Grounds for appeal?

[differenttoyou]

Can appeals panels take compassionate reasons in to consideration as grounds for an appeal? I.e if said child's parent died when the child was in infant school. The child's best friends will be going to the school. Would this be sufficient or would the other parent still need to prove that the school is the only one suitable?

[meditrina]

What year of entry is this for? Is it year 3 (ie infants to juniors)?

[differenttoyou]

Year 7

[HPparent]

I am sorry for the loss, but unless there are certified ongoing issues which that school is best placed to deal with it is not a strong case. A best friend going to the school is not grounds either.

[differenttoyou]

That's what I've told the parent but they think that they have a good chance. The child was offered a place at another local secondary but only want a place at one of two particular faith schools. There is very little movement at the moment. I think that they may find themselves in the unfortunate position of not having a place at all come September.

[HPparent]

I hope they haven't rejected the offered school altogether - you are quite right that they may not have a place at all. The only school with places will be an unpopular one far away.

[differenttoyou]

They did reject the place, on advice from the LA. Only a school of the correct faith will do. The situation in our area is that the closest comp is actually one of the worst in the borough hence everyone has left for the faith schools.

[Unexpected]

The LA advised them to reject the place???? Do they have that in writing because that is very poor advice indeed. Having rejected that place, the LA is now under no obligation to find them another school place and their case for appeal does not sound very strong so they may well find themselves with no place come September.

[differenttoyou]

I don't think that they have it in writing. What you have said is exactly what I told them.

[AuntieStella]

Oh dear. Having no other place could leave them high and dry in September, and will make no difference to their appeal chances. Often, it might alienate a panel, though I think the fact of the bereavement will easily cancel that possible effect out.

Bereavent per se is not sufficient to win an appeal, though as it's for year 7 thy can argue balance of prejudice (ie that the detrimental effect on their DD outweighs the negative effect on the school of going over numbers) and it coukd strengthen their case.

They would haveto show however not just that the bereavement has taken place, but the effects it has has on their DD (do they have medical or social worker evidence on the impact and stating clearly that she needsto remain with peers?). Can they also show that her peers are going to this school (if they are scattered, it would be much harder for them to argue for one specific school)? Can they show the school haa a prticular pastoral set up that means it has expertise (not on offer at other schools) that will uniquely benefit their DD?

A strong preference for a particular faith does not count t appeals. Worth a brief mention, but not an argument that will carry weight.

[admission]

Lets be honest here, we are apparently talking about a bereavement when the child was in the infants and we are talking about the move to secondary school. So we are talking about 4 to 6 years later.
Whilst the panel will sympathise there is zero chance that they will award a place at appeal simply on that basis. There will have to be very strong medical evidence that there are significant mental issues to consider a place being offered.
Please get the friend to understand they do not have a case which has a reasonable chance of success.
I would be surprised if the LA had suggested they reject the offered place but given it was not in writing again it is going to not have any weight at appeal. The panel will probably see that as the parent trying to put pressure on the panel to give them a place. If however anybody has been silly enough to make that comment in writing it will still not get them a place, at best if you challenge the LA all that will happen is that the place will be reinstated at the school they do not want.

[differenttoyou]

Thanks Admission. From all previous information I've read on the sight that was how I saw the situation. I tried to get the parent to understand that they don't have a leg to stand on. Unfortunately, apart from the faith schools there really is no other decent alternative. I tried to gives some information about how to manage the appeal but they wouldn't listen. Like so many other parents around the country they are not really familiar with how the whole admissions and appeals system works. Thank heavens for MN members for helping to disseminate some of that info.

[differenttoyou]

Our school has a long waiting list and my child has just been offered a place a MONTH after being told that she was at the top of the waiting list. Unusually, this year there really is very little movement. Their child is very low down on the list for our school and the other school runs a lottery system. They may get lucky and have their name pulled out of the hat or the opposite could happen. I would like to try and help them but there is probably too much resistance to actually face up to the facts.

[appealtakingovermylife]

Hi, I'm appealing too, it's a nightmare:( from advice I've received the loss is taken into account more so if it's recent and affects the child now.
The school I'm appealing to also has a lottery system and doubt there will be any movement at all, places at this school are like gold dust!
Are u in the n/west by any chance? Situation sounds similar regarding decent schools.

[differenttoyou]

I'm in the South East.

[appealtakingovermylife]

Hi, completely wrong then lol. When is the hearing? I would recommend your friend getting hold of a copy of "how to win your school appeal" by Ben Rooney, it's amazing and will let you know what chances of success are and its very honest. He is a dad who won an appeal for his son in Essex.

[differenttoyou]

I wish they would. Unfortunately they just won't listen. I really feel for the child but the parent has their head stuck in the sand.

[differenttoyou]

Just heard yesterday that they won the appeal. They had help in the form of a letter from the primary school. I don't know if that's what did the trick. Happy for them, they must be relieved.