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Original poster

home education has meant our child is not able to access secondary school

110 replies

woodlandwonder · 01/06/2014 11:50

I am wondering whether there is anyone who has had a similar situation happen. We are in Manchester and the admission criteria for oversubscription places anyone at a state funded primary school and academy before anyone else. This has meant that our home educated daughter has not got in, is 87th on the waiting list and on appeal we have lost. We are awaiting their reasons. Despite the admissions code stating they are not allowed to disadvantage a social group our appeal has failed. We are considering ombudsperson, judicial review etc. Has anyone done this? Children at independent schools are also caught by this criteria.

OP posts:
Original poster
woodlandwonder · 01/06/2014 12:10

I would just like equality for all children who live in Manchester regardless of their previous educational choices. She has lived all her life here. She would be in her local community.

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Original poster
woodlandwonder · 01/06/2014 12:06

we are within catchment. the criteria are: 1st looked after children, 2nd medical reasons, 3rd siblings already at the school, 4th manchester state primary, 5th others. She is 87th at this particular school but we would have the same problem with the other nearest co-ed, non faith school. We have been offered a school which is single sex and 4 miles away. We applied on time. There is no feeder school policy in place.

OP posts:
Katz · 01/06/2014 12:06

There are also 11 schools with places according to the Manchester.gov.uk website. Looks like as in most areas there are over subscribed popular schools.

Canus · 01/06/2014 12:05

Well I'm pretty sure they have to find you a place somewhere.

We homeschool one of our children, and we know that means we have opted out of things that are aimed at those who are state schooled. That's just common sense.

What is it that you feel is so unfair that you are appealing? You have not been denied the option of a secondary state school, it just may not be the one you'd like, same as for all other parents in the state system.

Katz · 01/06/2014 12:04

Quick google shows manchester secondary criteria are:
1 looked after children
2 medical/social need - backed up with medical evidence
3 sibling in the school
4 attends manchester la/academy primary school
5 everyone else

Then within each of those categories once the PAN is reached then distance is used.

So, someone moving to manchester with a child at say a Leeds primary school would be 5th

Finola1step · 01/06/2014 12:02

So no place in any school or no place in your chosen schools?

LIZS · 01/06/2014 12:01

Did you apply for a place in the main admissions timeframe ? Certainly it can also affect independent school children if they operate a feeder policy.

ILoveWooly · 01/06/2014 11:59

Are you in the catchment area for a particular school or is she 87th on the list for any secondary place?

Katz · 01/06/2014 11:56

What is the full list of criteria? Are you in catchment for the school? I'm guessing at 87th that there must some other criteria you're not meeting other than not attending a state primary school.

For us feeder school is way down the list below catchment area so, if you go to the feeder school but don't live in ctachment then you'll be below a home schooled child in catchment.

qwertypop · 01/06/2014 11:52

Has she been denied a place full stop or just denied a place at the school you want?