Primary School Appeals

[maky]

Hi, wondered if any one had any advice or similar experience ?
We have just lost our appeal for primary school (prob no surprise there), my concern is that during the appeal they informed us that we were now the only appeal as the other appeal (there were 2 in total) had been offered a spare place that had just become available at the school and they were at the top of the waiting list. My reply to this was 'that's unfair' surely both appeals should have been heard and then a decision made, as in a previous breath they had said that the appeals process doesn't take into consideration waiting lists.
Any help appreciated x

[maky]

Hi, we are fourth down so don't think we stand much chance (yet none are church members ) , all new to us this process its stressfull !!!
Thanks

[BetsyBoop]

where are you on the waiting list? If you are somewhere near the top there is still a chance you may get a place before or in Sept, fingers crossed

(Not unheard of for children to simply not turn up in Sept having not told the school they no longer need the place )

[maky]

Hi, that's great thanks, good to have neutral views, looks like we will have to accept the appeal decision.
We are really upset that our son is unable to go to the school attached to our church, yet people who live slightly!!!! nearer and don't take their children to the church have.
We missed the distance category by less than 200 metres !
Thanks again

[BetsyBoop]

Voluntary Controlled schools typically have the same admissions criteria as the community schools in the LA & the LA controls the admissions, so no they don't use a "faith" criteria normally & distance is normally the tie breaker within a category(I'm saying "normally" as I'm sure there will be an exception somewhere...)

Voluntary Aided schools typically have admissions criteria that includes one or more faith elements (and typically use distance as a tiebreaker within each category) & they control their own admissions (not the LA)

Hope that helps

[prh47bridge]

Faith schools do all kinds of different things. Most in my experience use distance as a tie breaker. So if there are more children of the faith than there are places, distance will determine which get in. However, there are schools that do it differently. Some actually give a level of priority to children who are not of the faith.

[maky]

Hi, many thanks for that, worth a try !
Just on another point(if you can help) that's niggling me, do voluntary controlled schools never take in to account faith & being established members of a church before distance ?
Thanks again

[BetsyBoop]

Sorry, you lost your appeal, but the admission authority have done exactly what they are supposed to do by offering the available place to the DC at the top of the waiting list. They are not allowed to "save" places to award at the appeals, the appeals panel award what are in effect "extra" places if the appeal is upheld. (If the DC at the top of the list hadn't even appealed they would still have got the place ahead of any appeals, appeals & waiting lists are totally separate.)