Secondary admission appeal help please

Apologies- cross posted with the experts.

My understanding is no. Remember that a panel member could have children at the allocated school. All your arguments must be why the allocated school is sufficiently better for your son to compensate for the disadvantage of them taking an extra pupil - not ‘why you chose that school in the first place’.

For example, a newspapers article saying ‘allocated school gets low Ofsted grade’ is public domain but cannot be used as an argument for why you should get your preferred school.

If you had specific evidence eg ds spent x years in school A, which used discipline procedure A like allocated school and his medical records say he became a selective mute, whereas when he transferred to school B which, like desired school, uses discipline procedure B and his selective mutism improved, see dated evidence, then that might be different. However, just an opinion from you that he would do better under discipline approach B would not be enough.

I doubt that arguments about the school’s behaviour policy will fly at appeal. It sounds more like a reason for why you as a parent prefer the school than an argument for why your child needs to attend this school and will be disadvantaged if they don’t. Do you have evidence from (say) a paediatrician to confirm that your child needs to be in a very disciplined environment and so this is the best school for them?

Newspaper articles talking generally about a subject will be given a lot less weight than a professional talking specifically about your son. If you can get a professional to say that, in their opinion, he needs a stringent behaviour policy, that would be much better.

It’s impossible to say - so much depends on your position on the list, the school and its size. Some schools have a lot of churn between now and September, but others don’t.

Just on the waiting list point. We're in that situation now (daughter on waiting lists for 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice schools). Any advice or experience as to typical movements in lists between March and the start of the school term in Sept...or the main causes of movement which may help us with some context. I know waiting lists will vary by school / location.

Thanks in advance.

Yes, I saw that, but the potential difficulty here is that all schools will have pastoral provision, so the onus will be on the OP to persuade the panel that there is something about the provision at the preferred school which marks it out as being particularly suitable for their child, and not available at the allocated school.

We’ve also had an awful family bereavement in last six months, again requiring strong pastoral provision at secondary.

I'm not sure if anyone else has picked up on this, but this may be worth bringing up. Sometimes schools run specific programs/have specific support for students who have experienced bereavement or other, similar traumatic experiences e.g. bushcraft groups etc.

If you can point to something specific the school can offer to help with this then I think it's worth bringing up.

This was deliberate too, part of a skirmish (I suspect) between the school and LEA.

Yep, I've had that too! Makes for a short day ;-)

I've had one do it very deliberately, in order to allow a set of appellants in that the LA wouldn't let them go over PAN for (school was LA controlled at the time) - the appeallants were all a specific disadvantaged group and the school wanted them. Once the school says "there would no detriment to having another 3 pupils..." it's day over ....

We had similar last year when a member of the SLT told us they had plenty of space to accommodate additional pupils!

The one time that a head teacher really stuck out to me at appeal, was when the LA rep made a huge deal about the fact that the school had to use a static classroom because they had sooo many children. We asked if that made teaching difficult and the HT gushed "Oooh no, it's lovely and big. All the teachers fight over it!" Unhappy LA rep 😁

Do remember that a prejudice appeal is like a set of scales. Each side puts their 'weights' on (grounds for appeal Vs disadvantage to current students) and whichever side is heaviest wins. It doesn't actually matter if you have lots of very small arguments that all add up to a majority, or one or two 'slam dunks'.

Look at what is beneficial about the history department, what pastoral arrangements are, look at everything.

Do not show work. It's not helpful.

I can’t add anything useful to what prh47bridge and PatriciaHolm have said.

Samples of a child’s work are not helpful (especially as they can be interpreted as “my child is bright and so needs a better school”). I have rarely met a headteacher at an appeal. As has been said before, the appeal is not an opportunity for headteachers to cherry-pick students.

Frustrating to realise that having worked so hard to support our child’s anxiety at home and at school - rather than seeking medical support - consequently we might not get a school that supports his needs. Food for thought.

Please don't worry - In reality what you would have needed here is, as said, a clear, recent letter from a Professional stating a diagnosis and the fact that in their opinion, this school is the only school that can meet his needs. These are rare, as honestly it is rarely true, and professionals are unlikely to know all the local schools well enough to be able to make a judgement.

do Headteachers often attend panels? Also wondered if it's a good idea to send short examples of work ahead of the appeal as supporting docs, as we're referencing specific academic provision. Or better just to take to the hearing?

Heads sometimes do, as sometimes they are the ones putting the case for the school, but often its another member of staff, or an external provider bought in. As I said, their opinion is not taken into account.

Examples of work are rarely relevant. You can say "he gets 100% in all his history tests" if you like but it's not really relevant, as already said - you need to show what the preferred school offers. Showing panels work is often suggestive of the argument that "he's so bright he deserves a better school" which is one to avoid.

Please don't bring anything to the hearing that you haven't submitted already, unless it's extremely relevant and not available earlier (for example, medical reports). Panels don't have to accept it, and it can cause adjournments if they feel they need time to read it.

Do not send examples of your child's work or take them to the hearing. The panel are not in a position to evaluate it and it is not relevant.

In my experience heads do not generally attend appeal hearings.

Nothing to add really. PanelChair and PatriciaHolm have already given good advice. Listen to them.

You've had excellent advice already @Parentingfrontline - I agree the history club is the best thing you mention.

YY what are the other academic opportunities? Does the school offer trips, for example, which would support his interests (eg an MFL he has studied in primary or through a relative and the preferred school runs a trip to that country while the offered one does not)? This could also include history trips, especially if you can document his interest.

Why is the history dept so good? If it just has good teachers then that won't hold any sway but maybe it offers more history lessons, or a wider offer at GCSE (such as a choice of modules?).

Unfortunately the pastoral care will be expected to be of a suitable standard at any school. Is there any way you can get a medical diagnosis of his anxiety and how it relates to school A before the appeal? This is what you need for such arguments to have weight.

Agree with others abotu waiting lists as well - make sure you are on as many as would be suitable.

The panel might pick up a vibe that the headteacher is not averse to admitting additional pupils, but that goes back to the question of whether admitting additional pupils would cause prejudice to the school and the pupils already in it. The panel should already have explored all the issues around prejudice. If the panel takes the view that the school can admit more pupils, it should allow the appeals of the children who most need a place and will be most disadvantaged if they don’t get one, not those who are most likely to be “assets” to the school.

I wonder if it's possible that the panel picks up a vibe from the head that he doesn't mind losing this particular appeal and reacts accordingly? I know it shouldn't affect their decision in legal terms, but in real terms it may be different?

Well, the panel shouldn't take that into account, no. I see what you mean though and who knows? TBH, Most panels would make an conscious effort to make sure it didn't affect their judgement as it would be wholly unfair to all other appeallants - the school doesn't get to cherrypick the ones it wants!

I wonder if it's possible that the panel picks up a vibe from the head that he doesn't mind losing this particular appeal and reacts accordingly? I know it shouldn't affect their decision in legal terms, but in real terms it may be different?

Unfortunately it reads like you just don't like the allocated school as not good enough for your child. But loads of parents will feel the same

You need to focus on things like his passion for history, with evidence of the "great" department and club to develop his interest. Unless his anxiety etc is professionally documented and only this school can address it you are on weak ground. Are you on waiting lists for all of the three preferred and any extra choices that you would prefer?