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Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Secondary education

Year 9 appeal due to bullying. Help desperately needed.

16 replies

AgadorSpartacus · 01/12/2015 22:35

We are currently filling in an appeals statement as we want to move out son from his current school.

He has endured some shocking verbal and physical abuse and does so almost daily. We have liaised with school numerous times but feel that he is targeted and there is now a perpetual cycle of bullying. We're worried about his state of mind and need to get him out.

The school we want is over subscribed and we know it will have to go to an appeal.

I really need to know what to put on the form and what would be superfluous.
He's endured horrendous bullying, he's a good , responsible, hard working , involved student. He needs to be in a school with excellent pastoral care.

I'm at a loss. Could anybody please help?

OP posts:

Report

AgadorSpartacus · 01/12/2015 22:55

Bump?

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Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 01/12/2015 22:58

I would list all your concerns for his safety and mental well being, failure of duty of care, failing grades (has to have an effect) school refusal,
I have appealed nd won one these grounds but not over subscribed school.
Bloody crap!!
Should be automatic

admission · 01/12/2015 22:59

In my area the use of bullying as a reason for changing schools has grown exponentially and I suspect it is the same all across the country.
As such appeal panels have become a bit immune to hearing the parent talk about the abuse their child is suffering.
Not saying it does not happen, far from it, but panels are becoming less inclined to admit unless their clear evidence of the bullying happening. It therefore follows that you need written evidence from the school that they accept that the bullying is happening and that they have been unable or unwilling to sort it out. A diary of the abuse is also useful to confirm the extent of the bullying.
This obviously takes time to collect but you can fill in the form referring to the level of bullying and state that further evidence will be submitted 3 days before the actual appeal. The 3 days is sufficient time for the panel members and the school you are appealing for to see the evidence - not that the school you are appealing for is going to say anything about it.

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 01/12/2015 23:02

www.familylives.org.uk/advice/secondary/learning-school/making-an-appeal-for-a-school-place/

IguanaTail · 01/12/2015 23:05

Request from your headteacher a "managed move" - he/she needs to phone the headteacher of the school in question and ask if they will accept someone. We used to do that a lot.

GiddyOnZackHunt · 01/12/2015 23:14

We were able to use bullying in our appeal because I had documented proof of concerns expressed before dc started the school that had been disregarded. I think you need something other than you alleging the bullying now that you are moving school. Has your DS had any support who would be able to independently corroborate your statements?

IguanaTail · 01/12/2015 23:16

Meant to say, managed move requires almost zero paperwork - it's just an arrangement between Heads. Normally the student is on dual registration for half a term or so till settled, if all ok then taken off and put on single reg. If not settled then returned.

AgadorSpartacus · 01/12/2015 23:29

Thank you so much for your replies.
I really appreciate it.

As far as hard evidence is concerned I have all the emails from me to school and back since year 7.
When we applied for secondary schools in year 6 I gave a supporting statement about how we wanted him to go to a specific school due to past bullying in primary (it was duly disregarded).
I had him at the doctors a few months ago to talk to them about concerns.
He refused to go to school in March until we had a meeting with the head.
That's about it though.

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AgadorSpartacus · 01/12/2015 23:30

Giddy, do you mean like a doctor or camhs?

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AgadorSpartacus · 01/12/2015 23:31

Thanks Sally that made encouraging reading

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Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 01/12/2015 23:31

Can your son pen a letter? Just a thought. DD wrote a letter to her HT about how she felt and HT had let her down and her teacher was awful. It never got sent. I found it on the laptop. It was heartbreaking.

GiddyOnZackHunt · 01/12/2015 23:44

Yes, something that isn't coming from you. On a cynical level it would be easy for parents to appeal to better schools on a 'my child is being bullied' statement. You need to distinguish yourself from the 'I want' parents. If your DS has told a third party about the bullying and the effect it has on him then that is what you need to show. It isn't a get out of jail card but as part of your case it adds weight.

GiddyOnZackHunt · 01/12/2015 23:49

Oh just seen your sentence about when you applied for secondary. That's important. That's essentially what mine was but it was a letter before starting reception in our case. It demonstrated we had concerns that had come to pass.

AgadorSpartacus · 01/12/2015 23:53

Ah. Right. Well the only thing I have in that respect is that I took him to our GP in around June due to this and his refusal to go to school. I intended to take him again this week. He's close to snapping point and it's worrying us.

The thing is if his school were asked they'd say they are trying hard to sort things but the fact that the cycle continues means that it's just not working. For instance today one of the main culprits has written ds a letter of apology. Apparently he was VERY remorseful and cried a lot. However in a lesson earlier he was hitting various other kids and said oh I'd better not hit X or he'll grass me up again. So not remorseful at all. Couldn't give a shit no surprise there. That's after getting a punch at break this morning off one of this boys friends for daring to try and pass them in the corridor. It's never ending for him.

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AgadorSpartacus · 01/12/2015 23:57

Oh that's interesting Giddy. I wonder if can obtain a copy.
He attended CAMHS for anxiety in year 6 but it's been recommended that I don't mention that as it's not relevant to this.

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EYDavis · 02/12/2015 03:07

Descriptions should ideally be really specific - times, dates, what was done, dates of letters/emails to school, dates of meeting (and who met), repeat comments verbatim, e.g. if a child said "I will fucking get you" then that's what you write. I guess your aim is to convince the panel that this is a genuine claim and to shock them into being unable to condemn your DS to remain in the school.

Good luck.

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