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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Is it worth appealing?

14 replies

Dizzycow79 · 19/04/2017 09:50

I have twins. One is disabled (cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs) - she goes to a specialist school. He twin brother has been allocated a school that does make it more difficult for me to do drop offs - the school allocated is out of the way and as far as I can see does not have parking. I would have to leave my daughter in the car while taking ds into school, parking outside the grounds. Would that be grounds for appealing?

Just to add, the school was not one of the 4 choices on our list. And I am on wait list for all preferences

OP posts:

soapboxqueen · 19/04/2017 09:56

I don't think you have grounds to appeal based on your personal circumstances. It's difficult I know but there it is.

Could you not get transport for your other child?

2014newme · 19/04/2017 10:00

Hopefully a place will come up at one of your preferred schools.. 💐
Is there transport available to the special school?

ijustwannadance · 19/04/2017 10:01

Did you explain the situation in original application?

It's a tough one as the appeal would be regarding your non disabled child so they would be low on list of priority requirements.

BrieAndChilli · 19/04/2017 10:03

If the allocated school is further away than all of your choices then you should be provided with transport. They will pick up from your house or possibly at a designated pick up point (where it should be easier to park)

BrieAndChilli · 19/04/2017 10:04

Alternatively the school may make provision for you to drive into the school grounds to do drop off

sn1ce · 19/04/2017 10:07

Is there a staff car park? If so it might be worth asking head for permission to use it for morning drop off if you explain circumstances-I know someone with a similar situation to do with sibling who does this. The staff are already there and parked by the time she arrives s o no problem with blocking in just for 5 minutes or so. Her head was happy to help.

2014newme · 19/04/2017 10:10

Yes our head would do everything they could to be helpful Re parking etc in this case

Original poster

Dizzycow79 · 19/04/2017 10:11

Thanks

From what I can tell on the schools we use and from passing the school on occasion, I can't see any carparking and the website it's self says there is no parking for parents and carers. The school is still closed on Easter break for me to be able to double check.

My daughter's school takes me 25 mins to get there and back, so my son would be consistently late if I drop him off after. I'm not sure she can have transport as the school isn't a LA special school.

I didn't state this on my application- with hindsite I possibly should have, but the information said medical issues relating to the child, which my son doesn't have. I also naively thought I would get a place at 1st place or possibly even 3rd place school as they were both undersubscribed last year.

I am trying to get through to admissions to see what information I can get as to waitlist details etc

OP posts:

ijustwannadance · 19/04/2017 10:14

They would just tell you to put your son in breakfast club if being late was the issue.

BrieAndChilli · 19/04/2017 10:18

Your SON should get transport to school if you have been allocated a school further away than your choices/catchment. He should be picked up by 8.30ish and then you can leave straight away to take your daughter to school

soapboxqueen · 19/04/2017 10:20

The vast majority of schools don't have parent parking but making an individual request isn't a bad idea. That way you could use the breakfast club.

If your dd had been placed in a school because of her needs then she could be eligible for transport. It doesn't have to be a special school to get transport.

WindwardCircle · 19/04/2017 10:26

DDs school allow parents to park in the school car park at their discretion. For example a friend had terrible spd in her final trimester and the school were fine letting her use the car park then, so it's worth asking.

cantkeepawayforever · 19/04/2017 10:43

Talk to the school. IME schools will do their absolute utmost to be helpful in this type of situation.

They will probably be most helpful if you approach it from the 'This is the situation, can you suggest anything that could help?' angle rather than the 'I need to park my car on site' angle, as the former allows much more flexibility for creative solutions (for example a member of staff coming out of the grounds or to the gate to collect your DS).

Original poster

Dizzycow79 · 19/04/2017 10:47

Thanks -

Finally got through to admissions and we are in the top 5 on waitilist for our preferred school. It seems we have until 22nd may to mount any appeal (if we do go down that route) so we I think we might wait until waitlist places are allocated and see if we can talk to the school in the meantime about the issues I've mentioned.

OP posts:

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