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Original poster

Is it worth appealing? DD so unhappy [sad]

47 replies

MayorMumbum · 04/03/2019 09:12

DD found out on Friday that she has not been offered any place at her preferred secondary schools and has instead been allocated a place at the local secondary which is just unacceptable for her and in special measures. Recently voted worst in the country, etc.
DD is a very anxious child and has been in a consistent state of panic since Friday. She is terrified of going to this school due to its reputation and all the members of her friendship circle are going to her preferred school. I'm trying to figure out if we have any basis for an appeal/whether it's even worth appealing.
She has anxiety but I'm not sure I could get a GP letter and I'm struggling to see anything that her preferred school can offer over the one she has been offered that a panel will consider as I know you can't run the offered school down (despite no one I know willingly wanting to send their child there).
Any advice would be invaluable as I'm desperate to fix this for her, she's so unhappy and anxious and absoloutely cannot attend the school she has been offered. I'm prepared to home educate rather than her go there (though I've accepted the place for now)
Thanks!

OP posts:
EduCated · 04/03/2019 09:19

First things first, check you are on the waiting list for the preferred school(s).

On a very basic level, you have nothing to lose by appealing, other than time and effort, and you never know the school might present a very weak case/you might have a particularly sympathetic panel.

Others will give better advice than me about constructing an appeal - have a look at the threads in the Secondary Education board.

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 04/03/2019 09:23

On the waiting lists for all of them automatically. They said to call on Friday to find out her position.
Her preferred school took children from 1.5 miles away and we are 1.6 miles away so it feels particularly unfair/infuriating but maybe that means we will be higher on the waiting list?
Despite how unhappy she is and how unsuitable her offered school is I can't help but feel our basis for appeal is quite weak Sad.

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SoupDragon · 04/03/2019 09:24

Look at other schools to see if there are any acceptable ones further away that you might have originally discounted. Go on the waiting list for any that are preferable (I think you can go on as many waiting lists as you like?)

SoupDragon · 04/03/2019 09:27

In our area, there is a fair amount of initial movement as people turn down the state offers in favour of a place at a private school.

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 04/03/2019 09:40

There are no schools within a reasonable distance of us with spaces. The council lady has said that no one is even allowed to turn down a place this year as there are literally no places anywhere.
I'm our area very few children go to private school and there aren't many schools that aren't in special measures let alone rated good so I'm not sure how much movement there will be Sad.
It's just breaking my heart, she's such a good girl with such a big heart and works so hard and I feel like I've let her down. I've never really not been able to fix something for her iyswim.

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BertrandRussell · 04/03/2019 09:43

Have you visited the school she’s been allocated? Is there anything about it you can use to sell it to her?

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 04/03/2019 09:46

If your dd has anxiety you need to get a doctors note of some description. This will be the basis of your appeal

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 04/03/2019 09:51

Bertrand trust me if there was anything remotely positive about the school offered she would be going there. It's not fit for purpose or safe (think stabbings, sexual assaults). This isn't about me wanting a top performing school with a glowing ofsted report (though that would be nice!) it's because I would genuinely worry about her safety by attending, which is why I didn't list it and why I'm prepared to home educate instead.

OP posts:
Original poster
MayorMumbum · 04/03/2019 09:56

Regarding the Dr's letter she has only seen one a while ago and I'm not sure they would write a letter to help me.
DD is well aware of the reputation of said school due to one of said stabbings affecting a friend's sibling and last night she had a panic attack despite my assurances I won't be sending her there. It's just such a mess.

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 04/03/2019 10:05

Would her primary school head support an appeal?

BertrandRussell · 04/03/2019 10:06

How long has the school been in Special Measures?

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 04/03/2019 10:10

The school has been in special measures since 2017. Her teachers are well aware of her anxieties so they may write a letter in support of this. How much weight that will carry with the panel I don't know. One of her teachers outright said to me on Friday that it wasn't a suitable school for her.

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BertrandRussell · 04/03/2019 10:13

What do the follow up inspections say? Any improvement? I’m looking for any scraps of daylight here!

IggyPoppers · 04/03/2019 10:19

Well realistically you're unlikely succeed on appeal but you might get waitlist. Can you move closer to the preferred school? Usually the problem is that even if you're #1 on the waitlist if someone moves closer to the school and applies you're bumped to #2. Would applying to private school (there must be 1!) and going for a bursary be an option? You're just going to have to tell your daughter you will sort it but not give her the options until you have a firm one.

