How can 'exceptional medical grounds' help your application?

[kathy20122]

Dear all,

This will be my first time to apply for my child to go to primary school and I would appreciate deeply your help.

The distances from my home to the two nearest schools are very close. One school is about 500 metres away, while another is 600. However, the latter is a much better one.

I was wondering if I can use the "exception medical grounds" to support my child's case. She was born prematurely. In the latest assessment by her doctor, her gross motor development was said to be slower than other children.

I am thinking of handing in the doctor's supporting letter. However, honestly, I am not sure why the letter can support my argument for the 'better' school. Or maybe it will simply make the admissions team send my child to the nearest school even though its academic records are weak.

Could you pls give your advice?

My sincere thanks,

Where that is used as an oversubscription criterion, it is meant for those cases where a medical professional confirms that the child has a particular medical need which that school can cater for better than any alternative school. A general statement that a child has additional needs is not enough; all schools are expected to cater for a range of needs and there has to be some clear linkage between the child's needs and the provision at the school. So, if your daughter's motor difficulties mean she cannot walk far and needs to go to the school closest to home, then that might put you within the 'medical need' category.

I can't, though, immediately see any link between your daughter's motor development and the better but more distant school. Does it have some specialist provision that isn't available at the other school? Does it have therapists based there? If not, I doubt you'll qualify under the exceptional medical need criterion.

I agree with CitGM.
A parent would need to show what the one school can offer (which is needed by the child) that the other one can't. 100m less to walk wouldn't really cut the mustard.

And supporting letters from HCP need to do more than state a diagnosis. They need to state precisely what - in their professional opinion - is required from the school to support the child. Then it needs to be demonstrated why school X is the only one which can offer it (either directly by HCP, or by you relating their clear statement to actual unique facilities/provision).

Yes. A health care professional's letter that simply says 'this child has this condition' will carry very little weight. The LEA (or later the appeal panel) needs to see that it is the HCP's opinion - not just the parent's - that the child needs a place at the preferred school, because it is uniquely equipped to meet the child's need.

Can I ask a question - and I hope I don't offend you OP?
Do you have concerns about how your child will manage in school with her developmental difficulties, or are you looking to get the best OFSTED/Academic choice of school?
I ask as I tried to use medical social reasons for my DS to get to a better thought of school. Even though it was vaguely supported by OT, paediatrician etc, it was not considered. He did however get to that school - and it was a disaster. They did not have a good grasp of his difficulties at all.
I moved him to a closer school, less well regarded, and he has flourished. The school has much more experience in supporting children with medical needs/SN/SEN - and it shows.
Think carefully as to what it is that you want for your child. A happy child learns.

It doesn't sound like it would help in your case.
Our old school has no upstairs classrooms while our current school has 3 floors so a child who can't climb stairs well would be better off at the first rather than second school.

Agree that it sounds unlikely that it would apply to your child, unless there are specific needs - eg wheelchair access / therapists etc

You seem to be saying you want to use medical grounds to apply to the school that is a little further away. Unless they have specific therapists etc there then there shouldn't be any reason to do so. Asthma is one reason that might be upheld for getting into a nearer school, but it doesn't sound like you have any grounds here, you just want a better school.

OP - we all want the best school for our children. I agree with other posters that an application based on medical grounds would be useless. The only way that works is when you can show that the school and that one alone is the only possible school for your child.

I sit on an appeals panel and believe me, even children with quite serious medical issues such as diabetes or disabilities do not succeed if they cannot show why it has to be a particular school.

If it is a genuine issue (i.e. if your child cannot walk far) I would mention it and send supporting information in case you don't get either school and need to appeal later on. Make it clear however that 100m does not make a difference and you prefer the further school. If you have to appeal later on the panel will ask why you didn't mention it on your application.

Please do not fall into the trap of NOT naming your nearest school and possibly ending up with something a lot worse and far away.

Thanks to everyone for your kind and helpful advice. I have read your comments a few times and think I cannot use this medical argument to help my child's case.

The forum is very informative. Again, pls accept my sincere thanks.

Different Local Authorities use this criteria or don't use this criteria and there are massive differences between LA that do around what they accept as medical criteria. You need to apply before the cut off date and supply the necessary medical evidence to prove your case
From your post I would be confident in my LA that they would not accept our application to be considered under the medical criteria. They would say that gross motor development being slower than average can be handled at any school and that if necessary outside resources bought in to help. There is no suggestion that this needs specific schools.
Other LAs may be more generous in how they accept such cases but as others have said, why would the other school be appropriate other than it is perceived as being a better school, which admission rules do not allow any way.

It really depends what you mean by "better" school if you mean that the 600 m school has the best OFSTED report, than that may not mean that school is the best suited for your child.
I have a daughter that was born prematurely and has a medical condition, so I know where you are coming from, but my LEA has no criteria for medical needs so wasn't able to apply under this category.
However I really would recommend that you visit BOTH schools before submitting your application and ask questions about how they would support your child. When we did this it was very enlightening, both schools claimed that they could deal with my child's needs, but only one response seemed genuine (the body language gave things away).
Also to reassure you my premature daughter as coped with school well and did manage to "catch" up her peers in the areas that she was considered to be "behind" on at the pre-school checks.
HTH