School won't tell me waiting list position

[SummerIsComing2019]

CoE primary, it is our first option and we did not get in.
I have called the school at least 20 times since May, I have emailed them as well and still have not heard back. I just want to know where on the waiting list we are and they are blatantly blanking me.

I have left numerous messages with whoever picks up the phone and asked kindly to be contacted. No one has ever called, not only that, but the person in admissions never picks up the phone. This has been going for months.

What should I do? I have no idea how to tackle this.

ChilledBee,

IF the school has a category for parental disability in its admissions criteria, then such evidence will help (though of course someone from that address making that application might have got in anyway)

If it doesn't have such a category, it won't BUT it might support a non class size appeal.

If, as a member of SLT, you know such admissions abuses are occurring in your school, you do know that they are breaking the law and need to be reported to the Adjudicator, don't you?

Like my wheelchair using neighbour put in evidence of her needs to justify why her child absolutely had to be in the school on our doorstep.

If the school is on your doorstep, the neighbour’s child presumably got in under the distance criteria. Nothing to do with the mother’s wheelchair.

If you're SLT, you must know how hard it is to get an EHCP before your child starts school. It hardly falls into the category of something that a parent could just 'decide' to do because a friendly Head gave them the wink that it might push them up the list a bit.

"I'd say to all parents reading that you can believe this if you want. Or, you can submit any evidence that you have which would support your child going to that school such as a parental disability (like my wheelchair bound neighbour) and IME, it helps your application significantly.

Your EHCP need not "name a school", but it would help if both the EHCP and the application stated why the school is thought to be a good fit for the student. The EHCP can do this by recommending specific features that would aid the individual."

This is completely untrue. Firstly, all EHCPs name a school by law. All schools named in an EHCP must admit that child, whether there is a space for them or not. If a school could justify not taking such a child, it would have been dealt with before the final EHCP was issued. EHCP holders cannot appeal under the normal admissions system. They would have to appeal to the SEND tribunal.

Parental disability is very rarely a criteria for admissions and it would be unlawful to admit a child on that basis if it is not a criteria. However, appeals panels are not bound by this in non-ICS appeals and can take parental disability into account when determining prejudice.

Head teachers don't have any clout when it comes to admissions processes, but it does sink the hearts of Local Authority representatives at appeals, when HTs say "Oh no, we've got plenty of space and we'd love more children to come..." or "Actually, all the teachers fight over the static classroom because it's so spacious and airy..." Curve-balls like that are what make admissions appeals fun!

Great advice from quissum Lougle cantkeepawayforever.

I'm not involved in appeals but some I've heard get ridiculously heated where people argue things like because a class 3 years ago went 4 over PAN (due to compulsory in year LAC moves and named school for enhanced mainstream provision in ECHP) that they should have their neurotypical middle to highly able child attend because they are absolutely a priority case and they know the PTA well don't you know