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Original poster

Appeals and waiting lists for primary schools

158 replies

drspouse · 16/04/2016 11:13

We heard we didn't get our first choice, our second choice is OK but not great for DS and we'd put in specific information about why the first choice would be better but we think they just ignored it.

In our area you automatically accept the allocated school and you have to fill in a form for either waiting list or appeal. So we'll fill in the form but we'll see if we're near the top of the waiting list in which case we probably won't bother appealing.

Anyone else?

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Original poster
drspouse · 13/06/2016 16:38

OK no I have that wrong - it's a voluntary controlled school so (if it were a primary school) it would come under the same appeal process as our community school application. Phew.

OP posts:
prh47bridge · 13/06/2016 17:56

If it is a VC school the LA is the admission authority. You should definitely use this information. The LA will have to explain why they are giving this person priority when they didn't give it to you.

Original poster
drspouse · 13/06/2016 18:50

Excellent.

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Original poster
drspouse · 15/06/2016 14:00

Hooray - the waiting list has moved and we have a place!

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PatriciaHolm · 15/06/2016 14:01

Hurrah!

ShowOfHands · 15/06/2016 14:05

I've been following this with everything crossed for you. Fab fab fab news. You must be thrilled.

Original poster
drspouse · 15/06/2016 14:12

Yes I am! I'm at work and I'm supposed to be doing something really boring but in fact I'm on the phone to nursery and the new school...

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ShowOfHands · 15/06/2016 15:26

If you find the appeal shaped gap in your life unbearable, you can work on mine? I've just finished my statement of evidence. 5000 words. It's like a second job some days!

I'm so pleased for you.

Original poster
drspouse · 15/06/2016 16:56

Ah... looks like the appeal shaped gap will be taken up with school induction days (they are the days it would have been).

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ShowOfHands · 15/06/2016 17:43

Our school induction days are now and the appeal is next month. Hooray

ShowOfHands · 15/06/2016 17:49

Sorry to whinge. Your thread is not the place. Especially given your excellent news today. I apologise.

CommanderShepard · 15/06/2016 18:40

Excellent news, Drspouse!

No letter here; don't know if it's just delayed or the waiting list hasn't moved enough so no place yet. True to form, the council won't discuss it, not even to tell me if a letter has been sent or not. FFS.

RatherBeIndoors · 15/06/2016 20:09

Congratulations DrS!!

Original poster
drspouse · 15/06/2016 20:47

Oh Show whinge away, this is a general whinge thread.

We initially asked (end of April/start of May) where we were on the waiting list and were told straight away - I just emailed - maybe a nervous email would help.

I picked DS up from nursery and they have all their photos up by the school they are going to and they'd put his up. I noticed another girl who I thought was going to school with his best friend, seems to have her photo up, so maybe she was on the waiting list too. She's a lovely friendly girl who makes the others feel very welcome so if she is, I'm really pleased. Because DS is very, erm, "boisterous", some of the other girls seem to have taken against him, but not this one.

He's decided the other boy going is his best friend now (and they are a family we know and like so that's great too).

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Original poster
drspouse · 15/06/2016 20:50

Oh sorry I misread, looks like you already contacted the council. But feel free to take over whingeing in general.

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prh47bridge · 15/06/2016 23:57

drspouse

That is excellent news.

ShowOfHands

Can I suggest you go through your statement and see if you can prune it a bit. If it is 5000 words it is pretty long. I don't know if this is the case with your statement but often long statements result from parents throwing in every argument they can think of, making it difficult for the appeal panel to understand their case and focus on the strong points.

ShowOfHands · 16/06/2016 08:04

I've tried to cut it down. Honestly, it's one argument and clear. It's just a very specific situation which I've explained clearly and there's a ton of legislation which I've had to mention. I want to give them everything relevant so there's no confusion.

This is so stressful. I have no idea if I'm doing the right thing.

CommanderShepard · 03/07/2016 16:52

The plot thickens for us. We haven't received a place at second allocations as apparently no-one declined at our preferred schools. We're second on the list for our first preference.

But I know - because I've seen the confirmation letter - that a friend has declined her son's place at said preferred school. And a friend who teaches at the school says 2 of the 3 reception classes only have 29 pupils in (PAN is 90). So where have those places gone?

I had a problem getting DD into our preferred preschool because the council was applying unwritten rules as well as the stated rules (DD missed out on a place initially because their sister preschool is nearer to us and they normally offer to different areas - nothing about that in the published rules) so unsurprising but immensely frustrating and the odds are stacked against us again.

londonhols · 03/07/2016 19:22

That sounds a bit weird. Do they actually mean not enough declined places, rather than nobody declined places?
And do they run all the three classes together? Most schools round here do that and have e.g. 5 teachers/TAs for 60 children. Everyone is nominally in a class and everyone has a key teacher, but they don't spend their time all with that teacher or "her" TA, or inn in "their" room.

CommanderShepard · 03/07/2016 20:11

They said there was no movement at all for places. The three classes are run separately, not all together, otherwise I'd have thought the same.

The only thing I can think is I know that the council lost someone's application for the same school and they are higher priority than us so it's possible they're trying to cover up the mistake by quietly slotting that child in while telling everyone else there was no movement. So we've launched an appeal on the grounds of maladministration leading to injustice as we just can't see how else to proceed and although we're not kidding ourselves that we have any chance of success, we feel like we have to try.

Original poster
drspouse · 14/07/2016 13:07

Any updates from people's appeals? Ours would have been last week (we were so pleased to take DS to settling days instead!)

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ShowOfHands · 15/07/2016 10:30

Our appeal is next week. Last day of term in fact. I haven't told dd it might be her last day at school. 5 years she's had there.

The whole thing has made me ill. I don't sleep, can't eat. I've aged around 17 years.

I have very little hope.

ShowOfHands · 15/07/2016 10:33

I've received the LA's case today but not the panel members' names. I just hope there's no conflict of interest and it's postponed again.

This is cutting it a bit fine.

SpaghettiMeatballs · 15/07/2016 19:17

Logged on to see how you got on today showofhands because it's the last day of term here today. Can't believe you have to wait until next week. It's dreadful that you've been made to wait this long. This should have been dealt with weeks ago.

I remember your post back in April and I think we were on a house moving thread together about 3 years ago?? I'll be thinking of you next week.

ShowOfHands · 16/07/2016 09:22

Thank you Spaghetti. You're a good egg. And you've cheered me up too.

The last 3 months have been soul destroying and it's still not over. Theres a real danger I'll fail to present our case and fall apart instead.