Our youngest didn't get into the same school as his 16 month older brother - can't split myself in two! - appeal?

[OhForFrigSake]

Ok, so my eldest son goes to a lovely village school jus outside of our catchment. We applied for his place and were surprised he got in last year.

This year his younger brother didn't get in - he has been allocated a school within our PAA.

The problem is, I cannot split myself in two to drop them both off at the same time. The eldest has just gone 5 and youngest not 4 yet - they're still young - I can't leave them waiting around the school to go in/ come out and wait without me there.

I've estimated that if I drop the youngest one off first at 9am (which makes sense as it's the closest school), I'll then need to get the eldest into the car, and 2 miles through the village (very congested - especially as we'll be late and parents will be leaving the site by that time). By the time we get there the eldest will be between 20 minutes to half an hour late to school. We'll then have to do this in reverse on a night and I'm guessing the teacher or TA in my youngest's school won't wait on for 30 minutes while I'm late to get him every single day!

The school drop off/ pick up will become a logistical nightmare with no choice but for us to be late for each school once a day - furthermore I work for myself and the idea of different inset days/ school plays/ school events is already making me want to cry.

Should I appeal on the grounds that the original allocation was 'a decision so outrageous in its defiance of logic that no sensible person who applied his mind to the question could have arrived at it?' (Wording taken from the appeal guidelines). Do you think I have a chance of success at appeal?

I assume that the reason he didn't get in is over subscription. Our admission criteria is:

1. looked after children and children with special educational needs
2. children in the PAA with siblings in the school
3. children in the PAA
4. children outside the PAA with siblings in the school
5. children outside the PAA

Our neighbours on the next street got their out of catchment sibling in the same school so I guess they were the last child to get in and we were the cut off

If everyone went to their local school this nonsense would be prevented. A lot of pressure on places is brought about by the pushy middle class and their insistence on 'outstanding' for their children. I wouldn't touch an 'outstanding' school with a bargepole. Style over substance in my experience with staff being worked to death. A lot of this sharp elbowed unseemly scrabble for places is due to parents convincing themselves that someone else's child is getting something slightly better. Local school struggling? Get in there and change it.

I'm sorry I do realise that for some it is a matter of genuine lack of school places. Unfortunately the Free School programme has not worked as they seem to have been opened indiscriminately and not in areas where there is the most need. There should be a good, local school for every child but some pushy parents do skew intakes and make it more difficult for everyone.

A number of people have commented on the cost of appeals. I work for a foundation school and we buy into the LA Statutory Appeal Service. This service costs the school £160 for every appeal but is a cost we have to pay to ensure that appeals are conducted correctly.

Whilst everyone has the right to appeal and I would support anyone doing so who thinks a mistake may have been made it is frustrating when appeals are submitted which have no grounds to succeed eg;
_ childminder or relative helping with care can only pick up from school A and not school B,

_allocated school is in different direction from parents work and therefore not convenient,

• child must go to school A as it is the best school in the area (despite not living in catchment)
• child attends local pre school so all friends going to school A (despite not living in the area).

Every one of these will cost the school £160 (in addition to the admin time preparing the school's case and the headteacher's time attending the appeals) which cannot then be spent on children at the school. We can easily have 10 appeals over a year (which have never yet been upheld) so to put it into context that's about 10 days supply cover or 100+ LSA hours that we then cannot fund.

The system is very difficult and much more needs to be done to make it clearer to parents and to ensure that they really understand the admission process and the very limited grounds for an appeal at KS1.

In spite of evidence to the contrary the Government don't seem to see the flaw in the Free School programme mentioned by myothercar. That could be because they haven't been experiencing the difficulties that other parents face . If Mrs. Cameron had to take and collect her children on foot or by public transport from Downing Street to Kensington each morning and afternoon there might be more understanding.

There should be a penalty imposed on frivolous appeals. It's an outrageous waste of public money that should be being spent on services.

What happened I’m the end with this? Any updates ?

Goodness me, this child will be near to leaving secondary school now!

I know! I just wanted to know an update! Cause I’m nosey haha 🤣