FanDabbyFloozy · 04/03/2019 11:08

Would applying to private school (there must be 1!) and going for a bursary be an option?
I think it's too late. You might find a private school with places but not bursary places. The schools that still have places tend not to be those with big bursary pots.

You can of course appeal - there's plenty of advice on how to achieve a good outcome - but ultimately unless you're prepared to home educate, you will need to start engaging with this offered school. Are there friends-of-friends that could help sell it to her (and you)?

I agree it's very unfair that any child has to go to a school where their safety is in doubt. You have my full sympathy.

IggyPoppers · 04/03/2019 11:58

I was more thinking if she did a year of home Ed/private tuition and plugged any gaps then applied for private with a bursary. At the same time she could be on the waitlist for the state school

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 04/03/2019 12:04

Yeah we are leaning towards home ed for a year and applying for the grammar for year 8/staying on the waiting list for her preferred school. I just know it will make her anxiety so much worse living with uncertainty though and she has to miss out on the excitement of a first day at school with all of her friends. It's heartbreaking. Maybe there will be a miracle and we will get it overturned at appeal or a spot will open up. Its our first time going through secondary school applications and I think I was a bit naive. Had no idea what a nightmare it is!

OP posts:
EduCated · 04/03/2019 12:17

I know this is really hard, but please do think through what will happen if you don’t get the place you want by the end of year 8. Is home educating indefinitely a viable option?

prh47bridge · 04/03/2019 12:18

Unless you are lucky with the appeal panel you will struggle to win an appeal on the basis of your daughter's anxiety. You are absolutely right that you need to find things the school you want offers that are not available at the allocated school and that are particularly relevant to your daughter. That could be subjects or extracurricular activities.

You should appeal. You have nothing to lose. Even if your case is weak, it may be that the school's case to refuse admission will be so weak that almost any appeal will succeed. But appeals are always uncertain so don't rely on winning.

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 04/03/2019 12:48

I'm prepared to home school indefinitely if it means keeping her out of her offered school. Or we will have no choice other than to move somewhere with available spaces but as I have two other DC's who are very happy and settled in their primary school and DH is able to walk to work (we don't have a car) moving is a last resort.
It's honestly not a decision I would make lightly. I'm physically disabled and was hoping to begin a degree in September. If the school was in any way acceptable she would go. But I can't send my anxiety filled, precious and sensitive DD to a school that has to hire private security to stop the children attacking staff and each other.

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DinkyDaisy · 06/03/2019 06:48

Just wondering where this school is.
Worst in the country? Violence? Sounds awful.
However, my child goes to a secondary still not recovered from a poor reputation from many years and in a 'disadvantaged' area. He is thriving and getting so many opportunities. Still undersubscribed and I hear the anxiety from parents fearful of school and distorted stories.
Clearly, the school you are avoiding maybe as bad as you describe but make sure it is and don't go simply on 'reputation.'
Apologies if this irritates you. I am obviously not aware of facts about this school.

BertrandRussell · 06/03/2019 06:57

Yes, I was going to ask that. Are you absolutely sure that the school is as bad as you think? Have you visited? As it’s in special measures, what are the follow up inspections looking like?

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 06/03/2019 07:09

The school is a few miles outside of Birmingham. I promise you I'm not exaggerating. The ofsted follow up from January kept it in special measures but did say improvements were being made, I just don't feel that it has improved enough and I don't know a single parent who is happy to send their child there. I just know its the wrong fit for DD. She is struggling severely with her anxiety right now (this school situation hasn't helped) and can barely cope with her lovely supportive primary.

I'm worried sick about her to be honest, she has had a horrible year and she desperately needed not just a fresh start, but to be excited for it too. Instead she's even worse and I can barely get her to go to school at the moment Sad.

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Candace19 · 06/03/2019 07:12

If it gets to panel you'd need to demonstrate that it would be worse for your DD to not have a place than it would be for the school to accept her. Unfortunately the bar is high.

Like previous people have said you could be offered a place via the waiting list. I'd submit an appeal to start the ball moving.

BertrandRussell · 06/03/2019 07:21

Have you visited?