Secondary school appeal

[Uklondon1]

Hi
Can I get advice please for secondary school appeal and do we stand a chance to win the appeal. I made inyear application for year 9 for my son in Redbridge we were out of country for sometime recently moved back. He didn’t get a place in any of the nearest sec school put on waiting list and constantly moving up and down the list. Currently on 8 of appealed school. I have appealed on the basis of multi reasons my son has social anxiety and fear of travelling alone due to knife crimes (not under any professional ). He’s not willing to travel bus to the offered school 2 miles. I can’t pick and drop bc I have a sick child at home to look after I gave up my career to look after her she’s prone to get infections and then hospitalisation and younger son in year 6. I have applied for my other child for year 7 and most likely he will get admission in 2020 since it’s in catchment. DS got admission in the same school 2 years ago but due to relocation lost the place.
Please advise if on the basis of above do we have a chance?? Really stressed DS is v bright but missing his studies is aggravating his anxiety LA isn’t helpful I explained my circumstances but not helpful.
Thanks in advance for the reply

You will need to demonstrate why this school best suits your ds needs and that this outweighs the potential effect on the other children at the school. Unless you get medical opinion to this effect anxiety is unlikely to carry much weight, nor will your logistical problems. Have the LA offered another school? Could he travel with other children?

Yes he was offered a place where bus is needed 30 minutes journey. DS is not confident and pushing him will aggravate his anxiety he doesn’t have any friend in that school. Also he has read ofstead and reviews of school which has made him more reluctant.
I don’t know what should I do I don’t see any hope I know with appeal chances are v slim bc school is oversubscribed,this year out of 44 only two appeals were allowed. He’s on waiting list and in two schools he went down to no 1 position and then went up ?? to 5

Is the bus door to door? Has he ever attended there, could you afford taxi to get him used to the journey? Tbh it seems a mistake to allow him to refuse based purely on reputation and it will not influence LA decision.

Unless your son has a letter from a professional to back up his anxiety I'm afraid it won't hold up much weight. It would be perfectly reasonable to expect a year 9 to get a bus for 30mins. Can I ask, do you also not like this school? I'm assuming if he is flat out not attending it than you also share the same views of this school.
If your other child will get a place from next year than your son will go on top of the waiting list. This is how my sister got into my secondary school when they were in year 8 and 9. I got in and they went on top as siblings. If you get to appeal you could use that as an argument and really push the anxiety argument and the fact he has previously attended so you have proof this school does work for him. I would not get your hopes up however as I would expect an appeal panel to have some sort of medical proof of a 14 year old not being able to handle a short bus journey. You can mention that their sibling will attend but obv not having a secured space it is a theoretic argument.

Also, as harsh as it is, there are thousands of London kids travelling on busses in areas riddled with knife crime (let's be real what London area isn't). There are lots of precautions he can take, eg sitting downstairs and no headphones or obvious logos out. Can he not at least try this school whilst you wait for the appeal or at least a sibling place in the other school? What do you plan on doing if you lose? I would suggest whatever that plan is to start it now. It'll ease your child's anxiety and mean that if you lose the appeal at least they're in a familiar routine. Than it is not the end of the world and you can wait for a sibling place in March when y7 places are allocated.

The appeals panel will not take into account that your younger child might get a place next year, it's irrelevant until they are actively attending the school. Also sibling priority may or may not get him into a higher category, it depends on the school's oversubscription criteria, in some schools it is not one of the criteria.

Is there a specific issue with the school bus, has he experienced violence or has there been a knife incident on the bus?

@MrsMaiselsMuff very true! I meant my comment only assuming that it is a oversubscription criteria.

Thanks all for your reply
There’s a sibling priority in school over subscription criteria but yes ds2 hasn’t got a place yet. DS was out of country for almost 3 years in a complete different environment he’s never used public transport alone due to anxiety now suddenly pushing him will make things worse. I am a child and adolescent mental health professional and I know he needs desensitisation but can’t be done over night it needs plenty of time. Taxi is not an option.
Any advice regarding school have sent their case stating admitting extra child will prejudice others especially pupils with physical disability as they have small class rooms, corridors etc

Sounds like a standard response. You need to demonstrate what beyond being local means this school specifically meets his needs (clubs, gcse options, pastoral care for his mh issues supported by hcp etc) , a 30 min journey to alternative is perfectly reasonable at 14 even in London.

