I need some Admissions/Appeal advice please

[SuePBlovesaDiamondJubilee]

Help.

I am very likely to move to a small town this summer - it's a mutual housing association exchange. At the viewing stage ATM but all being well, in the next couple of months.

I've been researching and the nearest school is full for Yr1. As is the other school on 'my' side of town. In fact the only schools with places are either faith schools (Catholic and I'm very much not) or waaaaaaaay over the other side of town - which would make life very difficult - I'm a LP and work back on 'my' side. The schools I wanted also offer wrap around care (clubs etc) and the schools with places don't.

The admissions people say I cannot put in an application until I have some paperwork concerning the move - which is fair enough - and then will be rejected for 'my' schools automatically. I can go on a waiting list but I don't hold out much hope. I can also appeal but as the nearest has a class over 30, it's not going to happen.

But they then said that one of the schools - an academy - could indicate they'd be willing to accommodate my application and that it would go through. Does this sound likely - is it then a case of lobbying the academy school and basically asking them to intervene? And can that even apply if the class size is over 30?

Any advice gratefully received

Academies are bound by infant class size rules and are also required to follow the Admissions Code. However, if they don't operate a waiting list (as this is Y1 they don't have to) or the waiting list is empty you may have a good chance of getting a place. As some LA-controlled schools ignore the rules when it suits them, I wouldn't be surprised if some academies do too.

Thank you, it does seem odd but that's what the man at the admissions office said. I'm hoping it's the case as I don't have very strong appeal grounds.

Maybe they don't have any space whatsoever but know that they have to find a space under fair access protocol, and that space may as well be somewhere you want!