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Original poster

Managed Move failure

29 replies

LeoDiCapricorn · 05/12/2022 19:47

Does anyone have advice for when a high school managed move fails. The move is based around poor attendance and school refusal at school A no issue with behaviour.

My child is on a managed move to school B but their attendance is poor due to depression and anxiety. They are on 74% attendance since September which includes a holiday of 8 days booked 2 years ago when child was at school A which had different holidays.

School A is still the main registered school but has no pastoral support for students and child struggles with bullying there and refused to attend.

We have a meeting at school B on Friday with school A attending I think they will refuse to take my child on a permanent move due to poor attendance
Child is under CAMHS for counselling and is prescribed medication for depression.

If school A & B refuses my child where can we go?
Thanks for any advice

OP posts:
upfucked · 05/12/2022 19:48

What does your child want? You can apply directly to other schools and see if they have space. If they don’t you can apply to the local education for a place under fair access and she will be given a place some where but it won’t be school B.

TeenDivided · 05/12/2022 19:54

I am surprised this was done under managed move?

If her attendance is low due to health (and better than at A) I would be pushing the LA to make them take her.

It may be that an EHCNA is needed?

Original poster
LeoDiCapricorn · 05/12/2022 19:56

Child wants to stay at school B but physically struggles to attend some days. But I think school B isn't prepared to accept poor attendance.

OP posts:
Original poster
LeoDiCapricorn · 05/12/2022 19:59

School A weren't sure about a managed move because their behaviour is excellent and they work hard in school.

But school B pushed this to be a managed move and now they are telling me the place is at risk because attendance isn't good enough. So managed move will fail. I'm so frustrated

OP posts:
TeenDivided · 05/12/2022 20:02

My DD had 75% attendance at college last year due to anxiety and depression, up from 0% (zero) in y11. She also has SpLD and about 3 weeks in to college they agreed to do an EHC needs assessment.

TeenDivided · 05/12/2022 20:03

@prh47bridge may be able to advise on legalities. The SEN boards can advise on ehcp eligibility and related issues.

upfucked · 05/12/2022 20:49

I’ve seen managed move used before for issues not due to behaviour. With a student who was bullied and who wanted to try out a new school without losing their previous place and for a student who had been in a behavioural PRU who was deemed suitable to return to mainstream but didn’t want to lose their place in a PRU. Both students had a successful managed one and then they had the opportunity to decide which place to stay.

LunaAndHerMoonDragons · 05/12/2022 21:24

I know what I'd do here, but the UK systems seems very different. It's really not ok to treat a child with MH struggles this way. Putting pressure on her to attend will make the situation worse. I'd be talking with the head and making it very clear their treatment of my child wasn't acceptable and escalating up the chain as far as I needed to go. I hope someone can give you advice on the relevant pathways in your system and your DD can get the support she needs.

realynotfair · 05/12/2022 21:28

My child is at 53% attendance due to mental health issues and has not been asked to leave. I'd push for whatever school you want and ask for an EHCP assessment so they have to put support in.

realynotfair · 05/12/2022 21:30

You could also ask for home schooling if appropriate and a tutor comes to your house / does online. I think you would need the EHCP for that.

JustKeepBuilding · 05/12/2022 22:07

If the manage move fails school A can’t just refuse to take DC back, they remain on their roll and the only way they can legally say DC can’t attend is by excluding them. And they can’t exclude because DC can’t attend due to their mental health.

I also think you should apply for an EHCNA - IPSEA have a model letter you can use. Whatever you do don’t deregister and EHE, parents often find it easier to get support when on a school’s roll even if DC doesn’t attend because you are someone’s problem whereas it’s easier for professionals to sweep DC’s needs under the carpet when EHE.

In addition to this, the LA should be providing DC with medical needs tuition if DC can’t attend school because of EBSA. This should have begun when it became clear DC would miss 15 days. If this isn’t in place email the LA’s Director of Children’s Service. You don’t need an EHCP for this.

When DD moved was there a place at school B? If so, you could have moved via the normal in year admissions process rather than via a managed move.

Original poster
LeoDiCapricorn · 05/12/2022 22:46

I'm not sure why we ended in a managed move. I can only think was that it's a different area although only 25 minutes away
I know school B is not full they pushed for the managed move. School A said they only did them for behaviour

School B are saying they can't have a student with poor attendance due to the pressure they are under following all the covid absences

School B have received autism assessments to complete from CAMHS which is still to be completed. Would this make a difference ?

