Appeal Help - please!

[IcanandIwill]

I'd be very grateful for some words of wisdom regarding a primary school place appeal. We live out of catchment and didn't get in on oversubscription criteria. My eldest child already attends the school. I would like to appeal based on our circumstances and am in need of advice.

I was widowed while my eldest was in reception year ( I gave birth to our third child the week after). I intend to focus on the shared history the school have with my family and their understanding of our unique circumstances. I have spent the last two years creating routine and structure for my family. My fear is that two lots of drops offs, pick ups and meetings etc will add undue stress on our already fragile family life.

Also the child that is applying for a place has had an extremely difficult time adjusting to the death of her dad and the arrival of her baby brother so soon after. She is comfortable in the school environment, recognises teachers and pupils and basically it feels like a safe place for her.

All help greatly appreciated!

Unless a mistake has been made it is virtually impossible to win an infant class size appeal. Are you on the waiting list for the school? Am sure one of the admission experts will be along soon to help.

I figured it would be difficult. We are second on the waiting list at the moment.

Does the school have an admission number that is 30 (or multiple) or perhaps 15 (or multiple if it has mixed year teaching in KS1)?

If so, it is an Infant Class Size Appeal, and 'balance of prejudice' arguments are not going to win an appeal (as Zing says, it is only if there is a mistake). Does the school have an 'exceptional medical or social need' criteria? And if so, did you apply under that? Because if so, then there may be grounds if your circumstances were not taken properly into account.

If you did not mention when applying though, then the admissions authority cannot have taken that into account and so in itself is unlikely to win an appeal (though a sympathetic panel may break the rules and admit when they shouldn't). But having it accepted now that you do have exceptional circumstances could change your priority on the waiting list, bumping you up to at or near the top.

Yes its a multiple of 30 (its actually 90 over two sites).

I did include an outline of our circumstances in my original application. I do not recall what the section was called on the application but definitely included it.

Even if you included your circumstances on the application form, they will not have been considered unless this school has an 'exceptional medical or social need' criterion - not all do.

Can you find the school's admissions criteria (on your LEA website?) and check?

Try your GP.
They can possibly provide you with medical angle.

You might still have to go to appeal, but they will not try and overrule a medical letter, as they say that they are not medical experts so are unable to refute a doctors letter.

hth

Hi, I did not get the 1st chioce for reception for my twins although they go to the same nursery. I am going through divorce so kids are already going through emotional problems and big change in their life and now the new school. I have to be at work by 8.25 and the breakfast club starts at 8. It will be very very hard for me to be on time to work.they are on the waiting list. I am going for the appeal. need help as this is my first time.they did not get the place due to class limit size.

zaynah here are a few questions for you..

• Have you accepted the school offered? You should accept it as a back up plan. No school at all is worse than a bad school (unless you genuinely do want to home educate or go private)

• Are you on the waiting lists for any other schools that are better than the one you've been offered?

• Is it an ICS appeal? (i.e. is the number of children given places - the PAN - a multiple of 15?) If so, you shouldn't win an appeal (unless a mistake was made, but you haven't said that there was a mistake). Not to say you won't, but you shouldn't. If it's not ICS, there are more ways you can win.

If this is an infant class size case I'm afraid the only ways you can win are to show that the admission arrangements broke the Admissions Code or have been administered incorrectly and this has cost you a place, or that the decision to refuse admission was unreasonable to the point where no rational person would come to the same decision.

Even if this was not an infant class size case your argument that it will be difficult for you to get to work on time will not win an appeal. That is not something the appeal panel can consider. Similarly wanting to go to the school where there nursery is held would not win an appeal unless there was independent expert evidence (e.g. from your GP) to show that your children need to go to this school.

So even if this was not an infant class size case I'm afraid your chances of success would be small. For an infant class size case your chances are even lower. But you never know. Something may emerge during the hearing that shows a mistake has been made.

You should go through with the appeal. You have nothing to lose. Make the best case you can as to why your children need to go to this school. Remember it must be about the problems they will face if they are not admitted, not any problems you will face. You may strike it lucky. But on the information you have given here you need to be realistic about your chances. Sorry.

By the way, I have assumed this is an infant class size case since you say, "they did not get the place due to class limit size". If it is not an ICS case you have a greater chance of success but you will need different arguments to the ones you have presented here.