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Original poster

An important reminder about school admissions..

33 replies

BertrandRussell · 01/03/2019 07:10

...even if you don’t get the school you want accept the one you get then appeal. If you reject the place you’ve been offered, the LEA can then put you at the very bottom of the list and give you any place in any of their schools. Which might be the worst school in the LEA, one that’s completely inaccessible to you. Accept-then appeal.

OP posts:
GerryblewuptheER · 01/03/2019 07:15

Yes that's good advice.

Round here last yr the distances changed dramatically. Alot of people didbt put a certain school on their list got given it anyway then rejected it.

Numbers showed that event he undesirable schools were all over subscribed by the end of it.

God knows what happened to people and where they ended up.

Theres nothing that can be done that cant be done having accepted the place!

I will add also that it would he a good idea to check what the school buses and local.bus service is doing. There have been timetable changes and route cancellations round here that have created problems.

ShivD · 01/03/2019 07:20

Thank you for the advice.

Heatherjayne1972 · 01/03/2019 08:00

But surely if you accept the place they have no incentive to give you the school you wanted as you have accepted the place

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
NorthernLurker · 01/03/2019 08:04

It doesn't work like that Heatherjayne. Councils have a responsibility to provide a school not meet your wishes.
You can appeal for a school because it will better meet your child's needs but not accepting the place you have won't help that appeal at all. You can't hold them to ransom.

clarrylove · 01/03/2019 08:11

I thought the advice was to accept the place and go on the waiting list for your preferred school. To lodge an appeal, you need to have suitable grounds.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 01/03/2019 08:11

“But surely if you accept the place they have no incentive to give you the school you wanted as you have accepted the place“

It honestly doesn’t work like that. Their job is essentially done when they have offered you a place. If you don’t accept it they just slot you in to whichever place is available at the end of the process. Appeals are a different process.

OP posts:
Heatherjayne1972 · 01/03/2019 08:14

The school my son has been offered is utterly unsuitable. He can’t get there his older sis goes to the school we applied for and younger sibling is at primary still
So no way I can get 3 kids to 3 different schools ( and myself to work before 8am)

It’s impossible- he has adhd so can’t trust him on the bus alone
He’d just randomly decide to go somewhere else
So it’s not holding anyone to ransom or ‘suiting my needs’
It’s just not going to happen - I’m just worried that by accepting a place I’m stuck with it

myrtleWilson · 01/03/2019 08:17

But if you reject Heather then the LA doesn't have to do anything to find you a school. They have discharged their duty. What you may end up with is a school that is even further away or not suitable....
You don't get bumped up the waiting lists by having rejected a place

Accept the school offer, check out waiting lists, start an appeal.
Start a thread on here for appeal advice - there are lots of experts who will help I promise.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 01/03/2019 08:18

“It’s just not going to happen - I’m just worried that by accepting a place I’m stuck with it”

No. Accepting the place won’t make any difference to waiting lists or appeals. It just means you won’t be offered something even more unsuitable if push comes to shove at the end of the process.

OP posts:
Original poster
BertrandRussell · 01/03/2019 08:19

Does your son have a statement-or whatever they are called nowadays?

OP posts:
AornisHades · 01/03/2019 08:21

Heather accept it and go on the waiting list for the school you want. Check that they did know he has a sibling at the school and consider appealing on the grounds of his ADHD.

SnuggyBuggy · 01/03/2019 08:23

What if you would prefer to home school than accept the place given? I assume you should then still accept in the hope that a more suitable school place might become available. Is that right?

JiltedJohnsJulie · 01/03/2019 08:24

Very timely reminder Bertrand Smile

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 01/03/2019 08:31

“What if you would prefer to home school than accept the place given? I assume you should then still accept in the hope that a more suitable school place might become available. Is that right?“
Still accept. Things can change a lot between now and September. Accepting doesn’t oblige you to send your child to the school. Just don’t shut ANY doors. Even if it’s a door tou’re sure you don’t want to go through

OP posts:
Heatherjayne1972 · 01/03/2019 08:35

He’s not statemented no
But I made it clear about the sibling already there and his additional needs
It appears to have been ignored

ThunderStorms · 01/03/2019 08:38

Have you received an email? I’ve been on to the website and next to the secondary place is 'offered' in brackets. No email, nowhere to confirm of decline. Just worried I’m missing something. It all seems so terribly low key.

myrtleWilson · 01/03/2019 08:39

where did sibling come in the admission criteria heather?

myrtleWilson · 01/03/2019 08:41

Sorry pressed too soon heather - what was the order of admission criteria heather so if sibling was number 2 after LAC there does seem to be an error. If sibling was number 5 (for example) they may have made all their offers before getting to those in category 5.

TeenTimesTwo · 01/03/2019 08:43

Snuggy Yes, accept the offered school, go on waiting lists / appeal. If come August you want to home school then decline then.

On the Secondary board some very helpful appeals people are very active this time of year. Post a thread with appeal in the title and they will help.

I'm not an expert, only an interested bystander.

You have to appeal for the school you want not against the offered school. You have to show why it is better. You can use many arguments except Ofsted rating and results. e.g

  • extra curricular
  • random things offered e.g. Latin
  • pastoral care
You need to show why your child will be more disadvantaged by not attending than the school will be by taking an extra pupil.

e.g. Your child excels at trumpet, preferred school has brass band, offered does not
Your child has been doing 'latin club' at primary, preferred school offers latin offered does not
Your child has documented additional pastoral needs, and e.g. uses quiet area at lunch. Preferred school has special quiet lunch facilities, offered school does not.

heather I am not sure to what extent travel can be taken into account. Even if your DS needs you to accompany, they may think elder DD could travel independently. Post a thread in secondary titled 'Secondary Appeal, ADHD and travel issues' or something.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 01/03/2019 08:44

Heather- do the schools admissions criteria mention siblings?
Have you got any supporting paperwork for your son’s additional needs?

OP posts:
averythinline · 01/03/2019 08:44

double check they saw the sibling in....we had this and actually the system had not picked up the sibling field... talk to the admissions team to check first -
the advice we were given were to accept then appeal based on their mistake - so lodged an appeal but it never actually got as far as the appeal panel as they sorted it.... even though its all computerised mistakes can happen...

AornisHades · 01/03/2019 08:45

Heather getting them to consider under medical exceptional grounds is very difficult but the bar at appeal is lower. We had to go to appeal last year.
Your letter should tell you which category on the admissions criteria he fell into.

havingtochangeusernameagain · 01/03/2019 14:59

I know people who have successfully appealed (in Hampshire) based on not being able to be in two places at the same time so it might work even at secondary level.

In our town we have several separate infant and junior school but some are on same site or close to each other. Friend's ds was at one infant school. He was allocated a place in a different linked junior school while younger sibling was given place in ds' infant school. Friend appealed both places, won one appeal and got sibling into linked school of older son's new junior school. Hope that makes sense!

shreyatesim26 · 01/03/2019 19:54

how do know what rank your child on to the secondary school of interest

Atthebottomofthegarden · 01/03/2019 20:56

Phone them on Monday