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Original poster

In year admission appeal

33 replies

Myspace123 · 16/05/2023 09:00

Can anybody help me and give me some advice please, my daughter started at her chosen secondary school in 2021 year 7 , she was doing well until the end of last year when she had a silly fall out with some girls , she mentioned moving to another school , and stupidly I moved her to this school in march this year , well after the first week she pretty much hated it and was very unhappy and she said she wanted to go back to her old school and since then it’s been a downward spiral that’s got worse and worse , I called her old school and asked for her to go back but they are full and she’s been put on the waiting list (she was number 4 now she’s number 5😭) she has barely attended the new school she will not go, obviously now I’ve received a letter from the attendance officer about her attendance now to, she is crying everyday and not doing one bit of work all she keeps on about is going back to her old school, I’ve tried everything possible to try and get her back asap , I now have a appeal hearing on June 1st , I really need some advice on what to say and how to go about it ,this is not only stressing her it’s stressing me to, I wish I never moved her now . She’s not learning anything and just upset all the time , it’s currently 9am and I’m begging her to go to school . I don’t know what else to do 😔

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Postapocalypticcowgirl · 02/06/2023 19:50

I'm assuming you haven't heard anything back.

You could appeal again next year, but it seems unlikely that it would work. I also am not convinced a managed move would work in this scenario- you don't generally get to pick the school your child is moved to, and it's not really something that's open to parental request.

I think your options are really:

a) Try to make the best of things at the new school. You moved her there, and arguably neither of you have given it a decent chance. Work with the school to see if there are ways they can help your daughter make friends etc BUT this will be hard to do if she isn't attending regularly.

b) See if there are any other options in the local area she would be willing to try. Do be aware that she will likely face the same issues at first. Y8 is a tricky year group for breaking into established friendships. Y9 may be better if more classes have been mixed up due to starting GCSE courses etc.

c) Home school- but this then removes the duty of the local authority to find her a suitable school place, and voluntarily home schooling won't necessarily help you make your case she needs to return to her specific school.

Basically, I think you both need to find a way to move forward. Let's assume the option of returning to school A is now off the table. It sounds like there are really negative associations with school B which may be hard to break. So perhaps it's worth trying another new fresh start- with the understanding that your daughter needs to commit to this, and really give it a good go. If she understands a return to her first school is completely off the table, maybe she'd be more able to give a new school a go?

Lightuptheroom · 02/06/2023 16:49

If you decide to home educate then the local authority has no obligation to provide anything at all. I'm not sure what you mean by receiving her books online? Nobody will be responsible for setting work for your daughter if thats what you mean? You wouldn't receive any assistance from any school or the local authority as you will have removed your child from the education system if that makes sense and indicated that you wish to 'take responsibility' for your daughter's education yourself.
Other than that, if your appeal isn't upheld and if she's adamant she's not returning to school on Monday it may be worthwhile reopening the managed move conversation, they don't have to do it, but might be something they will consider.

PanelChair · 02/06/2023 12:06

The new academic year starts in September so, yes, you can appeal again then but (assuming for now the current appeal fails) you will need stronger/different evidence to overcome whatever reasons the panel had for not allowing this appeal.

I don’t want to be discouraging, but you need to think through your options if the current appeal and a fresh appeal in September both fail. I understand that your daughter has her heart set on returning to her previous school but that might not happen. You might want to seek advice on the home education board here, as there will be posters there who can talk about their experience of home-educating teens.

Original poster
Myspace123 · 02/06/2023 11:26

@PanelChair thank you for your responses, they have been helpful , currently sat here crying because the first thing my daughter said was I’m not going back to that school, I know it maybe still early but the lady told me tomorrow morning , as it’s nearing 12 I doubt I will get a call now , if I did honestly that would be a dream , but I think it’s wishful thinking . I just think sending her to yet another school is going to be pointless , she only wants to go back to her old school I really don’t know what to do ,I’m thinking home schooling is going to be the only option and that’s really the last resort , I have no idea how home schooling works though , do I get her school books online ? This is just a mess an absolute mess I can’t believe I’m in this situation , does that mean I can appeal again this September ? If so I will have to do that if she still doesn’t get a place ,and this time I will make sure I do it right , she’s at number 4 on the waiting list now ,I’m praying in the summer term children leave and she can get a space

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PanelChair · 02/06/2023 11:14

It’s only 11am. You need to allow the clerk a little longer to make the call (if it’s coming). The decision letter should set out the reasoning behind the panel’s decision. If your appeal has not been upheld, the letter should explain why.

The appeal decision is final (unless you have reason to believe there were procedural irregularities, in which case you may be able to complain and get a fresh hearing).

If your appeal hasn’t been upheld, you have to wait until the next academic year (ie September) before appealing again.

All I can suggest now (if the appeal isn’t upheld) is speaking to the attendance officer and the LEA. Is there any other school with places which your daughter would be willing to attend? You are in a difficult situation, I know.

Original poster
Myspace123 · 02/06/2023 10:25

Well I’ve had no phone call 😢and already my daughter is saying she’s not going back to this school. So what do I do now.? If the appeal is no what more can I do @PanelChair

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PanelChair · 01/06/2023 19:21

Did you talk about logistics or domestic arrangements? I can only guess they were trying to find out whether you had anyone to help you, although that’s not how I would have phrased it.

