Appeal Form - advice please

[MaisyMoo123]

Hi - I started a thread a while ago about waiting lists/appeals for reception. I have finally decided to bite the bullet and appeal and am busily drafting the form. My question does anyone have any advice on how to fill the form out? I am thinking that I will bullet point my key reasons for appealing on the form and then put together background documents to correspond to these points. Does that sound ok? Also, the form states "an appeal has to be made in writing setting out the grounds on which it is made. This is set out in the School Admission Appeals Code" - I can't see any definition of specific "grounds" in this document. Is it just saying I need to set out what I think are my grounds, or am I missing something. My reasons for appealing are:

• DS is very familiar with the school and the staff and is already part of the school community. He thinks he's going to start school there.
• we attend the church that is connected to the (VC) school (letter from vicar to accompany)
• dd is currently in Y2 at the school. The sibling policy doesn't currently apply to transfers but recent consultation on admissions states that it will be included from 2014 - meaning we just miss out.
• DS has dysfluency which he is seeing a speech therapist for. Attending a familiar school would be massively helpful in relation to this.
• the school can take additional pupils in reception and they have 2 over PAN in reception this year.

[MaisyMoo123]

Thanks Tiggy - you've given me so much sound advice already - and here you are again!

I'm planning to ask SALT if she'd be happy to write a letter stating that familiarity would be beneficial to DS. I think she will be happy to - fingers crossed.

[MaisyMoo123]

Oh, and if I'm bullet pointing the grounds - does it matter what order I out them in?

[scaevola]

VC schools don't prioritise faith in their admissions criteria, so that point shouldn't make any difference so I'd put it last and more as colour than argument. Also a change that hasn't happened yet is unlikely to be key in persuasion, so I'd put that below the others.

I'd run with the SALT as strongest (assuming it was mentioned on the original application) and the demostrable ability of the school to go over PAN (though if PAN coincides with ICS number, that's harder to carry).

[MaisyMoo123]

Thanks. SALT wasn't mentioned in original application - is that a problem then? It's not a severe issue and certainly not anywhere near a statement but have been previously advised on here that it's worth including.

I've also been advised that the faith thing is worth including - even though it's only VC.

[prh47bridge]

If this is not an infant class size appeal the fact SALT wasn't mentioned in the original application isn't too much of a problem. If it is an ICS case it is more of an issue as it is hard to argue that the LA made a mistake when they weren't given the relevant information.

[MaisyMoo123]

It isn't an ICS case. I don't think I would be even attempting an appeal if it was!

[MaisyMoo123]

Bump - thanks.