It can be difficult securing a place through appeal but you will need to demonstrate the reasons your child should have a place over the offers school . Distance is often moan reasons for appeal so you could express your child’s anxieties travelling on transport , explain you feel he is at risk of being separate and from friends which will have a big impact on his social interaction especially if you are just setting in to an area also look at what the school offers for example some specialise put enthusiasm in certain subjects Like music or sports. If your child has extra curricular activities you can link with the schools interests you can gather letters or certificates as prove this school is most suited.

If he has anxiety issues, and the chance of success at appeal is very slim, I would be singing the praises of the other school (saying the Ofsted report etc is just a snapshot of the school etc) and making arrangements to get him to the other school until he's comfortable enough to travel by public transport. Is your H around? Could he take him? If its unlikely you'll get a place at the 1st choice school, you need to be doing everything to make the offered school look like a good option for your son.

So you taking him isn’t an option
Taxi isn’t an option
Bus isn’t an option.

It’s 2 miles - can he ride a bike? Walk?

As others have said, you will need professional evidence about your son's anxiety issues to win on the basis of distance. The panel will take the view that two miles is not an unreasonable distance and he could walk if he is uncomfortable with public transport. Even though you are a professional, the panel is unlikely to give too much weight to your views as you are his parent. They would want evidence from someone who is independent and is clearly expressing their own view, not repeating yours. You can still try on this basis and you may strike it lucky but it would be better if you could strengthen your case by showing that this school offers things that are particularly relevant to your son and that he will miss out if he is not admitted. For example, if they have a lot of extracurricular musical activities and your son is musically gifted, that would help.

The school's case to refuse admission sounds fairly standard. Do they give the sizes of the "small" classrooms? Do they say they have pupils with physical disabilities? Is the school under or over capacity overall (i.e. looking at all years, not just Y9)?

I have already thinking about offered schools and what arrangements could be done ???started talking to DS about the school offered but it’s easier said than done. This whole admission and appeal process is daunting but I will give it a try based on the above reasons and also outstanding GCSE results in sciences which my DS is interested I have got DS outstanding results from past years also school has excellent personal development curriculum including safety in and out of the school and pastoral care . Siblings priority and catchment
I Thank you everyone one your advices are valuable and gave me some useful information

School gave PAN of last year year 7-9 only year 8 have 182 over the limit otherwise its 180 per year. They gave no of year 9 SEN , no classroom or corridors sizes are mentioned but stated they are small and there are pupils with wheelchairs.

When considering physical size of classrooms, there is a amount per pupil, x amount per staff member. If there are classes with children with physical needs like a wheelchair they require additional space and turning space. Each appeal is specific to that school, physical space, staffing needs, additional work load on teachers including marking and the needs of the children already in that school,storage needs plus the knock on effect to future years is all considered.
Travel is no part of the appeal unless your son or you have limiting physical needs. It is not unreasonable to expect a child to walk 3 miles, catch a bus or bike to school. Your working arrangements are outside the panels remit. If your other child has permanent severe medical needs how this impacts on your life might have some advantage. The starting point is any school can cater for all and any child unless you prove otherwise. Being good in a subject is meaningless if other schools provide the same provision.
You need to speak to Council travel to school providers about your sons needs and if he qualifies for any support. This is a separate issue to any appeal. If the Council provide transport then he can attend any school.
Any statement 're health must be supported by a minimum of a Doctor who must name the school and the medical reasons for this. The panel do not have to give weight to incorrect or unsupported medical evidence.
Once the other child starts in Sept 20 you will have a sibling link. But if the school is still full it won't make any difference. Sit down and look at the facts you have and work on these, not your/ his fears or wants.

Out of interest, if you cannot leave the house to take your year 9 DS to school, how does your year 6 child get to school?

Marching frogs people should not be judgemental when they don’t know about the circumstances someone is going through if you can’t help then please don’t be a source of stress with your comments

@Uklondon1 my question was not intended to be a source of stress, but I can assure you that if you make the statement that you can't take one DC to school because of a DC requiring you to stay at home, but somehow, another DC, still of primary age, gets to school, a member of the appeal panel is bound to ask exactly the same question. As in, why can't whoever takes that DC take the older one who won't get on a bus to travel? There may be a perfectly reasonable answer, but I would be very surprised if it wasn't asked.

Just as whatever the school states in its case for not admitting any child over its current number can be questioned by yourself or the panel, so can any statement that you make in your case be questioned by the panel or the school's presenting officer.

But confused. He was originally accepted for yr 7 but you relocated. He has also been out of the country for 3 years? How many schools has he attended since age 4? How old is the youngest and do they attend school or are they HE?
The panel will ask you questions to clarify any information as pp
said.