Anyone ever won an Infant Class Size appeal?

[Maxine3477]

I know how hard it is to actually win an infant class class appeal and all the rules surrounding them so not looking for information on this... But just looking to hear whether there are any parents on this forum who have WON these kind of appeals?
I have mine coming up within next couple of weeks, so looking for inspiring stories to show me that that there might be some hope out there! :)

As a chair of appeal panels, yes I can confirm that I have been involved with appeals which was infant class size case and the appeal was upheld.
Having said I think in every case the appeal was upheld because it was found that the admission authority had made a mistake and the pupil should have been admitted if the mistake was not made.
Your hope has realistically got to be around the fact that a mistake was made because there is no way that you should win an infant class size appeal based on the strength of your arguments to admit.

I was on a panel that allowed one recently. We had letters from EYSN leader and a health care professional stating that the child needed consistency and to continue in his current environment, because of extreme adverse reactions to any kind of change. A EHCP had been applied for, and while that wasn't guaranteed we felt that he needed to be kept in his current setting until that was resolved.

Yes. A mistake had been made in the admissions procedure. Three extra children were added to the class.

@eddiemairswife

I was on a panel that allowed one recently. We had letters from EYSN leader and a health care professional stating that the child needed consistency and to continue in his current environment, because of extreme adverse reactions to any kind of change. A EHCP had been applied for, and while that wasn't guaranteed we felt that he needed to be kept in his current setting until that was resolved.

I’m surprised that won an ICS appeal?

My friend won one a few years ago. She was just out of catchment for that year by fluke as the previous 3 years she was well in it, and her older child already attended the school. It was the nearest school by 2 miles there was literally no way she could get both out the door and to school in time even using wrap around in one or both schools due to the roads between the schools.

The school had two classes of 31 in Reception that year as another child also won the ICS appeal for similar reasons.

I lost mine as the panel didn't accept the evidence I provided from the doctors regarding my child's separation anxiety and behaviour. Nor did they accept that a mistake had been made in the admissions procedure in that places had been allocated to children outside of the parish boundary, when they clearly had. Had they allowed it, it would have meant giving a further 6 children a place. They claimed there wasn't the space/funding to increase the capacity of the school despite having been given money from housing developers to increase the number of places available. They spent the money on other stuff. It still irks me and my child is about to go into year 5

Someone else who appealed at the same time won on the basis of her own health conditions (not her child's). She was the only one who won out of 7 who appealed.

Well said Wearywithteens

@Wearywithteens apologies if my post wasn't clear - I meant to get across the point that it's extremely difficult to win an infant class size appeal, even if there is an admissions mistake. Totally appreciate that they couldn't just allow another 6 children in.

What irks me is that the s106 money which the school was given a couple of years previously and which was supposed to be used to increase the size and the number of places available wasn't used for that purpose, the school admitted that they had never considered not being able to accommodate all the children in the village, as it had never happened before, so they used the money for other stuff. It's happened every year since though. Obviously that's nothing to do with the appeals panel, it's just frustrating that if the money had been used for its intended purpose, there would have most likely been space to accommodate all those children.

Wrt the one parent who did win the appeal, yes it was based on her health and that fact that she wouldn't be able to get her child to any other school. I am friends with her - my point was more that out of 7 of us, only 1 appeal was allowed and that wasn't on the basis of there being a mistake in the application of the admissions criteria.