School admission - through the back door....

[An0n82]

Good evening, I have an appeal hearing coming up where our first choice secondary school was refused due to being oversubscribed.

I think we have a really strong case as in all previous years we would have got in on geographical grounds (2012 was a very high birth year and so we ve missed out by 0.21 of a mile), my daughter is the only one from her year going to the school allocated and she lost her father in 2020 and her friends and the community that she's been a part of (a small village community) in terms of school, clubs, church etc got her through that extremely difficult time in her life. Her allocated school is in a town in the opposite direction. Winston's Wish worked with my daughter and have written a supporting letter. There are other factors also including her MyPlan and relying on public transport.

I have just found out that someone has either won their appeal or bypassed the process altogether and got their child admitted on the basis that Mum used to work there.... They live as close/far as me and have no other basis for appeal. What do we think about this? Is this allowed? Should I mention how they've seemingly allowed themselves to become even more over subscribed for a friend of the school? So clearly they can take more children.

I should add that 200 parents appealed and 198 lost. But this ladies son is in....

How have you found this out? How can you know that that's the reason? You can't possibly know that for certain. Or that they have 'no possible reason for appeal'

You are in danger of making a fool of yourself at your appeal if you talk about this. Although you can ask the school how they have accommodated children before I wouldn't bring up this specific child.

I'd stick to the facts regarding your own daughter and why this school is the best school for her.

I hope your appeal goes well.

I think it would be truly astonishing if that's the reason. Why do you think you know everything about her case?

I would not mention anyone else's child at appeal. You can't know 100% why they have been admitted- we have admitted at appeal on child protection matters, police involvement with the family etc, that would not necessarily have been apparent.

Well I wouldn’t be astonished. I am no longer naive to the level of corruption in education having experienced it myself but you won’t know the reason this person’s DC got a place. You can’t know all their business - child medical condition, social services involvement, special education needs that may not only be due disabilities (they may well have just got an EHCP issued naming this school and school have to admit), the child could have previously been in local authority care (adopted?) so would have preference.

Unless you are 100% sure it was due to the parent being previously employed (e.g she’s your a relative and even then you may not know all her business). I wouldn’t mention it at all.

As per the others, how do you know this is the case? And how do you know it is the only reason? In any case, it won’t help your appeal, the reasons for admitting him, no matter what they are, have no bearing on your appeal. The only thing that might make a difference is if they have told you that they cannot go over 131 pupils (for example) and they already have 131 pupils, but with this extra pupil they actually have 132 but haven’t disclosed it. But honestly, your own grounds are good so you may win the appeal anyway.

Maybe the appeal was won because she was still employed at the school at the time of application and now at the time of appeal, she no longer is? Could be a possible explanation?

You have to show that the detriment to your child by not being given a place outweighs the detriment to the school by taking an extra pupil. What does the school offer that the allocated school doesn’t?

It wouldn’t be wise to comment on anyone else’s situation or potential place. You need to focus on your child and how she would benefit from the school you want, rather than the school you got. Is there a particular talent or interest she has that is offered by the school you want, but not the other? They might argue that any school can offer pastoral support and secondary age children are expected to travel independently, for the most part.

I live next to an oversubscribed school. One of the criteria is if the parent is working at the school and has been for at least 2 years. Shocking if that's the only reason they've let them have a place. Your daughter is much more deserving :(

Shocking if that's the only reason they've let them have a place. Your daughter is much more deserving :(

But schools have been forced into having this as a criteria as they can't recruit or keep staff.

That might be the reason she is telling people, but it might not be the full story. For example, the child could be adopted and have got in on those grounds, or could have SEN.

You wouldn’t necessarily want to tell the whole world your business if you won your appeal, and likely neither does the other child’s mother.

Your appeal could just as easily be spun as “oh Anon appealed because she didn’t want her daughter to go to a different school to all her friends, and they let her in even though she lived outside the catchment area” - obviously that isn’t the full story, but I doubt you are hearing the full story here either.

Parents lie. Especially to other parents. Especially when they have stuff to hide.
I would really doubt the reason you have been given 3rd hand.
Concentrate on your own application.
Ffs remember it's an appeal that the process was handled incorrectly - not an appeal to the better natures of the panel.
Have you been given the reason why your place was declined in the appeal paperwork?
Does your daughter meet any of the exceptions for numbers in a classroom? Push this hard if so.

I think your appeal is not especially strong. It needs to focus more on why that school can only meet her needs, previous distance is irrelevant, as is walking unless their is a medical need. I’d concentrate on that rather than someone else.

I'd guess she was staff at the point of application and this criteria is higher than distance.