Anybody else watching the letterbox, waiting for appeal result letter?

Well, I'm hijacking thread slightly as not me but my dear friend who really deserves some good luck got her appeal letter today and her boy is in!!! So pleased for them. Lots of other disappointed parents. Seems to be harder to get school of 'choice' nowadays.
Lots of manic laughter and tears and we're meeting up for some vino later!!

So pleased for you and dc!!!!
And finding out on Friday 13th:)
Gives the rest of us waiting some hope, well done x

Congratulations Lucas. I'm so pleased you got your letter at last. You can relax and enjoy knowing your child is going to the best school for them.

I am so pleased for you!!! Fabulous news. I helped a friend with an appeal who is still waiting. It must be unbearable, I'm a nervous wreck never mind her! Good luck to everyone waiting. Can't believe she hasn't heard today .............................. I'm now thinking will it come tomorrow? or do we go into next week.

Congratulations LucasNorth!

Enjoy xx

Well done - you must be over the moon! Are you celebrating tonight then?

Excellent news - well done Lucas. What did your letter say?

Well done.

I joined MN after searching for appeal help for a friend. The MN experts are the best

Yep awkward to sit through. I am all up for healthy disagreement and discussion. Also knew that there were some gaps in my knowledge which the school could help with. Wasn't expecting rep to be so hostile when challenged - what was he expecting at an appeal - really ? I was polite back either way. Think he made some 'facts' up to - but because they were just thrown in - had nothing to counteract them by. Since researched them at home and they do not ring true. He sat and shook his head when I was summing up too (in my periferal vision, also was aware of this being watched by panel member).

Would be nice if panel members do take the stance mentioned in your last sentence. We'll have to see....

The whole thing seems bizarre. I cannot understand the clerks behaviour either. The other panellists should have had a word with the Chair and intervened if s/he didn't.

I have never seen a really aggressive school rep of the type you describe. I have had a Head attempt to discuss why particular children (neighbours) got in and the appellant didn't, in a way that breached confidentiality, they got a reprimand which they didn't like. But at least they were relatively polite.

Frankly if a school rep was that obnoxious I might be more likely to find reasons to allow the appeal, so it might even go in your favour.

Lucas - watching my letterbox even though I know it won't be until next week - what's that all about !

Was awake in the early hours - worrying/mulling things over. I asked my partner if he thought we had done enough - he replied that we did as much as we could without being stopped/interrupted. I am not sure if that feels like real consolation. The whole experience didn't sit quite right with me.

Every empathy with you Lucas. We hope that we will be treated fairly when we go into a hearing and whilst some conflict may be inevitable; I was hoping that it would be expressed in professional terms. It is very difficult to say what you intended to; when the reflective process about others behaviour/questions is kicking in simultaneously. I think to wait to answer is a perfect solution to the problem. I would have been annoyed with being rushed too in the circumstances.

Waiting for results after you have had a negative appeal experience is really stressful I think. Until that comes through; you have no real idea if the panel were fully aware/sympathetic to the pressures you were under.

HP - the chair (lay person) was very quiet throughout the whole hearing actually. I am not sure what had happened before we even entered the room - but there was friction in the air definitely! We were warned by the clerk before we entered the room not to ask any questions which related to school organisation/management (which was the main body of the school's statement). I am not sure whether the school rep was fed up generally or with us specifically (it was a good case). But eitherway; I thought we could have been protected more yes.

I am shocked actually

These things no longer shock me I'm afraid. I've come across too many cases where the admission authority's representative treats it like a court case they must win at all costs and the chair of the panel fails to control them.

Having said that, most appeal panels and most chairs do an excellent job. It annoys me when things like this happen. They shouldn't. A chair that allows this kind of behaviour is not up to the job in my view.

Girlinaswirl, I am shocked actually. Why didn't the chair tell him to put a sock in it? That wouldn't happen around here. Was it the Head of a school or the LEA rep. I would make a complaint.

Prh47bridge - thanks, I've PM you.

cherrybaby12 - No I don't sit on appeal panels. I help parents with their appeals. I would be very happy to advise you if you post details on here or PM me.

We were stopped from questioning the school rep

If you lose that is potentially grounds for referring the matter to the LGO or EFA (depending on the type of school). You should be allowed to ask any question within reason.

We had our first appeal today. We were told that the panel would make their decision today and we should hear by the end of next week. Our appeal wasn't straight forward either - posted in Chat also. We were stopped from questioning the school rep and he shouted at us 'aren't you also putting in an appeal to (school name) too?' to which I asked the Clerk how relevant that was; and reiterated that we were there to discuss the school subject to the appeal' (nipped in bud). Two other incidents of what I would call 'shouting at the the world' were seen after that too. I too wasn't expecting shirty behaviour Lucas - it took a while for us to bring forward what we had prepared. I'm not as relieved as I thought I would be at this stage; and that is because we were side-lined by what happened in the room. I'm glad that I was well prepared on paper as our written summary carried us some way.

appealtakingovermylife - at least you're through it now. Have that glass of wine tonight. The waiting is horrible. I feel its going to be a no for my appeal. My result is due any day now.

prh47bridge - I have read other posts on appeals , I'm I correct to say you sit on the school appeal panel ? If so, please can I have your advise please ?

when he didn't immediately answer in one succinct phrase, the school rep snapped "Answer the question!"

That is very poor. The chair of the appeal panel should have stamped on that. It is not a court room.