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Original poster

Moving house and one child not been given spot in local school

60 replies

Fiddletiddle · 07/04/2022 19:10

Hey all,

We are moving house tomorrow and my son (age 7) has been given a spot in Year 2 in the local school (probably 100/200 yards away from new house) but my daughter has been declined a spot in Year 1 at the same school. The only alternative is another school for my daughter but its around a 25min walk and my wife doesn't drive.

I have appealed the rejection and had an appeal hearing through today with a letter from the school countering my appeal which has deflated me somewhat (it's like a 5 page essay as to why my daughter shouldn't be given a spot).

My main reasons for the appeal were the fact her brother has accepted a spot, the alternative is 25mins away so one kid would always be late, the school being about 100 yards away, and the fact my daughter relies quite a lot on my son (he's a lot more confident than her).

Also recently been told during parents evening that my daughter is really far behind and likely to fail her end of year 1 assessments, and I feel like her potentially now having no school is going to be so detrimental for her entire education.

I guess my question is, does anyone have any advice or guidance on how to strengthen my appeal as I'm feeling quite hopeless at the moment! Any help would be tremendously appreciated.

Thanks!

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Original poster
Fiddletiddle · 07/04/2022 20:09

So based on a few comments here there's no real point in even trying the appeal? Does the fact she's already seriously behind where she should be not account for anything?

I'm not sure where on the waiting list we would be, I'll definitely ask though.

The other thing I don't understand is in the statement they provided they listed the class size for all year groups and year 2 also had 30 students, so why have they accepted my son if this is going to take them to 31 in year 2?

OP posts:
Wnikat · 07/04/2022 20:11

Once your son is in your daughter will be top of the waiting list on the sibling rule (if they have a sibling rule) and there’s usually a bit of movement at the end of the school year so hopefully they will only have to be at different schools for a term.

eddiemairswife · 07/04/2022 20:13

Loads of parents have to manage two different schools, so that argument won't sway the appeal panel.

Thissucksmonkeynuts · 07/04/2022 20:13

Your wife doesn't drive, but you do? So you can take your daughter to school.

RandomNumb3rs · 07/04/2022 20:14

and my wife doesn't drive

Implication being that you drive, so drop your DD off and she won’t be late.

LIZS · 07/04/2022 20:15

Maybe a y2 child is leaving? Do you have any evidence that your dd is behind, citing arbitrary ks1 tests won't be enough and any school should be prepared for such variation.

Svara · 07/04/2022 20:16

@RandomNumb3rs

and my wife doesn't drive

Implication being that you drive, so drop your DD off and she won’t be late.

I assumed that the parent is working full time so the wife does the school run
Original poster
Fiddletiddle · 07/04/2022 20:16

@RandomNumb3rs

and my wife doesn't drive

Implication being that you drive, so drop your DD off and she won’t be late.

Yeah I do drive and on the days I can take them thats not an issue but I obviously work full time, usually starting at 7
OP posts:
Original poster
Fiddletiddle · 07/04/2022 20:18

So they've done tests in December and March where I think they need 32/40 pass and she's getting around 4/6 correct, I can't remember the exact name of the test but it seemed like a national thing. Spoke about her potentially having dyslexia but they wouldn't assess her as they said she's too young.

OP posts:
ShowOfHands · 07/04/2022 20:19

I appealed as it's always worth a try. I wasn't successful and for a term, I had to leave one child on the playground on her own for 20 minutes (no breakfast or after-school provision here, no childminders, no options at all) and drive the other one 9 miles up the road. I was then 20 minutes late collecting one of them every single day. It was utterly untenable and I ended up selling my house as quickly as possible in order to resolve the situation. It was a nightmare though.

123walrus · 07/04/2022 20:23

The other thing I don't understand is in the statement they provided they listed the class size for all year groups and year 2 also had 30 students, so why have they accepted my son if this is going to take them to 31 in year 2?

Perhaps your son is already included in the 30?

I’d speak to the school and find out firstly where on the waiting list your daughter will be once your son has started. And secondly how much movement there typically is. They won’t be able to tell you for certain but they may be able to tell you that in an average year X number of pupils leave.

titchy · 07/04/2022 20:23

Her being behind won't make any difference as the other school would be expected to be able to cater to her needs as well as the one you want - unless she has a specific need that only the appeal school has (eg your dd is deaf and signs and the appeal school has a specialist hearing impaired unit and signing teachers which the other school doesn't).

