Appeal Help!!!

[1273]

I have been trying to get my son into a school near my home for the past 3 years. I have been on every waiting list since and all i can hear is there is no place. My son is now in year 2, will start year 3 in September 2011.

There are six (6) primary school close to me and I have to take my son to school three miles ( either by train, and bus). I am on all these 6 waiting lists.

My son has to travel 2 miles to school each day despite 6 primary schools 50 - 300 yards away from my home in different directions.

I am a single parent and have to get someone to drop him off and pick him up from school which cost £475.00 each month. I work far away from home and leave at 6am each morning, I dont return home till 7pm each evening.

I am at my wits end and have been trying my best to get the local authority to place my child near home, so he can go to school with his other family embers and be taken to school by my family member. The thing is my family member who can help me out if my son was going to a primary school near home cannot do so if she has to travel with my son to another school. It would not have given her the time to drop off her kidds nor to car for her younger children. My son is stressed because of this and have a nose bleed every morning before going to school..

I am thinking of leaving my job, or pulling myson out of school. I ma really depressed for debt and other issues. I feel like giving up.


The local authority says I can appeal, but I have no idea what the proces is and what grounds to appeal on..

Can someone help.

[ninani]

Are you sure they still have you on the waiting lists?? Have they told you positions? This is MAD!!

[prh47bridge]

GiddyPickle is right that you now have a better chance of winning an appeal. However, I disagree when she says that many schools automatically accept additional pupils in Y3. I am sure some do but they are supposed to stick to the admission number, not randomly admit a few more children.

To win the appeal you have to show that the prejudice to your son through not being admitted outweighs the prejudice to the school through being forced to admit an additional pupil. If your son really is suffering stress due to the distance you are travelling and you can get your doctor to write a letter backing you up that should help your appeal. However, you need the letter from your doctor to say "I have examined 1273's son and in my opinion..." If your doctor is simply repeating your opinion it won't persuade the panel.

The way appeals work is that you submit your case to the LA. You can submit additional evidence after this if you want but don't leave it until the hearing otherwise the panel may decide to adjourn the appeal to another date.

After a few weeks you will be told the time, date and place of the appeal hearing. You will also receive a copy of the authority's case to refuse admission to the school. You should study that carefully for weaknesses. You will get help here with that if you want.

In the hearing itself, after introductions the authority will present their case to refuse admission. When they have finished the panel will usually ask some questions and you can also ask questions. You then present your case, following which you may be asked questions by the panel and the authority's representative. Finally the authority and you both give brief statements summing up your case. You will find out the result of your appeal a few days later.