Moving house to an area with over subscribed high school .. bonkers??

[ducdo]

We would like to move out of London (wanted to for some time) and have set our heart on a great place that ticks all the boxes however, the high school of our choice is very over subscribed with a LONG wait list.

Means we would get an instant rejection to our 1st choice and go on the wait list.

Other high schools in the area are not an option - we need the 1st choice, or no point moving as the others are not as good (IMO) as their current one. However the 1st choice we feel is better and worth the move.

I know if we don't get in, we may get offered another choice (which we wouldnt want to accept) or have to home school or stay at current school (not an option either as too far to get to/from).

So only option would be to go down the appeal route and keep everything crossed. Whilst there is a chance to get in with appealing, no guarantees - the whole process sounds pretty scary.

It sounds like the appeal process will be stressful and we may only get one in and not the other. Makes we wonder if we're biting off more than we can chew and this is scuppering our chances of wanting to move to this new area.

Such a shame, I want to be excited about the move, not dreading the school admissions process.

Has anyone been through appeals before / moved out of area to an over subscribed school / had similar experience and have any views - good or bad.

My heads in a spin and not sure what to do for the best. I'm a believer that if things are meant to be they will fall into place, but if we tell the DC we are moving, find a lovely house, then can't get into the school, it would be awful.

[SanityClause]

What would your grounds for appeal be?

[ducdo]

probably in the panels eyes quite vague and not strong enough:

main reason would be that we feel the children are more suited to this school due to the curriculum they offer and schooling with local children

as we're moving from out of area we wont know anyone, so going to the nearest school (which we feel is the most suited) is important for them (and us) to establish local friends/neighbours in the immediate community

settling into a new area is hard enough, but then having to travel far away to go to school means it will be harder to form friendships and links with those local to us. (the next nearest high school would be a further 2 miles)

we feel the children will fit in to this school - i know it sounds silly but the children all seem 'on the same wavelength' as our kids so could see them fitting in so much better here.

our eldest is just starting his gcse's so him settling into this school over another further out, having friends nearby is so important.

this is all new territory to me so have no clue whether this is just 'sorry computer says' no in eyes of an appeal?

[Millymollymama]

Honestly, 2 miles is nothing! I think you will have great difficulty arguing local friends. In rural areas a school can be 20 miles away!

Is this an application for 2016? If so, why will you not meet the criteria for admission? What are the admission criteria?

If it is for 2015, it sounds hugely unlikely that you will get a place unless your children have SEND or are looked after children. The fact that it socially suits you won't be grounds for admission above anyone else. I guess everyone else who appeals says the curriculum suits their children too. Another school only 2 miles away is hardly insurmountable.

[Millymollymama]

I have misinterpreted this. Is there a huge waiting list for year 10??? It is highly likely this admission is down to the school and not the LA. Computers don't come into it. Have you actually applied for a place? You have a high risk strategy though. The school may well be full in Y10 and you may just have to take a school which actually has a vacancy, unless your children are in the categories I mentioned above. A difficult time to move really. Do you have to move to this exact location?

[peteneras]

IMO, none of your reasons for appeal has a leg to stand on. Please think carefully before you move.

[ducdo]

currently the DC are in year 7 and 9 so will be going into yr8 and yr10 in September. Both years have numbers over their intake and both have wait lists between 5-20 waiting to join.

I spoke with the school and they said as the years are both 'full' we would get rejection and right to appeal which is handled solely by independent panel with the council- school have no involvement or influency.

both years are currently 'over' their allocated numbers so could argue they've let others in, why not our two, but like you say unless grounds are really strong, may not stand a chance (DC are not in the categories you mention either)

we've not applied yet as waiting to find a house. we've set our heart on this location and its only when i spoke with the council recently and was shocked by how over subscribed they are.

kind of put the brakes on us being able to move, unless we decide to go for it regardless and see how it turns out (although not sure I can take the risk!)

[Bramshott]

Are you bonkers? I'd say an unequivocal YES if there's no plan B that you'd be happy with, and with your DC1 at such a crucial time in their education. Sorry!

An appeal will always be a unlikely bet. If you're going to do this you need a plan B, whether that's going private, another local school that would be okay etc. And for your DC1, realistically that's going to have to last until the end of Y11 as another move will be very disruptive.

[TheFirstOfHerName]

These are not very strong grounds for an appeal.

The most likely scenario is that they will not be offered a place at your first preference school for several months.

During Y10, more than half of the GCSE curriculum will be covered. You need to think about where your eldest will be receiving his education during this time. In some subjects, a different exam board or specification can mean a completely different syllabus, so he will only be able to achieve his full potential if he starts Y10 in the same school where he will be finishing Y11. In some schools, the current Y9 have already started their GCSE courses.

I would only move if you will be happy for him to attend the school he will be allocated (the one with spaces).

[TalkinPeace]

You also need to look up how the admission criteria for the school work as you could never get to the top of the list

and appeals are not likely to wash if you knowingly moved into the area

[ducdo]

Thanks all. So right. It's so disappointing for us as really set our hearts on moving out there. Such a shame that the admissions process is not going to work for us.
May have no option but to stay put and perhaps try again in couple of years when eldest has done the GCSEs.
Appreciate your thoughts as always

[titchy]

Then you'll have the youngest starting GCSEs!