To be this upset about a school place

[cdoth]

Been in tears since I found out my DS didn't get offered a place at the school I applied for.

For background - he has significant speech delay and is on the pathway for an autism diagnosis. He is currently at the nursery of the school we put as our first choice, he is really settled there and they have been fantastic with regards to his SEN. They are helping us to gather as much evidence as possible for his EHCP. The school is also the closest one to us.

I am distraught with worry for what the future holds for him now having to go to a completely new school. I can't stop crying because this seems so unfair for him. He is not good with new places/people, when he started his current nursery last year it took weeks for him to settle in because he was so upset. And for him to have to go through that again genuinely breaks my heart.

I know we can appeal but I don't feel hopeful. Has anybody else been in the same situation? I just don't know where to go from here now.

@Kennykenkencat That sounds extremely dodgy. If they did take an offered place away then the original recipient would have had very strong grounds for appeal if they hadn't gained the place back. I believe that the general rule of thumb seems to be that 3 days is a reasonable timeframe for an offered place to be taken away (and even then only for a genuine error), and after that then offered places should stand.

Yes. The EHCP is what you get after a needs assessment. A needs assessment is what happens after they agree to assess.

I cannot emphasise this enough, you need to go to IPSEA’s website and read everything.

The EHCNA is the needs assessment you first request. If the LA agree to assess (they don’t always and if that happens you should appeal) they will then decide whether to issue an EHCP or not.

That the decision not to admit was unreasonable, based on the evidence and my sons SEN.

The OP didn’t apply based on their child’s SEN.

Neither did I, but that doesn't mean it was not relevant to the case, the appeal and my son. I'm sorry if stating facts is bothering you.....

I mean if the admissions team don't know that they have SEN and by this I mean a proper designation, then they can hardly place children according to that criteria.

You cannot appeal a decision in the way you’re describing.

Hmm, OK then. But, I did and it was upheld. Point 5 below of the school admission appeal code 🤷‍♀️

^If your reasons for your child to be admitted outweigh the school’s reasons for not admitting any more children at all, your appeal will be upheld.

That doesn’t apply in the context of this appeal. Read the rest.

I have read the rest and all the other PPs that you have disagreed with. Some people (me included) posting here are trying to support @cdoth by sharing their own personal experiences, if you don't believe us, that's fine. I have neither the time or inclination to argue with you.

Sometimes @cdoth it feels as though the world is against you, I walked into the appeal room to a chair and table with a box of tissues as they did not expect it to go my way, yet it did. Be strong and just keep reminding yourself why you doing this 💐

Do not frame providing accurate legally based advice as some kind of unhelpful opinion. It’s not.

Actually, in a prejudice appeal, you can. There will be many situations where a school doesn't have an 'exceptional medical or social need' category, and a child doesn't have an EHCP, but the child does have SEN. It's perfectly acceptable for a parent to make their case in part, or wholly, about their child's SEN. The appeals panel isn't bound by the confines of the original criteria for admission in a prejudice appeal. They are simply deciding whether the school's case that they are full means that they are too full or whether they should bear the inconvenience of admitting an extra child because their need outweighs the prejudice to the school.

But I remember now that we're talking about an ICS appeal, so prejudice won't apply.

In all honesty, @niugboo is absolutely right to caution @cdoth about relying on an EHCP to sort this out in the short term.

Thank you. I cannot tell you how many parents I have to support who are in a mess because of poor advice and so called hope. It’s so harmful.

Tbh, it's heartbreaking because it's very hard to get support without fighting. I've lost count of the bad 'advice' that I've been given by schools and colleges. Much of it is absolutely false, not just slightly inaccurate.

A lot of wrong advice floating around too. It literally keeps me employed.

Can you get the professional Al involved Ed uo write a recommendation as to why he should stay? A friends gs has bad speech delay with anxieties and the S&L 'backed' with how it would be in his interests to continue and how negatively a move would be on his progress and ability to cope with those changes...
His was over turned but i realise its hard x

Sadly, DC whose parents know the system and can advocate for them get better support, which is why earlier in the thread I responded to a poster that I don’t think settings perpetuating myths due to ignorance should be excused because it is the most vulnerable who suffer.

Sadly that's so true. My DD was out of school due to ASD & anxiety. At the same time, another child in her year was out of school because of anxiety (tbh, possibly other stuff, but I don't know them well). I knew enough to push for an EHCP and made the application myself when school said DD2 wouldn't meet the criteria. My child ended up in a very expensive independent specialist school. The other lady ended up with court fines and eventually deregistered her child to avoid further court action. I tried to support a little bit didn't know them well enough to properly help her and she was so beaten by the system.

Its not always catchment that takes priority either. In some areas its continuity of education. If you have managed to get a place in a feeder first school even if you're out of catchment you are above those in catchment for middle and high school.

It shouldn’t be that way. Unfortunately it isn’t going to change any time soon.

Get him on the waiting list. You would be amazed at how much movement there is even for popular schools. Proceed with the EHCP. Speak to nursery about him staying for another year if needs be. Cover all your bases. And it WILL work out ok eventually.

Waiting list, waiting list after end of July most people leave the waiting list. Play the patient, positive waiting game 🤓

As the mum of 2 kids with additional needs I just wanted to say hang on in there as this is likely to be your first fight of many to get the help and support your child needs and deserves. We have an organisation called SENAC in northern ireland that helps with this sort of thing, do they have that or similar in your area? Educate yourself and arm yourself with as much information and back up from supporting charities etc as possible then make a total nuisance of yourself but very politely. Call/email daily until you get a response, the Ed psych that was involved with my eldest was retiring and didn't give a flying f and she told me that only the ones that shout the loudest get heard and all the rest are ignored. Obviously she didn't mean literally shout as that's the quickest way to get yourself dismissed but be really annoying by being constant on at them and quoting relevant laws, name drop etc and you'll find the path becomes a lot smoother as they realise this isn't a parent who's going to be ignored but will actively advocate for their child. Absolutely cry when you need to, its a valid response but once the tears are over head high and fight my love. Best of luck x