Hi, I know there are some lovely admissions/appeals experts on here who very kindly give their time helping others’ questions - so here goes.. (it's a long story!)
We've moved back to a town we used to live in. It's in a different county to where we were living last summer. Last summer made a late application for new school year based on our old address. My eldest did not get placed at the very popular town school (yr 8). As soon as we moved into catchment he was placed top at the waiting list. My youngest (yr 5) did however get a place in one of the town's primary schools.
As my eldest was attending a middle school (caters up to yr 8), he's been going there still while we waited for a space to come up. Although this involves costly and time-consuming ferrying around to school bus stop (which I now have to pay for).
However every time I checked with the head's secretary - no movement. Went to see the head this week (our new house is around 200yards from the school) - he confessed that yr 8 was still full - as although someone is leaving, recently someone else had won an appeal. The secretary also mentioned on the phone afterwards, that someone, with criteria higher up the waiting list, had also been admitted. Which was news to me. So at this stage I still need to clarify whether 2 children now need to leave year 8 in order for my ds to be admitted.
Anyway, head advised me to appeal - didn't know what the outcome would be, but sympathetic to our case at the same time.
So I've lodged an appeal - reasons below - having read through the threads on here, I think some will hold sway more than others.
- Brother will start at the school in sept 16 - as a single parent family, important both brothers, for reasons of stability, attend the same local secondary school.
- We live in very close proximity to the school.
- Current school caters for children up to year 8 only. If he does not get into this school he will be faced with a change to another school, which will not be local, while we wait until a place becomes available, causing significant disruption to his education.
- Friends - We used to live in the town when ds was younger and have a network of families we know in the town which would minimise any anxiety ds has about changing schools mid-year.
- School strengths - as well as certain subjects the school is strong at that complement my ds' strengths, the school has a really, really good selection of after-school clubs - living so close ds would be able to attend these - at present his extra-curricular activities have to be limited due to transportation issues.
It all boils down to this - my son is v nervous about changing schools. There are other good schools in the area, but obvs we'd much rather he went to the school he lives next to, where he knows the local community/other children and where he'll easily be able to attend the extra-curricular activities on offer. In his words, "There'd be so much more opportunity for me there."
So does anyone think we have a case at all? Also can the head tell a panel he's sympathetic to our case? It's an academy and they will handle the appeal, not the LEA.
Any thoughts, tips much appreciated. :) :)