School Admission Appeal

[KM8]

My LO did not get a place at the 1st preference school we wanted and has been given a place at the catchment school which we did not want.
She has been attending the nursery there and I know this isn’t a factor in a school place being offered but I really hoped she would get in. We have chosen to appeal and she is on the waiting list for a place.
I have been made aware that a child living 4 miles away with no EHCP, no siblings, no a looked after child and not a catchment area child has been allocated a place when we live 0.7 miles away and haven’t been allocated a place. I was told they would check the electoral roll against the address you put down, clearly this other person has slipped the loophole, or has put a false address down!

Ive phoned admissions daily in case there is a place that has become available and sent an appeal letter in to the LA. I can’t sleep for worrying about this. The school she has been given - she is the only child from the school going there and will not know anyone.

You need to demonstrate an error was made and your dc was denied the place, where are you on the wl? Are you certain about the other child, not all circumstances are that evident or publicly known. Lots of kids will be joining Reception knowing noone so don’t stress about that. There will be transition events to familiarise you and your dc with new school.

Thanks for replying! I know the academy that her allocated school is under and I just don’t want my child there. We looked around and it wasn’t for us hence why we chose the school she is currently at for FS1. I know the information about the lucky 4 mile child because she is a friend of a friend - I’m honestly just so upset.
She is 1st on the list however they need a child to give up a place before she can get in.
Also I’m worried as late applications are processed next week that they will push my daughter further down the list if they meet the admission criteria - they should be made to wait in my opinion.

It’s very difficult to win a appeal for FS2 if ICS (infant class size) comes into pay – in other words if the school has full classes of 30. What is the basis of your appeal? Did you miss gaining a place due to distance?

The child living four miles away is most likely being admitted for a reason you are not aware of – they may be adopted for example.

If I were you I would really talk up the allocated school to your child. If it is nearby they will soon get to know people and have local friends.

Also I’m worried as late applications are processed next week that they will push my daughter further down the list if they meet the admission criteria - they should be made to wait in my opinion.

For how long would you like them to be made to wait? Imagine that tomorrow your employer / your OH's employer drops the bombshell that the local office is closing and it's move to the one 100 miles away or redundancy- how long do you think your DC should be made to wait at the bottom of the waiting list for all the schools in your new locality, should you decide that employment 100 miles away is better than none where you are?

If you have a genuine reason to suspect that the other parent has committed address fraud, then pass your suspicion on to the LA admissions team ASAP.

"We looked around and it wasn’t for us hence why we chose the school she is currently at for FS1." @KM8 you didn't choose a school. It's a state school so you apply to the council and you state a preference. You may well not be entitled to this place. By all means appeal, but unless there's a proven error, you'll just have to wait your turn.

The other mum is a friend of a friend, you clearly don't know her well enough to say no criteria higher up the list applies.

Our DC are adopted and I'm pretty sure nobody who is not our actual friend would know that.

Also I’m worried as late applications are processed next week that they will push my daughter further down the list if they meet the admission criteria - they should be made to wait in my opinion.

Leaving aside your personal situation, surely you can see this is unworkable? Applications are rarely late because the parents couldn’t be arsed to fill in the form on time. Job changes, divorce, moving to look after elderly relatives, landlord selling up, house move that was due to complete but fell through/got delayed - these are all “good reasons” for a late application and a child moving from out of area has no offered local place yet, whereas at least you have a local place, just not your preferred one.