School place offered in error by council, should we appeal?

[Schoolplaceerror]

NC to avoid this being connected to other threats.

we are relocating to another part of the country. Our younger son has been offered a school place at our preferred school.
this afternoon we received a message from the local authority offering our older son a space at the same school.

when I rang I was told it was an error by the council. They don’t have any space in the year group for older son.

what do we do now? Is it worth appealing?

obviously really disappointing for us and we still don’t know where our older son will go to school.

Sorry I should clarify that I rang the school to ask how to confirm and they have told me it’s an error

The council probably just haven’t told the school yet, schools have no choice in the matter. It’s the council that decides

Try a formal complaint to the Council.

Thanks both that’s helpful. I’ll try calling the council and will follow up with a complaint. We also now don’t know if we need to reapply or what’s going on. What a shambles!

Not necessarily. For schools that are academies, then it (or the trust it belongs to) is its own admission authority, and may well run its own in-year admissions. In which case, the council wouldn't necessarily have updated information, and shouldn't be offering places out on its behalf.

It is also established that if a place is offered in error, it can be withdrawn within a short period of time - it sounds here if it was withdrawn very quickly in which case that is allowed.

So is there no point in us appealing?
we have not heard from the council at all other than the letter offering the place.

I think just speak with the council first and see what there take is. Are you on the waiting list ?

You need to speak to the council. They may have decided your older son can have a place if the younger one does. We had to appeal for a place for our eldest but they conceded as our youngest had been offered a place already and they aren't as strict on class sizes in the older groups.

Thank you. I’m on a train with very patchy reception so haven’t called them yet. I’ll do so first thing.
at this stage I don’t know if we are on a waiting list as they only just ‚allocated‘ this place. I’ve already told the poor child and he‘s now quite upset that they made a mistake because he wants to be with his brother

As others have said, I would talk to the council - if they are the admissions authority for the school, they can make offers, and it may well be that it is just a miscommunication between them and school and all is fine: or it may be they have done something they shouldn't have, but either way you need to know!

if your request for a place has been refused, you can appeal - which year is this for? If it is above year 2, there is more flexibility in terms of going over 30 per class. You would still need it make a case that the detriment to your child of not attending was greater than the detriment to the school of taking another pupil into a full class.

Mistakes happen. Try not to make it too emotional. Call them and find the facts and move from there, don’t go in all guns blazing saying ‘great now my sons crying’.

Thanks that’s helpful. Year 5 so fingers crossed.

There are some posters here who are experts in school admissions. I seem to remember that if a place is offered in error it has to be withdrawn within a “reasonable “ time frame - less than 5 working days. So in your position if I had a written offer and no written withdrawal of tht offer I would keep quiet until the five days had elapsed. Will strengthen your case if you appeal.

Thanks @Beentheredonethat98 - sadly we had another email pop through just before 5.30pm to offer another school. No direct withdrawal of the previous place though…

thank you everyone who gave advice.