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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

No primary school offered. Thinking of appealing on the following grounds....is it worth it?

37 replies

pollmeister · 11/05/2011 10:02

My daughter didnt get offered a place anywhere. My first choice is where she currently goes to nursery and is the nearest to my house (973m). There were only 60 places - HALF of these went to siblings. We are about 29th on the waiting list. The teachers there cannot believe she hasnt got in, and pull me aside regularly to ask what the latest is (they are very fond of my daughter).
I am thinking of appealing on what are probably feeble grounds. Of course I have the obvious grounds: I work full-time (at home), dont drive etc. My husband cannot help with school runs as he leaves the house before 7am every day. But the most important thing for me is because my daughter is an only child I want her to have friends that live locally, who she sees in the local park, live down the road etc. Also my parents help me a lot but they are both over 70 and quite infirm (my mother has a disabled badge) - they can only manage short journeys (to pick her up from school) - they live about a mile from this school.
Is it worth it? Im clutching at straws arent I?

OP posts:

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trixymalixy · 11/05/2011 10:05

I think the fact that you haven't been offered a place anywhere is your grounds for appeal, the rest isn't valid I dont think.

pinkmagic1 · 11/05/2011 10:07

What an earth are you meant to do if she hasn't been offered a place anywhere? This is terrible. I also think this alone is reasonable grounds for appeal.

MiraNova · 11/05/2011 10:12

what a difficult situation for you. They do have to provide you with somewhere, and I think if it's more than a 2 mile walk, they have to provide transport as well. They won't usually take any account of childcare, friends etc, because most people have those challenges and they can't just admit everyone - but I know how difficult it is and I really sympathise.

Your best bet is to ensure you are on all the local waiting lists - they do move, and sometimes quite a lot - good luck.

GypsyMoth · 11/05/2011 10:13

they wont care about your domestic arrangements,but getting no place AT ALL is shocking!!

what are you supposed to do??

if she's not in school the EWO will be on your back,if she has no school,then what is the answer?

Original poster

pollmeister · 11/05/2011 10:24

Thanks all. There will be a second round of offers next week I think. I guess they will give me a place somewhere I dont want. A helpful man at the council told me that it was highly unlikely Id get my place at West Wimbledon Primary School (my first choice) being so far down the list. I am about 60th on the list for my second choice!

OP posts:

NerfHerder · 11/05/2011 10:56

I am astonished that in London there are no schools closer your home than 1km! How is that possible?

And yes- how on earth do you appeal when no school has been offered?

Original poster

pollmeister · 11/05/2011 11:04

There is a faith school that is nearer - but that is out of the question for me. In Merton - they measure distance by how the crow flies. So if youre a 10 min walk to the school you would still lose out to someone who was a 20 min walk if they live nearer as the crow flies. Annoying.

OP posts:

NerfHerder · 11/05/2011 11:30

Faith school would be a complete no no for me too!

YvieE · 11/05/2011 11:37

Pollmeister was Dundonald one of your choices? They are putting on an extra bulge class there.

Original poster

pollmeister · 11/05/2011 12:37

YvieE - I head about Dundonald's extra class - hence the council not telling us about waiting lists until the effect of that kicked in - but no - not one of my choices (too far) but I think that will have a minimal knock-on effect of the waiting lists around here (Im in Motspur Park/Raynes Park). My second choice was Hollymount (parents live round the corner)...oh pie in the sky...

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dixiechick1975 · 11/05/2011 12:59

Practically can she stay in nursery - funding will continue until term she is 5.

My DD goes to a school in the town I work (private) due to not getting a place locally.

She is an only and I was concerned re local friends. She has joined rainbows at the church around the corner so mixes with local girls this way.

PatriciaHolm · 11/05/2011 13:06

Unfortunately, none of your reasons should win you an appeal. For a reception place in a school with 30/60/90 places, You would need to show that a mistake had been made in not giving your child a place, and it doesn't seem that it has.

They must find you a space somewhere though, though as you say it may be somewhere you don't want. You can go on other waiting lists for other schools though, not just the ones you initially applied for - does that help at all?

