Grounds for appeal?

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Our local Comprehensive is not highly regarded. TBH I feel for the school, we are not in an affluent area, there are lots of children with social problems and SEN and the "better" families move heaven and earth not to send their children there, so they probably do very well with their intake. Last year they achieved 77% 5 A*-C, but the head has admitted to me that the majority are "equivalents"

They also do not offer any individual science GCSEs, only the combined science or in many cases BTEC science.

DS1 wants to be a doctor, which may or may not be within his reach academically, depending on how hard he's prepared to work, but if he goes to a school where it's impossible for him to do individual sciences, that dream will be over before it's begun. Assuming we are only offered a place at this school would that be grounds for appeal?

The first part of an appeal focuses on whether or not your school of choice is actually full.
If you can prove that it is not full, or that an error was made during place allocation, then you should win an appeal.

After that, it is down to personal reasons why you feel your child should go to the school and whether the school would suffer a greater prejudice if the child was admitted than the child would if they were not.

You would need evidence to prove that it is not possible to do individual sciences at the school.
You would also need evidence that your ds will need individual sciences to become a doctor (at gcse? or a level?)
This will be very hard to prove that the school will not offer individual sciences by the time your ds comes to take them.

To be honest, you are more likely to win an appeal if there is a personal reason why your ds should go to the school, or one why he should not go to the offered school. Eg, being bullied, health reasons, etc.

If he was attending an external after school club or activity that was likely to help with his career choice, for example, and he would be prevented from attending it because of the additional travel time from the other school this could be a reason why he would win.

You don't need individual sciences. It makes it harder if you've only got combined science but it's still possible.

However, I'd be appealing too if I faced the same prospect for my children, so good luck all the way and I hope you manage to find somewhere that will provide the education he needs.

Thank you shiney -I do have a letter from the head stating that apart from those taking BTEC science "all other students follow the Core science course"

Most state comprehensives do not offer "individual" sciences but if your son does the triple science option at GCSE this is the same as having GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
Core Science is the single Science option and is one GCSE so is only part one of the GCSE course. Most schools would take the double award which is 2 of the 3 modules and equivalent to 2 GCSEs. I would be suspicious if the double award is not offered - but it is possible that only a small number of children take this option so this could be why it has not been mentioned so far.
Is there another school locally that has Science specialist status where teaching of these options may be better ? Is there are evidence at the moment that your ds has an aptitude for Science?
Yes I do know people who have successfully appealed for schools on the basis on individual subject provision but this has mainly been for performing Arts e.g. having lessons on particular musical instrument, provision of dance facilities for gifted dancer, sports facilities for gifted swimmer etc. so it is worth a try. HTH

Agree with crazymum be very concerned if the school only do core science. This is basic and covers module 1 in bio, chem and physics. Usually this is combined with a second GCSE called additional science (sometimes known as the double award but it is a free standing GCSE) which covers module 2 in chem, bio and physics. Both of these are needed to do sciences in the sixth form. Yes it is harder to do this way but it is possible. I would suggest that it is not possible to do from just core science.

FYI if a school does triple science/ individual sciences then they add module 3 in bio, chem and physics to above module 1 and 2. Module 3 covers new topics and is not merely an extension of the topics in modules 1 and 2.

So the key thing is to make sure they have the option to do additional science and what the criteria are for pupils to be chosen for this course.

I've just checked entry requirements for our two local 6th Colleges -both very well regarded. They talk about dual award science and core & additional science for entry to A level science courses. One does not accept a combination of core science and applied science -I would be asking the Head or Head of Science if they only do applied as this might rule out entry to A level. If the school does a GCSE Science Course that will allow progression onto A level then I don't see how you could win an appeal unfortunately.

To correct some of what has been said...

The first part of the appeal is about the level of prejudice the school faces if your child is admitted. The school concerned would clearly be full in your son's year otherwise he would be admitted. The question is what problems they would face if he is admitted. Whether or not a mistake has been made in the admissions process would also be considered.

The second part of the appeal is about the level of prejudice your son would face if he is not admitted. That is where you can raise your concerns about the school's failure to offer individual sciences. The panel will have to judge the strength of this case. They may take the view that it will be several years before your son starts his GCSEs in which time his ambitions may change and the school may also change its approach to the sciences. Equally, they may find your case persuasive. I would look to strengthen your appeal by finding other aspects of your preferred school that are not present in this school and which will be of particular benefit to your son.

I think that if I was on this particular panel I would need far more evidence than you can currently furnish to agree that you have a good case to admit.

I do not doubt your son's wish to be a doctor and that the need for separate GCSEs in science is necessary. But you are talking about 4 years down the road, anything could change. Your son's ambitions, what the "inferior" school will offer when the time comes to make choices in year 9, especially given in the last week Mr Gove has effectively downgraded many of the so called vocational courses.

The other issue for any panel is that if you allow one appeal for this kind of reason you will have hundreds of appeals within a very short period of time, all saying the same. It is like bullying - it is the catch-all reason for wanting a move from a school but without clear unequivocal evidence of the bullying most panels will not admit.

"I do have a letter from the head stating that apart from those taking BTEC science "all other students follow the Core science course"
This does really need to be clarified by the Head of Science as the Head teacher / management team may not know the difference. In most secondary schools core Science is studied in Y10 and then the other modules are studied in Y11. Pupils who do not obtain a grade C in core Science can re-take this.
However the Science specification is changing and this modular system is being phased out (students who have already started the old style modules have a limited time to complete them). This means that by the time your ds takes his GCSEs, the situation is likely to have changed and possibly double Science may be more widely studied at this school.
What I said earlier is true that I do know people who for part of their appeal have included "this school is the only school in the area that offers xxxx GCSE" along with evidence that their child has aptitude in this area BUT this has been for GCSEs that are rare i.e. not taken by many students nationally or a rare musical instrument where it is hard to find a teacher.