Original poster
Myspace123 · 01/06/2023 11:39

Also they asked me if I had a husband , is there a reason for that ? @PanelChair

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Original poster
Myspace123 · 01/06/2023 11:36

Well the appeal hearing was this morning , I feel deflated tbh , I don’t think I’ve done enough or more so didn’t word things right ,I was so nervous and I’m really not great at doing things like this, so now I feel like it’s just going to be a no , and now I’m sat here thinking I really don’t know what to do if it is a no, apparently if it’s a yes they will call me tomorrow morning , if it’s a no I won’t hear anything ☹️, I did ask the questions about being over pan and also I did ask if there has been any accidents due to being over pan , she didn’t really have a proper answer for these questions though ,I’m really not banking on the phone call tomorrow which has really ruined my day now , I just have no idea what the outcome will be , I really tried my best I just hope the fact that she’s not going to school and she’s really unhappy is enough to give mya the space . I don’t know 😞

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viques · 28/05/2023 18:33

Actually I did it for you!

viques · 28/05/2023 18:20

Myspace123 · 25/05/2023 21:14

@PanelChair oh I didn’t realise you couldn’t , can I delete this thread ? Thank you for your help I will do everything I can and hope for the best

You can ask MN to redact the mentions of the authority and the school.

PanelChair · 26/05/2023 16:40

That is pretty much the standard case from any school. If you want to pick at it, you could ask them to be more specific about what the problems would be in going above 300 in the year group. They mention health and safety concerns about narrow corridors; you could ask them whether there have ever been any accidents attributable to overcrowding.

Original poster
Myspace123 · 26/05/2023 14:45

@PanelChair sorry to keep bothering you but reading the posts on here I can see you know a lot about admissions appeals , please Is there anything on the forms I’ve uploaded that I should mention in the hearing ? Anything there that I can mention and pick at ? Really appreciate it thank you

In year admission appeal
In year admission appeal
In year admission appeal
In year admission appeal
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Original poster
Myspace123 · 25/05/2023 22:28

@PanelChair if I don’t succeed in this appeal I will definitely be mentioning a managed move again, honestly I don’t know how she will cope if she has to go back to this school again (she hasn’t gone the last two days because of what happened as written above)she was so upset about it , obviously it’s half term next week so it will be nice to not stress for a week knowing she hasn’t got school but after that I don’t know what I’m going to do if it’s not good news for her.

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PanelChair · 25/05/2023 22:09

This isn’t a typical managed move situation, but i wonder whether the school might be willing to consider it, as possibly a way of addressing the poor attendance.

Original poster
Myspace123 · 25/05/2023 21:56

@Lightuptheroom i did actually ask about a managed move but he said it doesn’t work like that to just move her, basically she’s not done anything wrong to be moved , but to be honest it’s just ridiculous now she’s had so many days not attending and some lessons she won’t go to when she’s there ,she truanted a lesson Monday sat in the toilet by herself because she didn’t want to go into that lesson, every time I finally get her to go she’s messaging me at lunchtimes telling me she’s sitting by herself , no one talks to her , and she said I’m being so nice to everyone and they are just horrible to me . She sent me a video Wednesday of her sat in a lesson by herself on the table , the teacher told them to pair up to do the work and she was left by herself , honestly my heart breaks everyday , I wish I never moved her worse mistake I’ve ever made , and I don’t find this school very helpful with this situation tbh .

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PanelChair · 25/05/2023 21:34

It’s not that you can’t, but most people prefer not to, because anyone who recognises the names of the borough and school might be able to work out who you are. If you’re not bothered by that, it’s fine.

If your appeal doesn’t succeed, talk to the new school about a managed move back to the old one. They might be willing to broker a move.

Lightuptheroom · 25/05/2023 21:15

Not directly about your appeal, but have you spoken to the new school about whether they would arrange a managed move back to the old school?

Original poster
Myspace123 · 25/05/2023 21:14

@PanelChair oh I didn’t realise you couldn’t , can I delete this thread ? Thank you for your help I will do everything I can and hope for the best

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PanelChair · 25/05/2023 21:03

What’s done is done. Concentrate on putting forward the best case you can for her to be readmitted to the school.

You might want to report your posts, as you’ve named the borough and the school, which might make you identifiable.

Original poster
Myspace123 · 25/05/2023 20:58

@PanelChair i did contact the school and [redacted] admissions only two weeks after she started the new school , the lady at [redacted] admissions actually told me she was still down as being at Woodbridge but I didn’t think anything of it at that time because I just don’t know how these things work, if I had known it would have been possible to take her back I would have , this really makes me want to cry now ,

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PanelChair · 25/05/2023 20:43

I don’t think that’s going to help - obviously, if you had been quicker to ask whether she could return, and if she had still been on roll, it would or should have been easy to move her back, but that ship has sailed. I think your strongest argument here is about her attendance and school refusal, but mention anything which shows that this school is the best fit for her.

Original poster
Myspace123 · 25/05/2023 20:26

@PanelChair sorry my daughter started the current school march 3rd 2023 and the email they sent asking the school if she was on roll - off roll was on April 5th 2023 , [redacted] still had her on roll at the school even though she had been at her current school a month

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Original poster
Myspace123 · 25/05/2023 20:22

@PanelChair unfortunately I don’t think she is on the roll now , the email they sent was in April, but I emailed [redacted] admissions before in march about her going back to the school and I rang the school , so if I realised she was on roll still a month after she left I would have been able to take her back to the school ugh . Can I bring this up in the appeal ? Is it worth mentioning

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PanelChair · 25/05/2023 18:19

Are they suggesting that your daughter is still on roll now, or that she was for a month after she changed schools? I would normally expect a child to be taken off roll at the old school as soon as they were on roll at the new school (which sometimes takes a few weeks if it’s a managed move). You need to get to the bottom of this because, if she is still on roll at the old school, then she’s still counted in their pupil numbers and you can tell them she’ll be coming back to reclaim her place.

I can’t say how or why the other pupils joined the school. It might be because they joined the waiting list in a higher category than you (and so were first to be offered places) or they might have been admitted with an ECHP or via the Fair Access Protocol.