Appeals 2014- Did your DS/DD Not Get Any of Their Secondary School Choices

[JohFlow]

Let's share ideas on how to appeal successfully.

Open forum - but no school names/identifiers please.

For parents that are facing this this year - how are you doing? What questions do you have?

Any parents that have been through the process previously are most welcome to share what works.

I put down two schools with a solid reputation and was offered one that is going through special measures with OFSTED and has had to merge with another school to stay open! I knew competition for the first two schools would be tough and we are on the border as far as travelling distance goes. We were prepared to travel for a good education.

I have a strong education philosophy (being a teacher myself) but if I am strictly honest the two schools chosen are personal preference based on quality standards and where I see my son fitting in. Do I need to come up with more water-tight reasons for my appeal paperwork...?

Over to you...

[givemeaclue]

Did you only out 2 schools down? Were you allowed more I.e 3 or 6?

[givemeaclue]

From your post can't see anymore grounds for appeal?

[yoyo2014]

How do you know your allocated school already? National offers day is tomorrow?

[yoyo2014]

Thanks for the explanation Tiggy.

[JohFlow]

Thank for your responses so far. Yes tomorrow should be an interesting day on this forum.

Useful information especially from Tiggy. I have tasked myself to call the pupil access team tomorrow and I am sure that your suggestions will help form the basis for questions to ask.

Questions for LEA:

I will be asking about

1.) The PAN for the two schools involved and any special challenges that the LEA has had this year in allocation.
2.) About available places at other schools and waiting lists in operation.
3.) I will enquire about PAN numbers for last year as a measure of if schools are capable of taking extra children.
4.) I will also ask about the history of appeals for the two schools and what percentage have been successful.

Can anyone else think of any more 'juicy' questions to ask the LEA prior to appeal?

[littlepurplealien]

How did you get your offer ? I thought offer day was tomorrow.

[littlepurplealien]

We, like you will definitely be appealing straight away if we don't get our first choice. It is an ideal school for dc1

[prh47bridge]

JohFlow

The PAN for the two schools will be in the LA's admission booklet which will be available on their website. I'm not sure what you mean by "special challenges". The process is fairly straightforward.

Last year's PAN is almost certainly the same as this year's but by all means check. What is more interesting is whether they are currently over or under capacity and how many year groups are over PAN. It is also useful to know if any year groups have been over PAN in the recent past.

The history of appeals and percentage success rate doesn't really tell you anything. It certainly isn't something you can present at appeal. Successful appeals don't generally set precedents.

Make sure you can explain why the appeal school is the right school for your child, but keep well away from Ofsted reports, league table rankings and the like.

[JohFlow]

Hope Tiggy's explanation above answers your question on how I found out Littlepurple. In our area we applied online and consequently found out before the post is due i.e. after all info was inputted on Friday. However; reasons for refusal are not on the net - so letters will be useful tomorrow.

[LIZS]

Do they normally give a reason for refusal though , isn't it just an offer letter ?

[JohFlow]

Thank you for your input prh. In your opinion/experience - Why do you think I should stay away from OFSTED reports, league tables, rankings etc?

[prh47bridge]

LIZS - They are required to give a reason for refusal in the formal letter. Some LAs give more detail than others but it should say whether the OP's child missed out due to being in too low an admission category or due to distance. If it is distance the distances involved should be quoted.

JohFlow - Because these things apply to lots of children. The parents of every child with a place at the allocated school could say the Ofsted report is poor and the school is in a low position on the league tables. The appeal panel need things that are specific to your child. If you start going on about Ofsted reports, etc. at best you will be wasting time, at worst you could end up alienating the panel.

[littlepurplealien]

We applied online too so will only receive our offer online but because the LEA try and make if fair between those who applied in writing (and will be getting a written offer in the post tomorrow), we can't access the offer online until tomorrow. I think however it is going to be available online from midnight tonight.

[busymummy3]

Our LA were keen to poi
nt out the advantages of applying online in that places are to be notified on March 3rd if you applied online you get your decision by email on that day , if you applied by paper your letter will be posted tomorrow SECOND class so would not find out until later in week.
We applied online for first time other DC's were paper as no such thing as online at time. Just hoping get email and that it doesn't go missing.
Have checked my email address given so many times just in case ! Even though I know should be no problem as I received my acknowledgement ok .

[JohFlow]

Thanks prh. I had no intention of blinding them with stats and agree that detailing your child's character and abilities is much more unique and important. I will make a cursory mention to some stats at some point though just to illustrate the gap in performance between the schools I applied for and the one that has been offered (opposite ends of the scale somewhat).

[prh47bridge]

I agree with Tiggytape. There is no upside to mentioning the gap in performance. The appeal panel cannot give you a place on that basis.

[PanelChair]

Just to echo the advice already given.

Arguing that you want to go to a better, more highly regarded school will not win your appeal for you, for all the reasons already stated. It stands to reason that just about every parent would want their child to go to a good school, but the fact remains that good schools are oversubscribed and the allocation process means some children will be given places in the less good schools. That's disappointing for you, but not the basis of a winnable appeal.

[ForeverProcrastinating]

Thanks for the thread, another unlucky parent here. We were not allocated a place at any of our three choices, just at our catchment school which is severely under performing and in receipt of a pre warning letter from the Sec of State.

So we can appeal at all three choices - anything is better than the catchment school?

[ForeverProcrastinating]

Thank you tt helpful words.

[JohFlow]

Learning well from this forum - so thank you all.

Hi Forever, sorry to hear about your situation - every empathy.

There is no limit on the number of appeals or waiting lists you can go on in my area.

Taken on three appeals will be strong work - so all power to you Supermum ! I am taking on two and think my nerves will be fried by the end. My son is worth the fight though.

All actions stations here:

I have rung the relevant LEA department this morning and put my sons name down on the waiting lists for the two we were refused. I also have appeal packs on the way and got chance to ask about the appeals process and my chances. I also 'big upped' my son and said why I thought each school would suit him - as a precursor.

I have also asked for a Nett Capacity Assessment for each school (which you may have to apply for under Freedom of Information). It measures number of pupils against the school's building and resources - to suggest the maximum number of students a school can safely handle without negatively impacting on others in the school community. May/may not be useful in terms of seeing if the school could realistically support more children. I think it is also one that you have to tread carefully with if you use it at appeal - so diplomacy will be necessary. It is also worth looking at if the school is putting money into expansion/new build projects which would could support more children.

Just an idea...yet to see how effective this could be