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Original poster

Secondary School Appeal- Help

58 replies

greenoak1234 · 29/01/2023 22:54

I currently live near secondary schools that are all oversubscribed.

I have applied for a secondary school place but have been offered a school that is 2.98 mile from my house, that is a two bus journey and 50 minutes away. I am aware the LA state that this a reasonable distance but it is an unsuitable school for my child as it stressful for her travel independently.

I appealed to a school nearest to us but it was refused.

My child is suffering with anxiety as she is not in school and desperately want to attend a school that she can travel to with out distress. Her anxiety will settle once back in school.

I have appealed to other schools too and I waiting for a response. Please can I have advise to be successful with an appeal?

OP posts:
Original poster
greenoak1234 · 30/01/2023 08:06

We have moved to the area.

Anxiety is because my child can’t independently access the school offered. My child used to get a school bus which was a short and straightforward journey.

OP posts:
Hellocatshome · 30/01/2023 08:07

greenoak1234 · 30/01/2023 08:06

We have moved to the area.

Anxiety is because my child can’t independently access the school offered. My child used to get a school bus which was a short and straightforward journey.

Yes but why can't she? Does she have a diagnosed condition that means she can't make the journey alone?

LIZS · 30/01/2023 08:08

When did you move? Was the application late or In Year? It may take two buses but could she walk part way to pick up one. Do others do the same journey?

Original poster
greenoak1234 · 30/01/2023 08:09

Thank you for your information. It has been helpful

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 30/01/2023 08:09

greenoak1234 · 30/01/2023 08:06

We have moved to the area.

Anxiety is because my child can’t independently access the school offered. My child used to get a school bus which was a short and straightforward journey.

How many times has she done the journey to her allocated school? Surely there must be others that have to travel, maybe she could be put in a form with sone of them? Have you actually taken her to visit the school, talked to the pastoral team there? Could she cycle to school?

Original poster
greenoak1234 · 30/01/2023 08:11

LIZS · 30/01/2023 08:08

When did you move? Was the application late or In Year? It may take two buses but could she walk part way to pick up one. Do others do the same journey?

No one does the same journey. My child will have to travel alone as I walk my other 4 children to school

OP posts:
Lougle · 30/01/2023 08:14

@greenoak1234 I'm going to be blunt. Nobody will be able to help you if you repeatedly say that it will cause 'stress'. Unfortunately, the panel are not able to take the commute into account as it's a reasonable distance, unless you have a compelling reason why it is unreasonable given your Dd's needs. What we can help with is grounds for appeal, if you give any other information about your DD other than 'it's stressful'.

MetalFences · 30/01/2023 08:15

Anxiety is because my child can’t independently access the school offered. My child used to get a school bus which was a short and straightforward journey.

I understand this but what the appeal panel will be saying is that you need to help her to overcome this. They do find the transition to secondary difficult.

When my dd went we did the journey together, then we did it together but separately where we pretended we didn't know each other on the bus. She got on and off first. We talked about where she would sit on the bus and what she would do if she got off at the wrong stop.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 30/01/2023 08:16

Is she on waitlists for the more local schools?

Original poster
greenoak1234 · 30/01/2023 08:17

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 30/01/2023 08:16

Is she on waitlists for the more local schools?

Yes

OP posts:
Sublimeursula · 30/01/2023 08:19

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Sublimeursula · 30/01/2023 08:20

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BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 30/01/2023 08:33

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What makes you say that? They moved in-year and OP says she was fine travelling to her last school.

PanelChair · 30/01/2023 08:33

I am puzzled by the reasons given for the refusal of your previous appeal. Saying (in effect) “you should have appealed to other schools apart from us” isn't (in my view) a valid reason for refusal because it doesn’t address the question of whether or not the appeal school can accommodate your child.

What is the school talking about when it says your child would require pastoral support? What kind of support will they need and what evidence did you give to the panel? If you can show that the other schools you’re appealing to could meet those pastoral needs, that might be something which will help your appeal.

The difficulty here is that the appeal panel is quite likely to be sympathetic to the argument that your child needs to be in school for their well-being, but may question why (I’m assuming) you turned down the offered place and have kept them off roll. You haven’t (I think) said how long they’ve been off roll.

