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Original poster

Can they just refuse her??? Midterm place offered by LA but school is saying no room sorry!

86 replies

Takeitfrommumma · 24/11/2022 21:51

So my 13 year old daughter has been having a terrible time in her current school. I won't go into it but the poor girl is traumatised!

I applied for a transfer to another nearby school, I got an email 2 weeks ago from the LA saying she had got a place and I accepted it! I've applied for a bus pass, which has been approved and brought her new uniform!

I called the school today as I've not heard anything from them and they told me that they have no room in her year and so she can't come there!

Can they just refuse to take her? My daughter is devastated and the admissions department isn't open now until Monday! Can anyone help? It seems incredibly unfair!

OP posts:
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Outtasteamandluck · 09/02/2023 07:29

The appeals code 2022 states decisions have to be issued no later than 5 school days. If it was Monday you'll have heard by following Monday.

Outtasteamandluck · 09/02/2023 07:31

Notification of the decision
2.27 The panel must communicate the decision of each appeal, including the reasons for that decision, in writing to the appellant, the admission authority and the local authority. The clerk or chair must sign the decision letter and send it to the parties as soon as possible after the hearing but not later than five school days, unless there is good reason. In the case of applications outside the normal admissions round, the child must be admitted without unnecessary delay.

MamaBear1022 · 09/02/2023 07:34

If the school is a LA school then the LA can direct the school to take your child. They can't refuse if the LA is stating the child has a space.

NCTDN · 09/02/2023 08:00

Good luck for today

FeinCuroxiVooz · 09/02/2023 08:01

I'm astonished they had to have an appeal. the place existed and was awarded months ago. when the school tried to say "no" the LA should have overruled then immediately at that point.

NCTDN · 09/02/2023 08:10

How long ago was the place offered then refused?

SheilaFentiman · 09/02/2023 08:19

NCTDN · 09/02/2023 08:10

How long ago was the place offered then refused?

Given the date of the OP was late November, I’m going with late November.

FeinCuroxiVooz · 09/02/2023 08:28

OP posted We are still waiting for the LA to get back to us. Unfortunately the lady I spoke to the other day had to escalate it to someone more senior. Hopefully someone calls me back today. on 30th November, then the next post was on 6th Feb saying I had my appeal today as they were so useless never got back to me and no one came up with a solution!

so sounds like both the school and the LA just refused to communicate or take action and OP had no choice but to initiate an appeal to force action. there's some seriously incompetent and unprofessional people in charge who need to be sacked but I doubt the appeal panel have any power to reccomend that.

Original poster
Takeitfrommumma · 09/02/2023 11:10

We were SUCCESSFUL! (Jumping up and down) My daughter Will be so thrilled and will do a little celebration party this evening for her!

Such a performance we have had to go through!

Does anyone know how soon she should be able to actually start?

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 09/02/2023 11:18

Brilliant!

it’s half term next week so hopefully straight after?

CatOnTheChair · 09/02/2023 11:23

That's great news.
We didn't appeal, but once offered a school place, they were really keen for us to start ASAP. I had to put them off til the following week to give me chance to buy uniform!
But since you've already got uniform, I'd saythe next school Monday - we are inschool next week, so check when half term is - it obviously varies!

Hobbi · 09/02/2023 11:24

Brilliant! As someone who has spent a lot of time trying to get vital information for LEAs from schools, I think some people were very quick to blame the council here.

Original poster
Takeitfrommumma · 09/02/2023 11:26

Half term for us in the week after next.
Maybe best to wait for the new term to start so she's not in for a week then off again. Will speak to her about it later.

OP posts:
CatOnTheChair · 09/02/2023 11:30

The alternative is, start her on Monday, give her the week to find her way around, discover if she needs different stuff, get access to all the online homework and messaging apps, then start after half term full speed.
As you say, talk to her.

RachelSq · 09/02/2023 11:34

I’m so pleased for you and your daughter!

NoDairyNoProblem · 09/02/2023 11:36

Over the moon for you guys!

When DD moved it was the week before half term too, we also found out on the Thursday and opted for her to start on the Monday. It gave her a week to find her bearings, take home the English text they were working on and catch up on the reading (no great explanation but it helped her feel prepared) and by the Friday a girl in her class had asked if she fancied going for hot chocolates over the weekend… I cried with relief!

ancientgran · 09/02/2023 11:37

Brilliant news, so pleased for you both. I hope it goes really well for her.

MrsAvocet · 09/02/2023 11:37

That's great news OP. I haven't commented as I really had nothing useful to say but have been following your thread and hoping for a good outcome. I hope your DD will be very happy in her new school. Well done for fighting for her so well.

WolfingGames · 09/02/2023 11:55

I can't get over that you had to go to appeal on this. Shocking.

Congratulations and I hope your DD is happy there.

cantkeepawayforever · 09/02/2023 12:03

I would suggest starting next Monday - treat that first week as a kind of orientation, have a rest after what will be an exhausting week, then start ‘properly’ after half term . Ds started a new school a couple of weeks before a holiday, on the advice of the school, and it was brilliant- when they went back, he was no longer ‘the new boy’ and it really helped him to settle.

CliffsofMohair · 09/02/2023 12:16

that was handled appallingly. I’m delighted for your DD but that was not well done and I would take it further if I could.

FeinCuroxiVooz · 09/02/2023 12:18

If there's still a full clear week before Half Term then don't make her wait - let her start on this Monday and have a week on then a week off for half term. It will be likely quite overwhelming for her to get used to attending school again, so it will be helpful for her to have a week where she can get started but her only goal is to get used to it a little bit and get to know some people, and there might be some "fun" lessons because it's the last lesson before the break. She can have a break for half term during which she might be able to e.g. do some reading or other catch-up work, and also have a rest, before going back into the fray after half term.

I think that most kids would cope better with that rather than starting immediately after half term and being full-on straight away for weeks until the Easter holidays.

PanelChair · 09/02/2023 12:18

That’s great news!

The formal letter with the appeal outcome usually suggests that you contact the school about a start date, but the expectation is that it will be sooner rather than later. Starting next Monday sounds like a good idea to me - as others have said, it’ll be an opportunity for your daughter to learn her way around the school.

PatriciaHolm · 09/02/2023 12:19

Great! Very pleased it worked out, though completely ridiculous it had to go this far.

SheilaFentiman · 09/02/2023 15:43

FeinCuroxiVooz · 09/02/2023 12:18

If there's still a full clear week before Half Term then don't make her wait - let her start on this Monday and have a week on then a week off for half term. It will be likely quite overwhelming for her to get used to attending school again, so it will be helpful for her to have a week where she can get started but her only goal is to get used to it a little bit and get to know some people, and there might be some "fun" lessons because it's the last lesson before the break. She can have a break for half term during which she might be able to e.g. do some reading or other catch-up work, and also have a rest, before going back into the fray after half term.

I think that most kids would cope better with that rather than starting immediately after half term and being full-on straight away for weeks until the Easter holidays.

This sounds like a good idea