Primary school admission appeal

Cashmere0008

Hi.
Our daughter, who will be 5 in a couple of weeks, is to start reception this September. She got a place at her first choice rated 'OUTSTANDING' by Ofsted. Unfortunately we have now moved to another borough and have applied for schools in the area as her first choice is now over 11 miles away.
Today we received a letter notifying us that she did not get a place at any of the 3 preferred schools we listed and has been offered a place in another school rated 'INADEQUATE' by Ofsted.
2 of our choices were faith schools but as schools are closed we were unable to submit supporting documents to apply in the Faith Criteria. We were informed that the application will be processed in 20 school days so i intended to submit the documents to tge school when schools reopen as I thought the application would not have been looked at before then. We tried several times to contact the Local Authority for advice or information but they were not answering calls due to the high level of enquiries they were receiving.
We intend to appeal the decision and I'll appreciate any advice on how to proceed with this.
Any help will be very much appreciated.

Thank you.

silvercar

Most schools should have some staff in next week.

As you say faith schools will not process the admission until they have the documentation. Hopefully one or other will offer a place within the next couple of weeks.

Otherwise it seems you have the choice between travelling 11 miles to the place you have, delay starting school for a few weeks or accepting the school you don't want.

Ms_Chocaholic

I know what I'd do - I'd be travelling the 22 miles each day. Is that feasible for your family.

IAmWales

The application for the faith schools will be considered even if the parent fails to provide documentation. Applications are processed within twenty days, that time could be far less.

Did you establish whether these schools have any places available before applying? She would be put on the in year waiting list if no places are available.

You can submit your faith documents and request that they review her place on the waiting list. They may do this informally, but you should appeal anyway to make sure it is done within the relevant time limit.

That's all you can do. Infant class size rules mean they're not going to increase the class size without an exceptional reason. Have a look at the school she has been offered and speak to parents if you can, it might not be bad at all.

Savvy_Sue

You should make sure that your child is on the waiting list for any school you'd be prepared to consider, and how many are already on the list. You know, for example, that the school she was originally offered a place at is likely to have a vacancy if your child isn't going there, and you won't be the only family to have moved over the summer.

Plus, just because a school has been rated inadequate by Ofsted doesn't mean it is in fact inadequate. I'd encourage you to go and see it before deciding not to send your child there.

bylromarha

You know your child doesn't need to be in school until the term after their fifth birthday? She could start in January if this gives you time to sort things out? Only you'll know if this is a good solution for her...just thinking outside the box for alternatives.

I'd also echo Savvi. Some falling schools get so much money/resource pumped into them, they turn the corner very quickly. A local school went from inadequate to outstanding in a year.

Cashmere0008

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your views. I have requested for my child to be on the waiting list for the schools. Meanwhile we have now applied to a neighbouring borough where there are also very good schools with places available. We are hopeful that she'll get a place.
Thanks again for all your very helpful suggestions.

Jackmydad

bylromarha wrote: »

You know your child doesn't need to be in school until the term after their fifth birthday? She could start in January if this gives you time to sort things out? Only you'll know if this is a good solution for her...just thinking outside the box for alternatives.

I'd also echo Savvi. Some falling schools get so much money/resource pumped into them, they turn the corner very quickly. A local school went from inadequate to outstanding in a year.

It's been a long, long time ago, but my mum did that with me.
The result was that instead of starting with the others, and all being "new", I was the "new boy" after Christmas and basically hadn't got a clue what was going on, and didn't know any of the others. That, coupled with a horrible teacher who should never have been teaching infants, meant that it was the next year before I found my feet properly.
I still remember it!

FBaby

Don't forcibly dismissed the allocated school. Exactly the same happened to us when we moved. DS should hedge got a place in the local outstanding rated school which is only at the end of a road but due to the way admissions worked and people playing the system he didn't get in and instead was allocated a place at a school further away 7nder remedial measures.

My initial response was no way but after speaking with teachers working for local schools I decided to go and visit it. They said the s book want bad but had suffered from poor leadership. The Head had to go and the school received additional funding. Visited it and got a really good feeling as did DS.

He started there and loved it. New Head was amazing and within a year the school was rated as Good. Meanwhile the local school list it's Head and in the coming years went down badly to the point of being itself rated inadequate 5 years later.The year D'S did his SATs his school got better results.

Sometimes it is worth giving a school a chance and going by or own feeling rather than a report.