LIZS · 30/01/2023 08:34

No one does the same journey. My child will have to travel alone as I walk my other 4 children to school

I meant other pupils. Would the school buddy your dd up to support her with the journey? What approaches have you made to allocated school to help her with the transition.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 30/01/2023 08:35

Isn't the appeals process that you appeal directly to the school your child didn't get in to, and wxain why that school is the right place for your child to go to based on what they offer, specifically to the child's needs and interests?

FeinCuroxiVooz · 30/01/2023 08:43

is the school actually ok in itself? Are you using the distance and journey stress as an acceptable alternative because you know that "I don't want my child to go to that awful place" isn't going to wash, and because there's a nicer leafy-suburb school you're hoping to be offered?

The stress of commute is not an adequate reason. it's been months since September when she should have started. yes an unfamiliar route is stressful but the solution is to make it familiar.

My DC's school is also 2.9 miles away. DC has diagnosed autism and anxiety issues as well as Executive Function difficulties so the idea of the commute was daunting. However, the school is the best match and nearer schools with an easier commute wouldn't meet needs as well. we practiced the journey together numerous times on Saturdays and during school holidays in the runup to starting. DC has a phone and we kept in constant communication at first when they were doing it alone, but this is no longer necessary, it's become totally familiar and is no longer a source of stress or anxiety. The route notionally requires 2 buses but actually DC prefers to just get a bus for the longer of the 2 sections and walks the other unless it is raining or a day that needs sports kit/extra bags.

school appeals almost never take the commute into account anyway but even if they did your reasons are clearly inadequate, and it's correct that this appeal failed.

Either support your child to be able to cope with the commute, move closer to the school or think of a compelling reason to appeal for a closer school that has nothing to do with the commute distance

Original poster
greenoak1234 · 30/01/2023 08:46

Thank so for all your points.

Moving forward, please can you give me any examples of how to prepare for the next appeal?

OP posts:
myrtleWilson · 30/01/2023 08:50

posters have already given you this insight - appeal for a school - what does the school offer that is particularly relevant to your daughter. E.g. school offers fencing as a sport and your daughter has been fencing since she was 9...

LIZS · 30/01/2023 08:52

It has to be about the specific things the school offers that your dd needs or can benefit from - subject options, cocurricular activities, pastoral or additional needs support. Just saying your dd is out of education because she finds the potential journey difficult is not enough.

PanelChair · 30/01/2023 08:58

Moving forward (and as I and several others have now said several times) you need to highlight reasons why the schools you’re appealing to would suit your child. You need to convince the panel that your child needs a place more than the school needs to stick to its published admissions number.

So (for example) if your child has a talent for musical theatre and this is the only school with an after-school musical theatre class, mention that. As I said earlier, you could mention your child’s need for pastoral care.

You could also mention that your child is anxious to return to school, but be aware that the panel might then question why (if I’m assuming correctly) you refused the other school place.

Original poster
greenoak1234 · 30/01/2023 09:01

Thank you all the posts

OP posts:
Original poster
greenoak1234 · 30/01/2023 09:06

PanelChair · 30/01/2023 08:33

I am puzzled by the reasons given for the refusal of your previous appeal. Saying (in effect) “you should have appealed to other schools apart from us” isn't (in my view) a valid reason for refusal because it doesn’t address the question of whether or not the appeal school can accommodate your child.

What is the school talking about when it says your child would require pastoral support? What kind of support will they need and what evidence did you give to the panel? If you can show that the other schools you’re appealing to could meet those pastoral needs, that might be something which will help your appeal.

The difficulty here is that the appeal panel is quite likely to be sympathetic to the argument that your child needs to be in school for their well-being, but may question why (I’m assuming) you turned down the offered place and have kept them off roll. You haven’t (I think) said how long they’ve been off roll.

Off roll for a week

OP posts:
CatOnTheChair · 30/01/2023 09:16

OK. So your 11 year old has just moved house, and gone to a new school - all since Christmas?
I think you need to give them a chance to get used to the new house, school and journey.

3 miles isn't a crazy distance (our catchment school is nearly 5, and we're not rural). Could she walk a bit further and just catch one bus?

Alternatively, as others have said, what can a closer school offer that this one cant? Something more concrete than an easier journey.

ChicCroissant · 30/01/2023 09:19

You must be in London to have a choice of schools that close to you OP,

If you have refused the place, then an appeal is the only option. As previous posters have said, you need to identify why that school is the best one for your daughte BUT you may not be able to appeal to the same school for a year so I would check that and look for another school.