How do i go about the appeal?

[deesij2010]

I applied for a reception class for my child choosing just one school in bexley borough 5mins away from home (New Eltham)..wrong decision.. but to make matters worse she was given a school at Kingston Upon Thames...2 hours away from home and now am so confused as i dont know what to do....Please someone advise me.. i know i made a mistake of just choosing a school but i need a way out...Please

Have you spoken to the admissions people and do are you able to view your application? It seems strange that the nearest school with a place is that far away and if it is that far away they have to provide transport.
There must be a mistake somewhere! Any chance you or they have put your postcode in as SW instead of SE?

If the offered school is more than 2 miles away by the shortest walking route they must provide free transport to and from school for your child.

You need to speak to the admissions team and make sure they have genuinely offered you the nearest school with places available. It seems odd that they've come up with a school 20 miles away and suggests that something has gone seriously wrong. You also need to make sure you are on the waiting list for as many local schools as they will allow. You should also consider appealing for your preferred school. Your chances depend on whether or not the council has made a mistake but it is worth a try.

Can you apply to other local schools to be on their waiting list now? Why didn't you put any other schools down?

I'm in Kingston. That school allocation must be a mistake - I can't believe there are no spaces closer to you. Even though you didn't get in to your choice there will still be something nearer! Which kingston school is it out of interest?

Hi OP - I'm in New Eltham too. Did you apply to Dulverton or Edgebury can't remember if there are any others near?

Ask the admissions people why you've been allocated Kingston - it does seem an impossibly long way!

Try to get on the waiting list for Montbelle (Greenwich council). Their catchment historically has been pretty big (1+ mile), so I would guess there will be some movement there. Wyborne's catchment (also Greenwich) last year was quite small, but usually is a lot bigger (far side of Fiveways - probably lots of siblings that year). So I would try there too.

St Olave's on Southwood Road admits 10 children to their Reception year (the rest come up from nursery) and they probably all have local state places at the moment. We have applied there and had to do state applications because we didn't know if we will get a place there. Other parents will have done the same.

We have a place at the moment at Greenacres, but probably will not take it, so there almost certainly will be movement there.

Good luck!

They absolutely have to have your address incorrect to allocate you a school so far away, which could be good news for you if that is the case as if they had used your correct address you may have qualified for the school you chose. Phone them Monday and check what address they have for you.

Incidentally although transport has to be provided if the school is over two miles away, as children have free bus travel in London most London boroughs regard this as enough to fulfil their obligation.

Do you live in London Bexley or London Greenwich?

You are clearly bang on the border. You need to telephone your council. By all means call the other council as well to find out which schools in their borough have spaces. And you better add Bromley to the mix as well. Montbelle is Bromley I think.

Then I believe you need to go back via your council and tell them you wish to apply for those schools with places.

I cannot believe that the whole of the London Boroughs are full up from Bexley, through Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and onwards. But it could be possible.

So guessing it isn't possible, and the council have made a mistake, the only mistake they have made is not giving you a school place closer than Kingston.

You will not get a place at Dulverton on appeal. Bexley council have not had any successful appeals in many years because they admit correctly on distance. Unless the mistake is about how far away from Dulverton you actually live. I expect the catchment will be somewhere between 0.5 -1.0 mile BY PUBLIC HIGHWAY. It is not as crow flies. For example if you are on the wrong side of the railway line.

I think the issue here is as you now know, naming one school on the form. You should have been given a place at the next nearest school with places after all other children have been given their place. The computer is saying Kingston.

You will not have to travel to Kingston. That is ridiculous. If all the locals are full, there would be a bulge class somewhere closer or you would get a place as an excepted 31st child. Can't think what this is called.

So there has been a mistake. But that mistake is not going to get you a place at Dulverton. Or Wyeborn, Longlands, etc etc.

There will be spaces somewhere closer in Bromley/Bexley/Greenwich. You will be given one of those.

Sorry, I re read my message and because I was trying to be so factual, I realised it sounds very harsh.

I wish to offer you at what is clearly a very stressful time.

Good luck

Montbelle is in Greenwich - border is funny right along there.

Redhill (Bromley) is 3 form entry, so could be worth a try as well. Mottingham (Bromley) is single form entry and I know a lot of people who want it we are at the preschool so I wouldn't think you'll get there. It is converting to an academy, though, so they may have more control over their admissions soon.

