Should I appeal? Didn't get in -please help

[sadmum1000]

Hi, I'm a first time poster and another that didn't get in the school we wanted.

DS got into local school which was not catchment. We were v happy and he's been there two years and made lots of friends. At the time, siblings were priority so we accepted place happily.

This year the LEA changed conditions and siblings out of catchment are low on list. DS2 didn't get place and I'm devasted. Kids are very close and desperate to go to school together, I've not slept for 9 months worrying.

Should I appeal? I'm so unhappy about splitting the family/ have no support/ will lose job shortly and already low income etc but think this doesn't count. And as there are more families closer to the school in same position and
with the same sibling problem, not sure whether to put myself through more stress by appealing.

Any advice ... please?

Definately appeal, otherwise you will always wonder whether you could have changed things to get both children at the same school.

We successfully appealed a few years ago and whilst it was stressful we got the decision we wanted.

First things first make an appointment to go and look at the school you have been allocated. You can then demonstrate on your appeal form that you have considered the offered school for a reason rather than just saying no to it.

Search for threads under Unquietdad, when we were going through our appeal he was invaluable, not sure if he is still around?

Will think of more.......

Tell us more. What is the Published Admission Number (PAN) for the school? If it is 30/60/90, this will be an infant class size appeal. The only way to win an infant class size appeal is by demonstrating that there has been a serious error which meant that your child lost out on the place they should have received, or the decision was so unreasonable that it ought not to stand. If it's not an ICS appeal, you have more of a chance - you need to show that the prejudice (ie disadvantage) to your child in not attending the school is greater than the prejudice to the school in admitting another pupil.

If this is an ICS appeal, I think your best (maybe only) argument is that the change in the oversubscription criteria was unreasonable - that when you joined the school you had a reasonable expectation that your younger child would get a place and so the goalposts have shifted. How sympathetic the panel will be, I don't know. You mention that this is not a unique problem, that other families are in the same situation, and the panel may feel that it should be a case of 'local schools for local children'.

If this isn't an ICS appeal, you can bring in any other arguments about the benefits to your children of being at the same school. Your circumstances (job loss, ease of travelling, school run) still won't come into it - the arguments need to be about why your child needs to be at this school.

It's worth appealing, but go into it with your eyes open. You need a fallback plan for what will happen if you don't win. Could your younger child's school take your older child too?

Did they give you a good school for DS2? If you haven't visited or read up about them on their website, why not have a look at the one they have allocated your DS2. If it is quite good, consider asking them to take your DS1 as I understand (if Panelmember can confirm this?) it is less of a problem with class sizes at an older age - I am guessing from your post he is Year 2? - I know it does mean that DS1 is separated from his friends but in many instances children change schools at Year 3 anyway (if they went to an infant school) so it is not really that drastic a change - plus, your DS1 could change schools at the start of the new school year, so it's not like you're pulling him out halfway through the year. Am guessing the new school isn't that far from home? If appeal to send both to DS1's school doesn't work, this might be the way to go. Of course if they are brothers it would be nice, easier (and logical) to have them in same school - and you can also use hand-me-down uniform for DS2, which is a practical advantage. I have friends who do 2 school runs because their son and daughter are in single sex schools - they have chosen this and don't mind too much but of course they acknowledge it is so much easier if it were the same school! Good luck, am kind of in the same boat of not getting school of choice so you have my sympathies.

Hi I am likely to be in your situation next year. My DD1 is currently in reception in a catholic school (and is catholic too). In previous years the criteria has been catholics in catchment, then catholic siblings (any area) and so catchment comes before siblings as it has to serve parish (understandably). Every year, intake has included siblings but this year for the first time the number within the catchment has been so high that it never made it to criteria 2 and as such siblings have been separated. My DD2 doesn't start til next year but i have been informed that she may now not get in. I have already looked into another school (not catholic as there's only 1) to prepare and it is not oversubscribed - although another out of catchment. I have decided that i will send her to the new school and transfer her in year 3 were numbers can exceed 30 (the heads has said this should be fine- and possibly Y2). Maybe you could look into this? My dd2 is in pre-school at my daughters school and i much prefer it and as such feel its better to move DD2 than take them both to an ok school. Logistically it will be a problem but i have decided that DD1 will have to be slightly late in the mornings (tough on the school i say as they should let her in!) as paying for wrap around care will be £250 a month for the sake of 10 mins either side! I get that they serve a particular parish but feel they shouldn't take kids if they can't commit to the family - i am totally biased of course :)

Thanks for your replies. I feel I may as well appeal even though I don't expect it to change matters. At least I'll know I did what I can.

It's a single entry school with only 30 places so it would be a infant class size appeal. There are at least a dozen people in front of me on the waiting list, all of which will appeal too I presume.

I think like kitkat1000, one child will just have to be late every morning and I'll have to pay for after school club at £8 a day just for the sake of 10 minutes.