Just done a school admission appeal

[corpsebrid3]

And it's 2 hours later and I'm still shaking and borderline tearful with nerves.

Just wanted a handhold because I've not got anyone IRL I can get comfort from.

It was on Microsoft teams, felt formal and it was very alien to me. Found it difficult to get my point across and hated the experience of it. I'm glad I didn't have to do it in person - would have been even more anxious. I'd read online that other people found the process welcoming and informal. Whilst it wasn't hostile, it was stilted and prickly.

Don't want to go into the specifics of the case but the bare bones were oversubscription and DS being badly placed with the LA offer.

Got another appeal next week so I'm hoping that is less uncomfortable. I'm so out of practice in speaking up for myself.

Don't want to go into the specifics of the case but the bare bones were oversubscription and DS being badly placed with the LA offer.

Primary or secondary?

You need to get across why the advantage to your DS of going to the school outweighs any disadvantage to the school of taking on an extra pupil.
However if it is a primary infant class size appeal that isn't good enough and you need to show error (or other exceptional circumstances I think but am not sure).

It is stressful and I expect that the panel are used to emotional parents - I appealed for a secondary place and felt quite tearful at the time. Good luck with the appeal, OP, and remember that you are appealing for the school not against the one you've been given.

Good luck, I hope you win but if you don't it won't be anything to do with you, all the oversubscription appeals get balanced against each other and you have no way of knowing the misfortunes of the other appellants. I hope the result comes fast to put you out of your agony and I will keep my finger crossed for you.

It's for year 7 entry in Sept 2020.

Just wish I had more confidence when trying to get my point across. I focused on his needs and I don't feel anxious about the outcome. I'm not saying I don't care about it but feel like if they understand his case then they'll be the right school for him. If not, we've dodged a bullet.

Hope other people are finding it easier than me!

The first appeal was unsuccessful. It's all a bit shit but the prejudice to the school would have apparently been greater than the prejudice to him.

I burst into tears at the end of ours. I wouldn't worry about being emotional.
Good luck.

Waiting for the result of the second this week.

It's not been a pleasant experience, I know I had no option but to do them with none of our six choices being offered but I'm seriously thinking of moving house for DD8.

Sorry to hear this, you are doing the right thing by appealing and with any luck you will get the second one. If not then definitely do look into moving, it will change your position on the waiting list if you move closer to the school which, if that results in a place, could potentially give your dd sibling priority. I was surprised to learn how many pupils leave our local highly over subscribed Grammar school each year, it results in around 3 places becoming available in each of yrs 8 and 9 which is a gift to those who missed out in year 7 or just moved into the area.

I feel for you, I’ve had to do it twice, once for primary and another for a secondary school place mid year, and it was very stressful and emotional but be firm in your argument

Don't want to go into the specifics of the case but the bare bones were oversubscription and DS being badly placed with the LA offer.
What does this mean? Have you really based your argument on your not being happy with the place you were allocated?
This is the basis of all appeals...

I’ve been through the process and found it incredibly draining. The actual appeal meeting was well run though and the panel were kind and made sure I was given all the time I wanted to get my point across.I did find it really difficult.

if they understand his case then they'll be the right school for him. If not, we've dodged a bullet The people deciding, the panel, aren’t from the school.

I cried, shook, mumbled and stumbled my way through my appeal. They've seen it all op and the panel are often very kind and supportive. Good luck

It’s shit isn’t it.

I found it very formal and I knew there was just no way it was going to succeed. They pretty much said i could buy a car for transport and they didn’t care if that affected my ability to work.

Mind you after the school representative had said her bit i don’t think I wanted my child at those schools anyway. They made it sound like the school was horrendously overrun with badly behaved children the teachers couldn’t control, with no desks as there wasn’t room they were packed in so tightly...