Please advice if I should appeal for a place for my twins for a school in much demand

[geek84]

Hi Folks

We have twins who have both been offered places at the 3rd preference school. Our preferred 1st choice was a C of E school. However, because this school is much in demand, I have been told that appeals are not very successful. Last year, there were 74 appeals lodged, and only 1 successful.

One of the reasons why my twins were not offered a place is because the governors thought our supporting evidence for faith commitment was not as strong as those families whose children have been offered a place, although we have been attending the local temple for the last 30 years!

If we do appeal, do you think it would be good if we provide further evidence of faith commitment? Also, would it be a good idea to take in a representative to do the talking for us, because both my wife and I are not very good at talking in front of a panel - we both get nervous !!

Thanks in advance for your response.

What are the exact criteria for admissions to the school? Do they give preference to CofE applicants? I presume from your mention of temple that you are regularly practising your faith but it is not CofE, which MAY put you in a lower category for admissions.

It's impossible to say what your chances of a successful appeal would be based only on the information you gave but on the face of it, it doesn't sound very strong.

If your twins were placed in the wrong admission category that would be a good basis for an appeal. As Annh says you need to check the admission criteria carefully. You can provide further evidence of your faith if you wish but the central question is whether or not the school got it right based on the evidence provided. You should also explain why your children will benefit from going to this school - what features does it have which will be particularly good for them.

I wouldn't worry about getting nervous. Appeal panels are used to nervous parents. You can take someone with you if you want but I personally think it is best in most cases if parents represent themselves. I would be very careful about the various people who offer to help with your appeal in return for payment. You may find they are not worth it.

geek,
I would echo what PRH has said, it really all depends on whether you really think the school got it wrong on the category you were put in or not.
If you want PM me or PRH with the school and we might be able to help more on whether you meet the admission criteria.
The fact that you are saying that the school governors thought that your faith commitment was not as strong, immediately make me wonder about the criteria because it should be easy to understand and certainly not based on what somebody thinks!

I've just realised that you have already asked this question or a variation of it, previously, and all the same people have answered you before. Don't you like the advice you are being given? Prh and admission are experts at this kind of thing so you won't find anyone who is going to say something substantially different to them.

It really depends on how the faith element is applied in the admissions process. Many C of E schools would give first priority to children who attend C of E churches then children who attend other Christian denominations and then children of other faith groups. So the type of church / place of worship you attend may be more significant than the length of time you attended. Some schools however may give equal weight to C of E and other Christian denominations. I am assuming from your use of the word "temple" that your child comes under the other faith criteria, so yes it would be possible for a C of E child to attend a C of E church for 3 years and have a higher priority.