LIZS · 11/05/2011 13:12

Did you only express 2 choices ? Sorry but unless a non-sibling more than 973m away has been admitted ahead of your dd you don't really have grounds to appeal. Have they told you the maximum distance of those admitted ?

Original poster

pollmeister · 11/05/2011 13:14

PatriciaHolm: Yes Ive added 3 extras to my original list - but dont hold out much hope - there was one with spaces - but since I applied it just got an 'Outstanding' Offstead report, so even that one will be difficult to get into now I reckon (its a bit far too, but Im starting to be resigned to having to walk a couple of miles). Grrrrrr.

OP posts:

Highlander · 11/05/2011 13:16

I cannot believe that 30 children live within 900m of the school, surely?

Original poster

pollmeister · 11/05/2011 13:16

LIZS: I put 3 choices. The max distance is about 725m : (

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LIZS · 11/05/2011 13:18

There may be others within the 30 though ie. looked after and special circumstances & SEN.

jimswifein1964 · 11/05/2011 13:22

I'm really trying to get a grasp of the distances but I'm rubbish at estimating! Can someone please tell me how long it would take an adult to walk 973m??!! Our school is about 13 min walk with no kids, and ds was the only nursery child not to get a place (got one when someone didnt accept theirs in time).

Original poster

pollmeister · 11/05/2011 13:24

Jimswifein1964: at 973m it takes me about 10 minutes to walk (if my DD has her scooter!) and 15 if she is walking (this is measured as the crow flies though - but Im pretty direct)

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jimswifein1964 · 11/05/2011 13:34

Ah, so we're probably about the same distance as you are. Everyone seems to live closer to school than we do, its quite tricky re playing after school sometimes - but everyone was still shocked thatwe didnt get a place. We did get 2nd choice tho. Your LEA is obliged to find you a school place, unfortunately it can be anywher ein the borough

exexpat · 11/05/2011 13:38

Highlander - there are a few areas round here (Bristol) where families living within 500m of three different schools can't get a place at any of them - the furthest distance of children accepted for reception places can be as little as 175m when you are talking about fairly densely populated, family-friendly areas in cities.

Original poster

pollmeister · 11/05/2011 13:45

Its annoying because it was orginally a 'failing' school about 4 years ago and no-one wanted to go there (some of the upper classes only have 20 pupils in the class) then it got a new head-teacher blah blah blah, got an 'Outstanding' Oftead wotsit and now its the most popular in the borough!

I hope I am not expected to take up a place at a school in Mitcham. I would rather move (and it's more the distance - not the place - if there was a rubbish school on my doorstep I would be happy to go there)

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NerfHerder · 11/05/2011 13:47

Arf Highlander- do you live in the Highlands?

Schools near me have cut offs around 500m- 90 intake. Even Secondary schools (150 intake) have 500m intakes sometimes.

1 school has a block of flats across the road from the playground, so effectively only room for 5 children outside that towerblock one year.

Original poster

pollmeister · 11/05/2011 13:56

NerfHerder: Blimey thats a shocker! Yeah, my hopeless first choice is right next to a council estate.....

OP posts:

panelmember · 11/05/2011 14:43

Your appeal will be considered under the infant class size regulations so (as has been said) you have to pinpoint some error or maladministration. Although the panel will no doubt be sympathetic, none of the factors you mention are compelling enough to suggest that, under the School Admissions Code, the decision not to give you a place at the first choice school was wrong.

However, it is unacceptable for your LEA not to offer you a place anywhere - they have to find places for everyone who wants them. You need to be persistent in demanding to know where and when they will find a place for your child. You also need to join waiting lists for any schools that you would be willing to accept. You can then appeal for any school where you have not been offered a place. If (by that stage) you still do not have a place anywhere, there is an outside chance that an appeal panel would allow your appeal, simply to give you a place in a school. As I said, strictly speaking that ought not to happen, but panels do sometimes allow appeals where (according to the letter of the law) they should not.

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