left the appeal process (3 in a raw) with bad feeling... does that mean i lost ??

[Appeal]

well, we have relocated from Australia, the council has offered us non of the school on our preference list, we were offered schools that are miles away, two buses to each direction and walks in between. i bus tested the routes for the 2 secondary school that were offered to us. one journey was 3.40 hours for both ways and the other was over 2.30 hours. the walk in between buses was unsafe, either no path walks or isolated paths that are perfect for predators. all three schools in my local area were over subscribed and i appealed for the school that is in my catchment, which is less then a mile walking distance from our home. Time of journey is unreasonable and unsafe. my kids are only 12 and 13. never been traveling by themselves and always supervised.
I do not have a car and can not drive them to school. with my younger child having SEN we were offered school that is nearly 2 miles away, he is 7 and can not walk such a distance nevertheless take a bus by himself. with my husband's job we were travelling to many countries and a 1.5 into leaving in Australia he had lost his job. that shuttered my kids lives. when they were young traveling was an adventure, now that they are getting older it proves to be very difficult for them emotionally , and that is another reason to way the allocated schools were not good for my kids needs as well. I can not let them go through the same experience and pain again. they are all 3 on waiting list and positioned well and i am trying so hard to save my kids sanity. both my older kids have been so effected by the last move, i do not want them to go to a far away, unsafe journey to school, as a responsible parent i can not let it happen.
since all the schools that was offered to us were so far away and me so worried about the kids having to start school X and then move once again and suffer emotional distress i have declined the places offered to us and decided to go for an appeal for all 3 children. also the logistics of having to make sure all 3 kids get to school safely when all schools starts at the same time.
my youngest primary school is only 0.216 from home.
The appeal was the most awful experience in my life and to be honest i feel like i am getting myself depressed more and more by the moment.
my 3 kids have been out of school now for over 3 months.
The capacity at the secondary school we appealed for is not even closed to reach and the number of PAN has previously been higher for their year groups.

The appeal panel was interested and listen, but i felt was very uncomfortable with me not even going to see what the schools are like. What is the point for me to look at the school that is so far away anyway??? it wont solve the problem of long and unsafe journey and I can not let my kids get abused by the system having to go through so much pain. they need to go to school in the place they live in, they need to be able to meet with friends from here.
the council was not able to offer us anything that is closer. At this point i feel so nervous i want to pull all the hairs out my head.
I left the appeal feeling crappy and not sure if because of that its a defo NO?? HELP

[sillybillywilly]

Do you know how many children are on the waiting list ahead of yours?

Which area of MK do you live in? Where I live the secondary schools are all oversubscribed (and Ofsted outstanding) and in my sons year of 225, only 3 people have left so the people who got those spots probably live very close to the secondary school.

Could you ask the council to provide a list of schools in MK with spaces and how long the waiting list is for the schools near your home? You can be on as many waiting lists as you like so get on as many as possible. I'd also ask if your kids would be eligible for free transport to school. Our local primary has people who arrive by taxi or bus which is paid by the council because they live far away and the school is the nearest one with a space.