Help needed DD2 has not been given a place at DD1's school.

[ronshar]

Can anyone help me with my appeal. We really want our daughter to get the same level of education as her big sister. The catchment finishes at the end of our road. We have been given our second choice but that is further away.
What can we do to get the best chance of changing the decision?

You surely must be at the top of their waiting list? Nearest school/sibling already attends...and by September someone will surely have dropped out?

Is your second choice in catchment? If not then is there anything you can say to suggest that dd2 would benefit from being at same school as dd1? Were you in catchment for dd1 and catchment now changed? Seems odd that siblings don't qualify unless you aren't in catchment and in catchment siblings and in catchment others qualified ahead of you (and after the usual social/medical need).

No both schools are out of catchment. But our second choice is even further away than the first choice. The catchment stops at the end of our road.
I was led to believe that siblings had priority over other non catchment regardless of special need! Is this not the case. Each area seems to have different rules.

Would have thought that special need/social care would have top priority and then once you are out of catchment it should be siblings, at least it would where we are. What are the criteria for your LEA? Is the school filled on in catchment then? That happened to two of our local schools last year.

Our school was filled in catchment. Can you appeal ont he grounds that taking two children to two different schools will be too difficult? How far apart are they?

Looked after children and shildren with a statement of SEN that names the school will take priority over everyone.

Ronshar - Some of the school's around here have priority areas and out of catchment siblings are something like no. 5 on the priority list, after any in-catchment area child.

If this school is like that, I think it is very unlikely that you will win on appeal.

If your older child is already at the school, you must have a relationship with the secretary handling admissions. What has he/she said?

As Heated said, you must surely be very close to the top of the waiting list if you are that close to the end of the catchment. Do you know what number your dd is? A good appeals person will probably tell you that it is probably not worth appealing, unless in some way the LEA has not applied the admission criteria correctly (and it sounds as though that is not the case).

In which case, you would be best to persist in asking the admissions secretary how the waiting list is going and express your keenness for a place.

Someone is very likely to drop out over the Summer (before Reception starts). Often the parents will not inform the school or the LEA. The school then has to hold the place for a week, or something, before 'phoning down the waiting list. Most parents will have settled in their dc somewhere and will decline the place. Given your situation, you probably won't.

So hang tight, be nice and be prepared for a little wait and perhaps some disruption/inconvenience.

I thought that trying to appeal would be pointless if they are full. I shall have to get on the phone tomorrow to try and see what the waiting list is like.
We only received the letter today so I am still in a bit of shock!

Why do SN get priority if they are also out of catchment? Not that I have a problem with it but am interested as to why that is.

ronshar - because the Statement will outline why that school is the one that can meet the SE needs - so the child needs to go there, wherever it lives. For e.g my child needed a school with flat access (for mobility difficulties) and could not reasonably be educated in any other schools.

Of course. I am a bit dim sometimes.

Could also be nearness to GP surgery etc. A whole host of reasons. You may also find that some people have been allocated places who are sending their dc to private school. I was encouraged to apply for a state place even though ds is happy in reception at private school. Couldn't see the point personally (and didn't) but mine was the minority view .

Not many places get allocated on SEN - you have to have loads of medical evidence and statements, and there has to be a v clear reason why that school and no other.

In our LEA the selection criteria is this:

1. Special Needs

1. Children in care

1. Children in catchment with siblings

1. Children in catchment

1. Children out of catchment with siblings

1. Children out of catchment.

Our school is usually full by the time no. 4 has been implented.

There are siblings out of catchment though who got in on the waiting list, so it's definetely worth your while ringing and asking about that.

As far as I know if you go to appeal you have to prove that they have not followed their own policies or have been flawed in some way.

Good luck.

Two of our local schools were full by no 3 last year. Caused a complete nightmare but apparently a boom year for births.

Round here the admissions waiting lists for Reception and Year 7 go strictly on criteria. So if you are say 2nd on the waiting list now it's possible that you will move down the list if someone moves into the catchment area before September and wants a place. In other years I think it goes on the position you are on the waiting list. If that makes sense

I agree to hang on in there on the waiting list.

But would you consider moving DD1 to the school you have been allocated for DD2, do they even have space?

Thanks for your replies. I did phone admissions today. Apparently I should appeal making it clear that DD has a sibling at that school! I also have to write in and join the waiting list.

I wouldnt move Dd1 as she is in all top groups.
The reason why reception is full is because DD2's allocated school has recently gone loads down hill so everyone is trying to get into DD1s school.
This policy of everyone has a choice isnt really true is it?

Ronshar - It sounds like you're doing all the right things (am school governor and sit on admissions appeal panels for the LEA). In your appeal, present everything in terms of the school's admissions criteria, so (eg) make it plain that your oldest child is already at the school. But if the criteria are like those that mankyscotslass mentions, it may be the class was already full of children from categories higher up the list.

Give it your best shot, but you need to think through what you'll do if a place doesn't become available, either through appeal or through other people turning down their places.

And I meant to say, the choice is really about expressing a preference. Where schools are over-subscribed, it's the schools and LEAs which do the choosing (using their admissions criteria).

Fantastic news for us.
The admission office phoned at 8.30 this morning. Apparently there has been a few changes and DD2 has Definitely got a place at DD1's school.
So panic over.
Thank you for your help ladies

Yay!

Get hold of this book
www.tesco.com/books/search.aspx?Ntt=ben+rooney&VSI=1&Ntk=primary&Nty=1&Ntx=mode%2Bmatch all

it was invaluable in preparing our school admissions appeal

Didn't read to end of thread

Congratullllations.Very pleased for you