Appealing against secondary schools

[Pillarcase]

Because of where we live my son is very likely to be allocated a place at the worst secondary school in the city. I would never, ever allow him to go there.

Thing is, all the other schools even remotely in the area are good but over subscribed from people within their own catchment areas so its very unlikely he'll get a place in any of them.

I'm going to put 3 of them down as the options anyway and not write this horrible school down at all.

It is still likely though that they'll try and say he has to go there.

I'm preparing myself for an appeal but I don't think my reasons will stand up as being genuine.

The REAL reasons he won't be going are as follows:

Terrible GCSE pass rate, 2nd to worst in the city.

I don't want my sons mixing with the majority of the kids that go there, snobby or what, I don't care

Just getting there in a morning would include a walk through THE most notorious council estates in the city, that in itself is dangerous but throw into the mix the fact that half the kids from this school hang around on this estate in a morning instead of going into school waiting to pick on the next vunerable person walking past

My son will almost certainly be bullied there, I have known people who have been stabbed in the leg needing an operation in year 7, the school was set on fire by a pupil last year and almost destroyed, my friends son was pinned up against the wall by a group of boys and beaten up in year 8... my son attracts bullies as it is, he will inevitably suffer at this school

My son has a good head and is capable of doing very well in GCSEs, if he is distracted by loads of rowdy "don't give a shit" kids this chance will slim down

And lastly...the kids that live down our street will all be going to this school. They already victimise my son, calling him a queer and a faggit because he is not a thug like them, on the last occasion they chased him down the street and pushed him off his bike. If he went to this school he would have to walk home in the same direction and at the same time as these kids and anyone that says they won't bother him is having a laugh.

So as you can see, my son will simply NOT be going to this school but how would I word my appeal so it doesn't sound like I'm saying he's "above" that school IYSWIM? Is it going to have to be a case of home-schooling?

He's a quiet, sensitive boy and they would slaughter him at a school like this.

[heronsfly]

What part of the country are you in Pillarcase? im in Kent and are going through an appeal process at the moment[different grounds] but I do know that codes of admission on grounds of appeal have changed somewhat this year but each lea seems to set its own ground rules,it would be worth checking your lea website.

[nkf]

I'd find out the grounds for appeal and see which ones your situation fits. Good luck.

[snice]

No chance of moving then?