Appeal hearing stage 1 next week

Stage 1 is about deciding whether the school can handle additional pupils without any problems. It is unlikely you will win at this stage but you can try to reduce the level of problems in the panel's minds, making it easier to win at stage 2. Without knowing what the school's case says it is impossible to say what questions you should be asking but you should be looking for weaknesses in the school's case. For example, if they talk about health and safety issues due to overcrowding, ask how many accidents there have been that were attributed to overcrowding in the last 3 years, say. The answer is likely to be none.

As others have said, your desire for a faith school is very unlikely to win an appeal. You need to look for other arguments to strengthen your case. You may be able to use the pastoral care as an argument if you can show that your child needs that. You should also look at extra-curricular activities to see if you can find anything relevant.

Doesn't sounds strong at all tbh. Schools primary purpose is to educate, not provide religious guidance - you get that from church presumably. But it does sound like you've got a great school allocated which is good.

You need to build your case on the reasons why it would be worse for your child to be denied a place at the school than for the school to take an extra child.

I believe that the religious aspect alone is unlikely to swing it.

Are there other things you can find? Do they offer a GCSE in a subject that she excels in, which other schools don’t? A sport that she does well in? Music when she is musical?