are you sure that you did the full application? it would be unusual to do a selective , oversubscribed VA school just through the general LA form. Some church schools just use the LA form however usually VC and without any faith admission criteria. I dont know a VA school with a faith based admission criteria that does not have an additional process (form).

It is the same in our LA in regard to VA faith schools in that the school governing body are the admissions authority and they work in co-ordination with the LA. Parents have to do an online LEA application, but hand in a supplimentary information form with proof of faith such as baptism certificate, signed reference from a Minister to the school itself to be considered under the faith criteria. I would have thought the Vicar of the Church that formed part of the higher admissions criteria, would have informed the OP if a SIF was required and the faith school usually draw attention to this requirement during the tour, the family would have done when considering schools, plus it is usually enclosed in the prospectus, all of which makes me think that the SIF with evidence was not required for the faith criteria to be applied (although this is very unusual in my experience).

Lexiee

Hi guys, I've still not had my rejection letter for the first choice school we didn't get into. When I phoned the admission team they didn't say I shouldn't have had one so I'm a bit confused now. I've sent my appeal in regardless so that I don't miss the deadline but I checked the school admissions appeal code and as far as I can see, it's clear that they should give you a written rejection with reasons and how to appeal with a timescale. I've just had the email with the place offered. My friend hasn't had anything in the post confirming the place they were given so I wonder if they send the letters after the 30th when they've collated all the waitlists and seen who's accepted and declined?

I've got a letter ready to send on Wednesday telling them that it is the deadline that they wanted to appeal and that I've still not had my rejection letter. Do you think that's ok to send or will it get their backs up?

Lexiee

I finally got through to the County and asked about the rejection letter and was told there was a problem with them going out and that I should write to the admissions team and ask for reasons/figures etc. Was also told how I could appeal but I've obviously already sent that.

Cream_Crackered

I am in the process of writing my appeal for my child's primary school place and was hoping for some advice from anyone with appeals experience.

As the school is Voluntary Aided, the Admission Authority is the Governors of the school, rather than the LA. So, I have to submit my appeal directly to the school rather than the LA.

Would it be appropriate to submit the whole of my appeal to the Governors now, or is it best to just notify the governors of my intention to appeal? I know that all paperwork will have to be submitted within several days of the appeal hearing but I kind of don't want to pass over all of my information too soon, as that will leave the Governors better prepared to fight me!!

Strange question, I know!!