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Original poster

appealing place

35 replies

SadRach76 · 02/04/2023 18:38

Hi, just after some advice so a bit of background info my son has attended a primary school for the last 7 years , this school is not local to us and my eldest also attended who is now 17.
Reasons for choosing this particular school was the fact I was working close by when my eldest started reception and as he was settled I never moved him. When my youngest now 10 was due to start E was in yr 6 so made sense to have them together and its a good school.

So my eldest carried on to the local secondary school and left last July. When I had to apply for A to attend I obviously put this school as my first choice but slipped up and only put one choice as I really didn't think they would be an issue with him getting a place!
I was wrong he has been given a place within my local council at a school 6.9 miles away!! The school we requested is in fact 9.4 miles away but we have arrangements in place with friends and family available for childcare, and we have done the school runs for the last 13 years this way.
I haven't accepted or declined the school offered but if I'm being honest they is no chance he will be attending (its a horrific school with a bad history I have friends who have worked there and have been told avoid at all costs)
The main issue is yes we live a fair distance away and I totally understand we fit no criteria for this school but my son knows nothing else he attends school in Stokesley, plays football for a local team there and spends 99.9% of his time there basically he comes home to sleep!
I immediately contacted the council to ask about his position on the W/L and was told he was 4th out of 6 I thought fab bound to be some movement but since found out 5 children in his current class didn't bother to even apply for a place and have now bene added to the w/l meaning he is now 7th out of 8!
I have sent an appeal form in and am awaiting a hearing date. I totally understand how difficult appeals are and I am appealing on the grounds of social and how his mental health will suffer if he has to attend elsewhere. He is the only one out of 37 children in his class not getting a space.
I don't have any doctors notes as he has never suffered majorly with anxiety until now!
He does'nt go anywhere on is own so to expect a just 11 year old to have to get a bus on his own 6.9 miles away with no knowledge of the area or not knowing a soul terrifies me.

Just after some advice on what other evidence I could use to support my appeal, if anyone has been in a similar situation.

Thank you

OP posts:
PanelChair · 03/04/2023 00:54

As prh47bridge has said, your appeal (as you have outlined it here) sounds weak. Try to strengthen it by identifying other aspects of the preferred school which would particularly suit your child.

You need a plan B of some sort. If you’re determined that your child won’t attend the allocated school, ask the local education authority which (if any) of its schools currently has vacant places. You can also join waiting lists for other schools, although the LEA may require you to make a late application for them now.

Untitledsquatboulder · 02/04/2023 22:29

If I were you I'd continue with your appeal but I wouldn't count on it resulting in a place for your son. If you are really set against your allocated place then I recommend you start looking at alternative schools and get his name on the waiting lists for these (ideally one would be your catchment school). You can also appeal for these schools.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 02/04/2023 21:23

Given the circumstances, I can't understand why you didn't put down other choices.

I don't think you've got a strong case for an appeal. Maybe put your energy into encouraging your son as to the benefits of the school he's been allocated

QuillBill · 02/04/2023 21:21

Yikes.

As well,as appealing for this school, if I were you I would also get on the waiting lists and appeal to get a place at other schools such as ones close to where you live.

One appeal will not affect the other.

You need to start looking at what the school you want has that would benefit your son.

Social reasons aren't going to be enough as it's a time when they are all making new friends anyway.

You won't be able to include him not being able to travel on his own to the other school either as you are appealing for a school not against one. And they could argue it's your fault for not making sure he had a close school by not choosing one.

My sister appealed for a further away secondary as they offered mandarin at GCSE which my niece really wanted to do. It was the actual reason that she wanted to go there, it wasn't even a 'better' school.

At the appeal the panel went into detail about how my niece would get to the school even though her dad would be available every day to take her. They also talked about other schools that were closer to where they also offered Mandarin. (There was only one other which was a similar distance)

Polik · 02/04/2023 21:20

You would be wise to start seriously considering alternatives.

So the allocated school you are unhappy with. Start visiting and working out what is your second, third and fourth choice (and fifth, sixth, etc). Apply to these ASAP, they may have spaces.

prh47bridge · 02/04/2023 21:19

Yes, you can add to, or even completely change, your appeal.

Firstly, you should accept the place offered. The council is not under any obligation to come up with an alternative place so, if you don't accept it, you may not have a school for your son at all in September. Not accepting the place may damage your appeal as it may come across to the panel as attempting to blackmail them into giving your son the place you want.

I'm afraid the case you have outlined in your post is very weak. Social arguments rarely make for a successful appeal, and the panel is highly unlikely to accept that your son's mental health will suffer unless there is medical evidence (and, in all honesty, I doubt you will find a medical professional willing to say that, in their opinion, your child's mental health will suffer if he isn't admitted). You may still succeed if the school's case to refuse admittance is very weak, but that would be a long shot.

In order to strengthen your case, you need to identify things the appeal school offers that are missing from the allocated school - subjects, extracurricular activities, pastoral care, etc. If you can find any that are particularly relevant to your son, you can build your case around that. So, for example, you mention that your son plays football. If the appeal school has a football team but the allocated school doesn't, that would be a point you could bring up.

Original poster
SadRach76 · 02/04/2023 21:07

Thanks so much

OP posts:
Hye000 · 02/04/2023 21:05

Best people to answer @PanelChair @prh47bridge

Original poster
SadRach76 · 02/04/2023 21:01

Hi I was told that I could add to my appeal as long as it was in 10 days before the hearing??

OP posts:
Hye000 · 02/04/2023 20:49

You have already put in your appeal though? So any advice you are given now won’t be much help as the points you argue are supposed to go into the original appeal. When you have the hearing ideally you shouldn’t be bringing new ‘evidence’ unless it was something you could not obtain prior to your original appeal letter