Primary School appeal

[Brock39]

Hi all, I'm a long time lurker but first time poster.
I've read through some old posts and picked up some useful advice but would like a bit more if thats ok....
My child hasnt got our first choice primary, reason was class size and the last sibling admitted was under sibling priority. We have been offered our second choice which is 1.3 mile away, across very busy roads and takes approx an hour to walk to (I have arthritic knees and 4 year olds dont really walk all that fast!).
We are 0.3 mile from our preferred school.
My child attended nursery at the second choice school but I removed her due to a few incidents that took place there. I put that down as a second choice school as it's the only other school in "close" proximity to where we live and didnt want to risk a school that is miles away.
Other children that live further away have got in, one on the sibling rule even though the sibling no longer attends that school?
Is there anything I need to find out regarding current class sizes / sibling policy?
I've requested to be placed on the waiting list, need to get an appeal letter together and try and keep my every growing anxiety down!

[PatriciaHolm]

The first thing you need to determine is whether it is an infant class size appeal (are children taught in 30 per class in years r, 1or 2).

If so, then you would need to prove an error had been made that cost you a place, or that the decision not to give a place was so unreasonable a normal person would not have made it. These are very very hard to win.

If it is not ICS then you need to show that the detriment to your child of not attending is greater than the detriment to the school of admitting another pupil. This is also usually a high bar, and would need you to show strong reasons that this school meets her specific needs.

In the case of the siblings, you need to check exactly what the criteria say - why is the elder no longer at the school? Some criteria will allow for sibling admissions as long as the other sibling is in attendance when the place is offered, for example.

Even if this turns out to be an error, it will only help you if it directly cost you a place.

[Brock39]

Thank you so much, that gives me more information to go on.
The sibling is in high school, she started there in September.
I fear the appeal will be a pointless exercise

[prh47bridge]

Some schools give priority to siblings of ex pupils so it really does depend on exactly what the admission criteria say. If they have wrongly given sibling priority to a child who wasn't entitled and that cost your daughter a place you will have a good case for appeal.

[LIZS]

Are you certain there are no other criteria which apply to the sibling which could give them higher priority?

[meditrina]

Also, you need to be aware that a pupil admitted in error can be grounds for a successful appeal if your DC would have received an offer if the process had been administered correctly

Are you at the top of the waiting list?

The person who discovers the error is not automatically entitled to a place that comes up that way.

[Brock39]

I'm not sure of position on the waiting list, I'm presuming that my position wont become apparent until parents have accepted or rejected their allocations which is the start of May.
The priority goes:

1. Catchment.
   
2. Sibling priority
   
3. Distance.

[Brock39]

^^ date for allocation acceptance / rejections close at the start of May.

[prh47bridge]

What exactly do they say about sibling priority? Without that information there is no way of knowing whether or not a mistake was made.