In-year application appeal

The LA have a legal duty to offer a place somewhere though. What are they saying?

As a fellow medic I have to support OP. There are certain specialties that really aren’t that common in terms of career advancement and you have to go where the job is. It is a situation that not many people understand or appreciate.

OP - I have no experience of your area (I am an adult oncologist and London based) but do also think for your Y10 - if no joy on appeal, an independent may be the only way to go at this point.

Op I echo those who say might be best to leave oldest child where he is now...disruption at this stage is not advised. If not, please do check thoroughly the order of work they have done in all subjects. AQA MFL for example has a scheme of work, but lots of schools I imagine will work through the text book in order, which is a very different order from the SoW. Just one example, there will be similar discussions fir all subjects I imagine.

Sounds like you’re in a tight spot OP. Congratulations on the new post, and good luck with the appeals.

The difficulty for your yr 10 DC is that, as pp said, even if the school is running the same subjects on the same exam board they may have done the modules in a different order to their current school- very common in subjects like science so practical kit can be rotated round the classes. The holiday tutor could help massively with that though with the right information from the school.

@WrenP have you looked at Perrins in Alresford?

I think this is your yr10 DC’s best option. What happens if you don’t take the job, is your current post a temporary contract?

The other thing to check is whether they are studying them in the same order. Otherwise this will still leave huge gaps. I would think very carefully about how disruptive this is to your Year 10 student. Schools are generally extremely reluctant (rightly so, IMO) to take a child in at this stage. If you have any alternative, I would take it.

Another panel member here. Just finding matching subjects may not be enough, you also have to make sure the school can timetable those subjects for your son.

I would use that as a key argument in the appeal then if you are sure it's correct - you are trying to show that the detriment to him to not attending is greater than the detriment to the school of taking another pupil.

The LA should definitely offer you something though - are you already resident in Winchester?

You need to do whatever you can to pay for private for your eldest , you caused this situation it’s selfish not to. Either that or your dh home educates him.

Perhaps you can move and the rest of the family stay put for a year? Moving children at end year 9, end year 11 and primary would be a much much better idea. This plan really throws your year 10 under the bus unfortunately.

The LA legally have to offer you a school within a reasonable distance and should have done so by now.

Does kings do the same exam board as the current school? And offer all the same subjects? Do any of the schools you're looking at do that? That should be your primary consideration.

And you only have one child in the middle of their exams so last year or even next summer would mean none of your children would be affected by the move.

Is there any way your Yr 10 can continue at their existing school. They will be following certain exam boards and there is a high possibility a new school may not be doing the same boards. Even if they are rhey mag have taught the syllabus in a different order. Your best bet I am afraid of supporting his transition into a new setting to get the best chance of continuing with his boards may well be through the private sector. I am afraid I don't understand your comment that because he is sociable he wouldn't want a private school. Kids at private schools can be sociable just as well as kids at state schools may not be.

I too am mystified why anyone hasnt considered their child's education at this critical stage when taking a job, however important a job, and ensured a way of them finishing the stage they are at.

I live near Winchester so know the schools quite well. Which schools have you applied to?

Is there any way at all your eldest can finish his GCSEs at his existing school? Anyone he can stay with for a year in school time?

This is a very hard time to move him, and will undoubtedly negatively impact his exams. There is no way you are going to be able to match what he's already been studying, especially if the local Schools do a three year plan for GCSEs.

Wow. You're a medic who presumably appreciates the importance of education and you've moved at a time that will almost certainly impact very negatively on your eldest's GCSEs

Does he appreciate that, socially minded or not, he might well be going to no school at all as things stand? I'm just a bit surprised you made the move at this point in your eldest child's life. Educationally, it's one of the most crucial years.

Have you look at what private provision there is in your area? Could you afford to look at that as an option for your older two? I'd be particularly concerned about your Y10 and how this disruption could affect him.