SleeplessWB · 07/04/2022 20:23

It is always worth appealing. I had one recently where they won it on logistics of getting children to school even though a few weeks earlier one with almost the same situation the refusal was upheld - depends who you get on the panel.

titchy · 07/04/2022 20:24

And yes they must have a vacancy to have admitted your ds so presumably a child has now left that they originally counted in the 30.

titchy · 07/04/2022 20:24

@SleeplessWB

It is always worth appealing. I had one recently where they won it on logistics of getting children to school even though a few weeks earlier one with almost the same situation the refusal was upheld - depends who you get on the panel.
Infant class size appeal?
Original poster
Fiddletiddle · 07/04/2022 20:27

Thanks everyone for your comments, genuinely really helpful! I'm going to call them and find out where she would be on the waiting list and potentially consider homeschooling for a term. Appreciate the logistics is not their concern at all but we really can't manage two different schools. I'll probably keep the appeal appointment but won't hold up much hope

OP posts:
SleeplessWB · 07/04/2022 20:27

No, that's true it was a secondary school appeal so probably not worth bothering if it is ics.

TheHoleNineYards · 07/04/2022 20:40

I think you need to stop taking it personally. Your daughter wasn’t ‘declined’; there just isn’t space for her at your first choice of school. The whole thing can probably be solved with a few phone calls.

1 - phone school 1. They’ll be able to explain why your son got a place (presumably as they’re undersubscribed in that year group?) and where on the waiting list your daughter will be.

2 - phone school 2 and ask if they have any places in your son’s year group. If they do, ask to register him there. If not…

3 - look at any other schools locally that you could consider and call them to see if they have places in both year groups.

While you’re doing that, you could also check out wraparound options in all of the local schools so that if your children do end up at different schools you can plan the logistics.

Mellowyellow222 · 07/04/2022 21:05

Keep it respectful and realistic. Working single parents have to navigate school drop of - people need to use childcare all the time.

Yes this is inconvenient to you- but you aren’t unique in working full time - lots of parents do, and lots of parents can’t manage the school run without wrap around care.

Focus on the admission criteria and how quickly your daughter could have accepted. People can get very emotional (and whingy) and an appeals panel don’t / can’t care about anything other than the criteria

Original poster
Fiddletiddle · 07/04/2022 21:19

@TheHoleNineYards

I think you need to stop taking it personally. Your daughter wasn’t ‘declined’; there just isn’t space for her at your first choice of school. The whole thing can probably be solved with a few phone calls.

1 - phone school 1. They’ll be able to explain why your son got a place (presumably as they’re undersubscribed in that year group?) and where on the waiting list your daughter will be.

2 - phone school 2 and ask if they have any places in your son’s year group. If they do, ask to register him there. If not…

3 - look at any other schools locally that you could consider and call them to see if they have places in both year groups.

While you’re doing that, you could also check out wraparound options in all of the local schools so that if your children do end up at different schools you can plan the logistics.

Where am I taking it personally and yes she was absolutely declined.
OP posts:
TheHoleNineYards · 07/04/2022 21:23

Sorry if I misunderstood, but saying she was declined makes it sound like this was something against her. It wasn’t. There just isn’t space in that class. You’d be better placed now putting your energies into finding somewhere that does have space, hence the rest of my post.

alospi · 07/04/2022 21:27

But if there isn't space OP then there isn't space. It's not personal, it would be the same response to anyone who applied for a place.

Pinkflipflop85 · 07/04/2022 21:27

@Fiddletiddle

So they've done tests in December and March where I think they need 32/40 pass and she's getting around 4/6 correct, I can't remember the exact name of the test but it seemed like a national thing. Spoke about her potentially having dyslexia but they wouldn't assess her as they said she's too young.
The phonics screening test.
Mocara · 07/04/2022 21:43

@Fiddletiddle

Thanks everyone for your comments, genuinely really helpful! I'm going to call them and find out where she would be on the waiting list and potentially consider homeschooling for a term. Appreciate the logistics is not their concern at all but we really can't manage two different schools. I'll probably keep the appeal appointment but won't hold up much hope
Ive been through 3 appeals won 2 and pulled out of one due to the high number of familys appealing . I won 2 appeals on the basis that the detramental impact on my childrens wellbeing and our family as a whole was greater than the detramental impact an extra child would have on the class. Its a traumatic and distressing process not to be taken lightly ,you must sincerly belive it is critical for your child other wise you are responsible for negatively impacting 30 other children. . On the 2nd appeal that I won the school was amazing , thankfully a child left very soon after my son got his place which made me feel a lot less guilty for putting the school through the process. You should also be aware there is no waiting list as such if a SEN or Lac child needs a place the school by law must put them first.
JengaTower · 07/04/2022 21:58

Your daughter will probably get a place there by the time it September so don't lose hope