OP posts:
prh47bridge · 05/12/2022 23:46

This should never have happened. If school B was not full, they should have accepted your son via an in-year application. They cannot take attendance into account when considering an in-year application. I suspect they pushed for a managed move simply so that they could take into account factors that are banned by the Admissions Code.

If you made an in-year application and were refused, you can appeal. However, you may have to fight to get one. In previous similar situations that I've encountered, schools have often refused to arrange an appeal on the basis that the managed move replaced the in-year application and there is no appeal against a failed managed move.

If you feel you were pressured into managed move, you should make a formal complaint to school B. If you exhaust their complaints procedure without getting anywhere, you may be able to refer the matter to the LA or the ESFA.

GC86 · 22/06/2023 00:06

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

JustKeepBuilding · 22/06/2023 08:55

You would be better starting your own thread.

Why is there a managed move if there are behavioural concerns and DD has never been in trouble?

prh47bridge · 22/06/2023 09:01

As the previous poster says, you should really have started your own thread. You may now get people responding to the OP who haven't noticed your post.

As with the previous poster, I am puzzled as to why a managed move was used if there are no behavioural concerns with your daughter. If her current school is trying to use this as a way of avoiding dealing with you, a managed move is wildly inappropriate. If you wanted to move your daughter to another school, a managed move was again inappropriate. Why was your daughter put through a managed move? Did you agree to it?

If the new school has places available, this should not have been a managed move. You can apply in the normal way, and they must offer you a place.

If it doesn't have places available, you should still be able to apply and appeal, although I have known schools to refuse an appeal in this situation so you may have to fight.

However, I would suggest that your first move should be to formally complain to the school through their complaints process. Remind them that decisions about a managed move should be based on your daughter's best interests, not on how easy they find it to deal with you.

JustKeepBuilding · 22/06/2023 09:04

Oops, I missed the vital word “no” out of my pp before “behavioural concerns”. That rather changes the meaning! I really should proof read my posts.

GC86 · 22/06/2023 12:10

The schools here had no places for the local children and left upwards of 40 without a senior school in our area. This was the only way in as my daughter has been out of education not home schooled the whole academic year. Over 20 appeals an she is on 4 wait lists.
I am pursuing this with the hope of a reversal in the decision but the managed move rules are very much they can do as they plz when they plz.
She is a good student no behavioural issues or disciplinary at all.
Last resort to get her into an educational setting.

JustKeepBuilding · 22/06/2023 13:37

This is very strange. A managed move isn’t appropriate in this case. If there are no places the Fair Access Protocol should kick in. Are you saying over 20 appeals have been unsuccessful despite the LA not offering an alternative school and DD missing education for nearly a year?

In the meantime, the LA must provide alternative arrangements to ensure DD receives an education.

prh47bridge · 22/06/2023 13:59

Agree with JustKeepBuilding. If you are in England, this should not be a managed move. A managed move is for a child that is already in education being moved to another school, normally to avoid a permanent exclusion.

If your daughter is not in education, I find it amazing that you have lost any appeals, let alone 20. The LA must find a place for your daughter somewhere. If they haven't done so, this is serious maladministration. The Fair Access Protocol should have kicked in and found a place for your daughter months ago.

GC86 · 22/06/2023 16:40

Sat the fAP there times each time they agreed with LA the only school with space was other side of the city. It's a massive problem here. So the MM was the last resort access route to take.

GC86 · 22/06/2023 16:43

FAP agreed with the LA for the school across the city. The 20appeals is including the individual school appeals one before the academic year one for in year transfer fAP and independent appeals panel.
Am at a loss. She is still on wait lists.
Any advice on other ways would be appreciated

TeenDivided · 22/06/2023 16:57

So there is a school with space which the LA has offered you and the FAP agrees with, you just don't find it acceptable?
How far away distance and travel time is this school?

How did you get anyone to agree a MM trial?

Why did the MM school decide they didn't like you?

JustKeepBuilding · 22/06/2023 17:18

So you have been offered a place, but turned it down? How far away is the other side of the city? Presumably within 1hr15 as that is what is generally considered the maximum reasonable travel time for secondary.

GC86 · 22/06/2023 20:07

The MM was offered. The school given is 1hr40on the buses if they run dot on time so over 3hr round trip to get DD to school an me to work.
Anyone have advice on next move or other avenues.
The LA determine distance as the crow flies not by time or actual logistics of travel which is a main point.
The MM school is yet to give an actual reason to anyone as to why. DD likes school wants to go.
Any advice from anyone.