In year transfer school appeal help needed

[difficultpickle]

Ds has to leave his current school at the end of this school year and I would like him to go to our catchment school. Unfortunately there is no space although he is first on the waiting list.

I am going to appeal under social and medical criteria. He has severe anxiety as a result of being bullied at his current school and nothing being done to resolve it. He is under the care of a psychologist. I am very seriously ill and currently in hospital (10 weeks and counting). I want him to be at a school near home that means he can walk to and from school either from our house (whenever I am allowed home) or from his (disabled) grandma's. Both are a short safe distance from the school.

When drafting the appeal can I put reasons connected with my illness or do I just focus on ds's anxiety, need to be near home and the hope that he will make local friends and have the support that he needs. Can I also mention he has hypermobility and that the head has agreed to let him use a laptop in class (which he does at his current school).

As you can see I'm completely clueless on what an admission panel will consider so any guidance would be very helpful. Failing which I will just list everything I can think of and hope it sticks. It would be an appeal for a year 6 place so I know that PAN doesn't count.

PAN counts, it is ICS that doesn't.

Has the school ever admitted over PAN before? You are allowed to ask.

I think you need to make the case for why he needs to be at THAT school. If the psychologist is willing to give you a letter naming the school and saying WHY he needs to go there, that would be extremely helpful.

Are you or another relative able to attend the hearing, it is crucially important that you are represented.

If the new school can provide for his needs better than other local schools do mention it re the hyper mobility and laptop.

Ill parents/siblings and SN parents/siblings are very common in primary appeals. Strictly they are not terribly relevant. However I was recently on a panel where a parent/siblings needs and the whole situation of the family decided a successful appeal for ICS so never say never. I think you can put the reasons connected with your illness but you need to link them with the need for the school. Why your son can only make a short local journey for example. Some panels might be influenced by empathy with you but it is unlikely to be the deciding factor.

I am sorry to hear about your illness, I am sure the stress of the school situation doesn't help.

Thanks. What does ICS stand for?

Infant Class Size.

Thanks. I assume that doesn't apply for a year 6 place, at least that's what I've managed to find out from googling. Therefore the appeal will be on the basis of prejudice. I assume my strongest case will be to get confirmation from the psychologist that ds is suffering from severe anxiety as a result of being bullied and going to X school is the best option for him. I can then add about safe journey to school (which the allocated school doesn't have) and how difficult it will be to get him to an alternative school because of my illness and his grandma (temporary carer) disability.

I've arranged for a friend to attend the appeal hearing as I will either be in hospital or if I'm out I won't be well enough to stand up and argue my case. I also think I'd probably burst in to tears when talking about ds so I really wouldn't be any use at all.

Don't worry about bursting into tears. Appeal panels are used to parents crying. It makes no difference to the outcome. And you won't have to stand up to argue your case. Appeals are heard with everyone sitting down. You should attend the hearing if at all possible. The panel would like to hear from you rather than a friend. That doesn't mean you will lose just because you don't attend but it may improve your chances a little if you do.

I will try to attend if I can but I doubt I will be out of hospital. At best I'm not likely to be out until mid-August and it could be I'm still in hospital in September. It means I can't delay the appeal until I'm around as I really have no clue when that will be. I'm currently in hospital for what should have been a four week stay and ten weeks later I'm still there. I don't want to leave it until September and ds have no school place at all.

I'm going to get him and his grandma to visit the school he's been offered. It is in special measures and that means there are plenty of availability for spaces. However it has been in special measures for several months now so I would hope it is starting to improve. They've offered him a taster day where his class would spend the day with the year 6 teacher. I want to persuade him to go as it would be good to have an alternative if the appeal fails, even if it isn't ideal.

Ds has had an utterly dreadful year and failed all his school exams which I put down to him worrying so much about my illness and me spending most of this year in hospital (I was in hospital for weeks earlier in the year too). I want him to go somewhere where he can enjoy his last year of primary. I don't know if a school in special measures would give him the stability he needs.

Should I mention reasons why I don't want him to go to the school he has been allocated or simply focus on why I want him to go to the school I'm appealing for?

I am not suggesting you delay the hearing. Clearly you can't go if you are in hospital or if you really aren't well enough.

Focus on your reasons for wanting the appeal school. You are appealing for that school, not against the offered school. It is ok to talk about things the appeal school can offer your son that the allocated school cannot. But don't be directly negative about the allocated school.