Primary school - best grounds for appeal

[bookworm56]

Hello,

I was hoping that all of you lovely knowledgeable people may be able to offer me some advice (if you have been in the same position before or know the placements system).

My LO was not offered any of the 3 placements at our preferred schools and has instead been offered a school which is further away than one of our preferred schools. The allocated school, although via google maps appears a shorter distance, but in terms of commute actually takes us longer to get to than the furthest away preferred school. One of the schools on our preferred list is a 5 minute walk from our house.

The allocated school, I do not feel is right for LO due to a number of reasons and the other preferred appear to support LO's development more. LO is a very academically bright child.

Please could you advise what the best grounds for appeal would be?

Thank you x

Will it be an infant class size appeal?

What year group? I'm guessing this is for Reception in the main admissions round

Is the number of pupils admitted 30 or a multiple of 30?

If so, Infant Class Size rules apply (occasionally also for other numbers, if they have mixed year classes in years R -2)

You can win ICS appeals on 3 grounds only

a) there was something wrong with the admissions criteria (eg giving priority to a group they must not) and your DC would have been offered a place if the criteria were compliant. This is exceptionally rare
b) the admissions authority made a mistake in handling your application (eg overlooking sibling, or measuring distance wrongly) and your DC would have been offered a place if the mistake had not happened. Also rare, but does happen sometimes
C) the decision is so perverse it cannot be allowed to stand - threshold very high - child protection reasons, or placing a DC who uses a wheelchair in a school that is not adequately accessible

Are any of those likely to apply to you?

If it’s Reception I think the only grounds are that a mistake has been made unfortunately

@Hoppinggreen

If it’s Reception I think the only grounds are that a mistake has been made unfortunately

Not necessarily. It depends on whether it's an infant class size appeal. If the PAN isn't a multiple of 30, then it will be a standard prejudice appeal.

Hello everyone, thank you for taking the time to message back.

All of the preferred schools have intake of 60. Yes, sorry, I forgot to say it was reception! On those 3 grounds mentioned, I don't think that b) would apply. The distance and suitability of the preferred schools are the only things that I could see.. x

@bookworm56

Hello everyone, thank you for taking the time to message back.

All of the preferred schools have intake of 60. Yes, sorry, I forgot to say it was reception! On those 3 grounds mentioned, I don't think that b) would apply. The distance and suitability of the preferred schools are the only things that I could see.. x

Sadly, with an intake of 60, it will be an infant class size appeal. There is nothing to stop you appealing and the panel may sympathise with you, but they won't be able to admit on those grounds.

@lougle, thank you for your advice. I think it's more difficult this year, as we only have the chance of submitting a written appeal and we have the one chance with no meetings etc. Thanks, I just want to try and give it the best shot possible :) x

Just to confirm with a PAN of 60, there is no question that this will be an infant class size appeal. Meditrina has laid out the only possible reasons for being given a place at the preferred schools and you do not seem to fit any of these. You can still appeal as you never know what might come out at an appeal that could be in your favour but it is a long shot.
You need to check is why you did not get a place offered at the school which is 5 minute walk away, especially if it is 60 pupil entry. If you have not got that information already from the LA, then you need to ask the question of what was the circumstance of the last pupil admitted (what admission criteria and distance) and what you are in terms of admission criteria and distance. This will tell you whether you have any likelihood of there having been a mistake made.

@admission, thank you so much for your help - I will definitely enquire about those. I know the closest school is a very popular one, but those questions will definitely help to clarify our position. Do you know if there is a better chance of an in-term appeal/request rather than an appeal against the placement decision please? Many thanks x

the school cannot go above PAN whether it is an interm request or a reception place request.

also, you can't use negative reasons for an appeal, eg the school allocated doesn't have...
You need to use reasons why the school you are appealing for is the right one, this school has... which would benefit my child.

Only exception would be as PP said if the allocated school was not eg wheelchair accessible.

Also, you can't use any reasons relating to parents eg I don't drive and it is 3 buses away, only relating to education

Op I don't know whether you have accepted the offered school, but you are advised to do so as the LA is under no obligation to offer you any other place.

Aldo check that you are on the waiting list and where. A five minute walk sounds really promising and you may well get a WL place. Five mins from our local school, in a fairly heavily populated area, would make you a shoo in.