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How would I win a potential school appeal?

9 replies

Orlando16 · 19/01/2016 16:56

My dd is in year 6 and we find out in six weeks time if she has been successful in gaining a place at our preferred secondary school. The secondary school we would like her to go to is a catholic school and after having the same admissions criteria for the last fifteen or so years the school's governing body decided to change it from 2016 onwards.

This change in admissions now means that my dd has gone from being practically guaranteed a place at the school to it being very very uncertain and I'm extremely worried as this is the only school she wants to go to and the only school me and my dh feel is right for her. The basic change to the criteria has moved the sibling criteria from number 3 to number 2, (with the 1st criteria being for medical/social need) but more importantly for my dd she was previously in criteria number 2 which was baptised catholic children who live within one of the six parishes named and who have received their primary education at a catholic school. The category is now baptised Catholic children who live within the parishes, so as you can see the criteria no longer dictates that a child has to have attended a catholic primary school, so it therefore has now opened it up for children within our area who go to community schools to apply (as long as they're baptised).

Whilst I agree that siblings should most definitely come first (after medical/social need children) the fact that children don't need to have gone to a catholic primary school anymore to be high up the list has scuppered my dd's chances. Previously there were only six primary schools were children would come from and then go on to the secondary school, now there will be around ten. So despite my dd attending the unofficial feeder primary school across the road from the secondary another child who hasn't attended a catholic primary school or doesn't attend church etc etc may get in before her if they live so much as a fraction closer than us.

Anyway it is what it is and I might be worrying about nothing but what I would like to know is if we are refused a place and we appeal, what sort of reasons will the panel be looking for in order to give my dd a place, as I'm aware that me simply saying that all the other schools are sub par (they are) will simply not cut it.

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Thally · 19/01/2016 17:29

Assuming the change came in after all the appropriate consultation etc. Your case will have to be based on a mistake if one is made or that not going to this school disadvantages your child more than the other children at the school if a place is made available for her. In the later case you need to show all the reasons this school is good for your daughter.

I can see why they have changed the criteria to be honest as not getting the Catholic primary would disadvantage a child twice!

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Orlando16 · 19/01/2016 17:53

To a certain point I too can understand why they decided to change the criteria, it's just bad timing on are part really, as it could now effectively determine my dd's education, and like I said the other secondary schools in our area aren't good. The problem I think we'll have if we do have to appeal is that they will think that we don't have a strong enough reason for wanting our dd to attend the school.

We live in one of the named parishes and the school is approx 1.7 miles away, and is around 0.2 miles from her current primary so 99% of her school friends should get a place. We do have another catholic primary school around two miles in the opposite direction but it has a bad reputation, bad ofsted reports, and is rife with bullying and children being excluded, so I can't send my dd there, no matter how much we want her to continue her catholic education. But I can't see this washing with an appeals panel to be honest, so what our grounds would be I do not know.

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SuburbanRhonda · 19/01/2016 17:58

Welcome to the world of many many other children who have fewer choices of school because of religious selection. Sucks, doesn't it?

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admission · 19/01/2016 18:03

I think that you are over thinking this. Yes you are now further down the admission criteria order but you have a baptised catholic child and so will be in admission criteria 3. You say there are 6 catholic primary schools who all feed pupils to this school, so the probability is that the vast majority of pupils who are baptised catholic are already in the 6 catholic primary schools. You also say that you child goes to the unofficial feeder school that is across the road from the secondary school, so you must live a lot closer to the secondary school than many of the pupils who have applied for the place.
I accept there is a small possibility of your child not getting a place but I think there is a much greater chance that they will. Stop worrying about it until you actually know. There will be plenty of time to construct as good a case as possible when and if your fears are materialised.

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tiggytape · 19/01/2016 18:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HorraceTheOtter · 19/01/2016 18:15

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Orlando16 · 19/01/2016 18:59

Thank you SubhurbanRhonda, for your informative and supportive response! My dd is Catholic as are my entire family, I'm sorry if that offends you, and I'm sorry that in most cases (at least in my area anyway) faith schools tend to be better schools and top leader boards with results and ofsted. I want my dd to attend a a good school that offers a wide variety of experiences and opportunities and believe it or not, despite what a lot of people say, faith schools can and do offer that.

A genuine thanks to tiggytape and admission, who actually took the time to respond to my actual question, I really appreciate it and you've given me a lot to think about.

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temporarilyjerry · 19/01/2016 19:29

I have won 3 appeals, two for DS2 (primary and secondary) and one for DS1, so even if you are not allocated your preferred school, there is still hope. Try not to worry prematurely

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SuburbanRhonda · 19/01/2016 20:23

You are very welcome, OP. I was not aware everyone was expected to support you on this thread.

People having a religious faith does not offend me in the slightest as it is irrelevant to my life.

Religious privilege, on the other hand, is offensive and divisive, though I don't for one moment expect anyone to agree with that who hopes to benefit from that privilege.

Funny how the faith criterion becomes less important when the school in question (such as the other Catholic school you refer to in your OP) doesn't meet your standards in other respects.

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