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Original poster

Do we have grounds for appeal? Am I'm being overly optimistic...

28 replies

localnotail · 03/03/2024 16:16

Hi everyone, I'm trying to sort things out in my head so feeling all stressed and been asking a few people on here via DM, which is probably not the way forward. So decided just to put it out here for people to comment on. It might be outing but I don't really care as I'm at the end of my tether with all this...

So here's what happened:

  • We got our 4th choice school. Good school but huge and new
  • Its 35 minutes bus ride and 10 minutes walk away from us - over 3km away
  • All DS's friends ended up in 2 schools which were 1st and 2nd on our list – no idea how, some live further away than us. We are within 1km of both schools.
  • DS was sure he will get into our preferred school, or at least the other two so now is massively depressed and upset, as you might imagine. None of his friends are going to the school we got. We used to live close to the no.1 choice school until 2 years ago, he grew up next to it and was always convinced that's where he is going.
  • DS is quite immature and can’t travel by himself on a bus, we are working on it but at the moment he cant do it. He is quite terrified of the prospect - I know it will be ok eventually but I wont be able to help him even for a few months while he is getting used to it, as I work all day. I was hoping he will be ok with it by now but he is still fearful and I don't want to push him too hard.
  • I’m a single parent, work full time, get back home at 7:30 and rely heavily on my Childminder. She will look after him after school and check he does homework but he will have to travel by himself to hers, on a different bus/ different route, also about 30-40 minutes.

I will, of course, accept the school we got, will try to make DM to feel good about it and accepts the fact he might have to go there; will work on the travelling issue and will make sure we are on the lists for all the three top preferred schools. However, going to the first preferred school would make both our lives so much easier...So I was advised to try an appeal too. But I'm not sure if I have any grounds for it... so this is what I have so far:

  • I know this school take on kids during the year. They usually end up with a lot of kids leaving/ joining in the first year - as many as 10
  • Our preferred school is not a big school, great academically and has a right balance of discipline and fun, which I think would benefit my kid immensely. It also have a great policy re homework, where they do it at school rather than home (not a club but compulsory). This would be ideal for him.
  • Its 15 minutes walk from us and 10 minutes walk from the Childminder’s house, which would mean he could be much more independent straight away. Its not the same as taking the bus and crossing several busy roads.
  • It will have all his friends in there, al the people he grew up with and this school takes kids from his primary school regularly. He already has friends there from years above him

With all that I understand my case is very slim, but do you think I should try appeal anyway? Like I said, I will call the LED and the school to make sure I’m on the waiting list etc. Is there anything else I could do?

OP posts:
clary · 03/03/2024 16:54

Yeh agree with others - make sure you are on the WL for all and any preferred schools (inc any that you did not apply to if there are any you prefer). Sounds as tho you may get a place that way.

And I also agree - probe the allocation carefully. If a number of people you know live further away yet still got in there are three possibilities:

  • They have some need which pushes them up the list - school named on EHCP, LAC, sibling etc
  • There is a catchment area issue - you can live near a school but not be in catchment and someone further away may be in catchment and get in
  • The allocation was incorrectly handled

If it's the third you should be allocated a place. But tbh I would imagine it is the first one - it usually is. Not everyone broadcasts the fact that their DC is adopted.

As a matter of urgency you need to start supporting your ds to be more independent - little trip to the local shop, call round on a friend on his own - if he doesn't already do those things. YY a secondary school aged child at a childminder is very unusual.

SpringOfContentment · 03/03/2024 16:40

Do those living further away have siblings in the school? Or do you believe you would be in the same admission category as some of them?

I would would out what admissions category you think you should have been in, and ask the LEA what category they placed you in, and how far away the last admitted distance was for your category. If others living further away have got in (and no weird quirks about catchment areas or nearest schools coming into play) there might have been a mistake.

Otherwise, there isn't a strong case, imo, in your appeal facts. It is slightly unusual to have a childminder for a secondary school child. Are there SEN needs at play?

Male sure you get on the waiting list for all schools that would be better than the one you've been allocated. Good luck!

Pamperpartypooper · 03/03/2024 16:21

I can imagine how gutted you must both feel and you have my total sympathy. Sadly, I doubt any of these reasons would be considered by an appeal panel. You mention that all his friends got in, even those living further away. This might be worth looking into - were the admissions criteria correctly applied.
Make sure you get his name on the waiting lists. There is likely to be some movement and you may still get a place this way. Good luck. 🤞

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