School application- I have a very exact question & need advice please

[Dittydotty]

Going through the joy of applying for a primary school place.

I have a complicated illness meaning I am unable to sit for car journeys of 15 mins or more (I have been excused from jury duty because of this) yet equally due to this condition I have to keep proportionately moblie and a few very short walks daily.

This means I have to get DS into our local catchment school as the next closest one is a car journey away and I won’t be able to do the 4 trips a day.

My rheumatologist, consultants, GP’s and the social worker that helped me with DS’s care for the first 2 years are all on board to support my application.

There are only 22 places available. The school is so good that last year over 1,000 people applied.

My question (if you’re still with me ) is.....do I need to outline this situation as the reasons for choosing the school or shod I leave it then throw this into the mix at appeal if we don’t get in?

Will it seem to needy if I put my medical issues on the initial application form?

I would put it down.

It won't do any harm to put the information down. It probably won't make any difference as it is your illness, not your child's, but it certainly won't do any harm.

If you don't get a place you can appeal and argue that, given your illness, the decision to refuse was unreasonable. I wouldn't use this as the only argument but I would certainly include it. If you haven't put the information on the application you can't use this argument as it clearly isn't unreasonable for them to ignore your illness if theydon't know about it. So put it on the form and see what happens.

If it is an Academy, they may do their own admissions so check that as well as the admissions at the Council if they do it centrally

As the school is an academy it will decide which applicants get priority on medical/social needs. However, the council will manage the admissions process centrally.

If the school he’s allocated is more than two miles away he’ll get transport. I would expect that many children will be on school buses given that you’re rural so he won’t be the only one.

Agree - if it's rural there will be lots of kids on the school bus/taxi.
You usually get to know the drivers well and child can get off at a different stop on the route (ie friends house) for play dates if you are friendly with the driver. They all have to on the same bus already though.

Possibly a daft question, but have you looked at the last admitted distance for the last few years and compared to your own distance? If you’re rural but close enough to be walking distance, you may well be very close in admissions terms. Just thinking it would help give you an idea of whether you are likely to et a place or likely to have to go to appeal.

Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but worth checking. It doesn’t really matter how many applications there were, only how close you are (assuming they use distance as a tie breaker).

If it's an issue you think you might bring up at an appeal, then absolutely include it in your application, and get some kind of written independent corroboration from whichever practitioner is most appropriate. Obviously I can't tell you anything about the admissions criteria for the schools you're applying for, but having looked at a good number of special admission categories when looking at revising our own, requiring written evidence at the time of application seems to be a common theme. Don't leave it until the appeal - places have been allocated by that point and your chances are much slimmer.

Medical and social needs does not apply only to the child for some of the schools I am aware of. Speak to the local authority.