Reception appeal! Plz helllpp x

[Sabzy]

Hi im very new to this. Im looking for some advice plz, i need help n would appreciate it alot. My daughter started nursery late and so she applied late for reception. We wer nt told to apply again within the school or anything, her teachers never mentioned it to me at all. So they ended up rejecting her n the other schools which are quite close to her dads place. Theyv offered me a place 2.1miles away and im going to appeal. I really want to know what to write and what points i cn make to hav a successful claim? Any insight would b much appreciated.

If it is over 2 miles away they should be providing transport.

Has she just started in reception now?

Yh she shouldv started in september x

Thanks x but can i not argue that i wasnt tokd to apply at the school? Or that she wasnt accepted although she was in their nursery?

No you cannot argue that. You are the parent you are expected to find out for yourself when and how to apply for a school place.

Already attending the nursery does NOT give you priority for a school place either so that too is a non-argument.

Agree with titchy and tiggy.

You seem to have expected someone to tell you to apply but I'm afraid that isn't how it works. It is up to you to find out when to apply and get your application in at the appropriate time. The LA will have publicised the deadline (which is actually a national deadline). An appeal panel cannot admit your child just because you didn't know when to apply.

Just to correct titchy very slightly, there are still some areas that give priority to children attending the nursery attached to a school, although there are real doubts as to whether this complies with the Admissions Code. Even in those areas, attending the nursery does not guarantee a place at the school. It may be you would have got a place if you had applied on time but that is irrelevant to an appeal.

If the school you want has 30 children per class in Reception, Y1 or Y2 (or would if all three years were full) an appeal is very unlikely to succeed I'm afraid.

On the subject of free transport, the question is how far it is to the allocated school by the shortest walking route. If it is more than 2 miles your daughter is entitled to free transport to and from school at least until she is 8. Note that the free transport is just for your daughter, not for you.

Happy to be corrected prh

Ok here r my reasons:
Its too far for me to go by bus with ny four year old nd my 1 year old every norning. Especially since i suffer from anxiety nd Depression, if i cn gt the doc to giv me a note wud tht make a difference? Ofsted reports r nt so good compared to my chosen schools. Will i gt anywhere? 😓

No, you won't get anywhere unless, as others have said, there are spaces available in the school. Your personal circumstances are irrelevant, as is the fact that your daughter attended nursery there. I can't understand how you failed to apply on time.

I'm afraid I agree with chaosisawayoflife - you won't get anywhere with those reasons. If you had applied on time and given evidence of your anxiety and depression it is just possible that it would have helped you argue that the LA's decision to refuse admission was unreasonable, but even then it would have been a very long shot. As you applied late I'm afraid it isn't relevant.

As for Ofsted reports, I wouldn't even mention those. The panel aren't allowed to take them into account and if one of them has a connection with the offered school you may put their backs up.

I second tiggytape - the very first thing you need to do is to make sure you are on the waiting list for your preferred school and any others you're keen on. If you live very near and you're in a fairly urban area then you've got a much better chance of getting in that way than by appeal, and being late won't hurt you.

When were you allocated the school place? I assume you did accept it? Is your daughter already attending now? If she should already have started last week, you need to check that she still has that place and, as others have said, either get her to start attending or tell the school you are deferring her start, depending on when she will turn five. Do not simply turn down the place as the LA are under no obligation to find you another one.

Thanks so much for the info guys x but im doomed sadface i think im going to apply for as many local good schools as possible n stay on their list. Although doc has said hel b happy to do the note it might b quicker to aply for the other schools?