Alderwood in Avery Hill, Millennium in Greenwich Peninsula and Middle Park in Mottingham/Kings Ground (all Greenwich) all usually have big catchment areas.

Middle Park went from Outstanding to Requires Improvement in 2014 - local gossip I heard said nothing had changed, teaching was still good, Ofsted had just changed ratings criteria. But the drop in ratings may have put people off, giving you a better chance on a waiting list.

• may have been 2013, not 2014.

Thanks everyone for your advice, @ LL0015 its ok you must have written from your heart i appreciate it. to answer everyone's question. I live in London borough of Greenwich but just at the border of Bexley, I applied to Days Lane which was the only choice we made.(Mistake) @ Uggh school offered is Wingfield Primary school @ Kingston Upon Thames. My daughter presently attends Greenacres we are trying to get on their waiting list now and requested to be on waiting list for Days Lane as well, I called the Council on Friday but maybe not the admission team like you all said was just told to appeal and thats all the information I was given. Will get on it as you all suggested this Monday with the admission team as it wasn't written in the email why we didn't get into the preferred school. Will start with that and let you all know. I really appreciate you all, am a first time parent on this forum as well and i feel lucky to have you all and you advice. Thanks alot.

There is a Wingfield Primary School in Greenwich - Kidbrooke.

Does the offer actually say it is for the Kingston Wingfield? Kidbrooke seems more likely. Near the station I think?

I am absolutely sure that your address has be incorrectly entered. Check your application form and make sure you put it in correctly. I can't see how someone could mistakenly type KT6 instead of DA6 (If that's your postcode) but KT6 is Surbiton right near Kingston. When you put your street name in Google is there a same name road around the KT postcodes?

If your address was incorrectly put in by admissions AND you would have got a place at the school if it had been entered correctly you will win at appeal.

If it was put in incorrectly, and you wouldn't have got a place, they will have to allocate a new place. Accept that and go on waiting lists.

There isn't a Wingfield Primary school in kingston. That's something I guess :)

Right, this isn't an area I know super well, but I do a bit and I've been looking on the map.

Days Lane and Greenacres primary school (if it's the one I'm thinking of - back past New Eltham station?) are quite far apart. A couple of miles maybe? If you haven't got into anywhere you are happy with, I think you need to be more realistic and join a lot more waiting lists -as many as they will permit really. There must be lots of schools between those two. Remember, the closer they are to your house then(in general terms) the higher up the waiting list you are likely to fall.

So to clarify, you live in Greenwich borough, and applied for just one school in Bexley borough?

Wingfields (Greenwich borough) is about 12-15 mins drive from Days Lane (Bexley) and 7-8 from Greenacres (Greenwich). Definitely not 2 hours.

Given the horrendous oversubscription of Greenwich schools this year, I think you've been pretty lucky in the allocated school! I doubt you have any grounds for an appeal, so your best chance is probably to apply for the waiting lists.

Though of course driving times can vary in rush hour... but tbh I think Greenwich have probably done the best they could for you in the situation.

Ah I see so OP has got the postcode/address of the school wrong? 4.5 miles sounds more plausible.

Please call Bexley council as well and ask which schools have vacancies.

It is POSSIBLE that these may have places and they are closer to you than Kidbrooke.

Royal Park - it is usually undersubscribed but still good.
Holy Trinity (church school, 60 intake, currently have no head which may have made it less popular but still a lovely school)
Hurst 120 intake I think
Old Bexley C of E 120 intake

There is also Peter Chanel - catholic but they may have places and also a Free school in Footscray which may have places.

Greenwich have given you the nearest Greenwich school with places, they haven't (and wouldn't) pick up the phone to Bexley which is actually much much closer to you and say, Hey, help out this parent have you got any places closer than 4 miles?

From a practical point of view, if you take the Kidbrooke school, you are going to sit in traffic. If you go towards a school in Bexley if you can get one, the traffic is going the other way.

Bexley switchboard number is the only one given on their website.
020 8303 7777

I would second that advice OP. Get on the phone.

We also don't know if the school you've been allocated is 4.5 miles away from you, just between the two schools. You've talked about Days Lane being 5 minutes away so presumably you are fairly close-unless you meant driving time?