Calling any appeal panel experts!

[swimmer1971]

hi, can anyone tell me the process at secondary appeals. Have just been told that all points raised by all appeal parents are then considered for EVERY child that has appealed for that school. Is this really so ? I assumed that my points were considered for my son, and points raised by other parents were only considered for their child and so on .

Anything you raise concerning the disadvantage to your son through not attending this school will only be considered for your appeal. However, any points you raise that show the school can cope with additional children will be considered for all appeals. Similarly any points you raise that show the admission arrangements are contrary to the Admissions Code or have been administered incorrectly will be considered for all appeals.

If all parents are together when the authority presents its case to refuse admission you will be expected to raise any points that show the school can take additional pupils or that mistakes have been made at that stage. You will not gain any advantage by holding information back until you present your case. Indeed, if you don't raise those points whilst all the parents are together you may not be allowed to raise them at all.

Agree with PRH. The appeal is in two stages. At the first stage the admission authority is arguing that the school is full and that they cannot admit the number of pupils that are appealing for the school. It is a myth that if the school is at the published admission number of the school that prejudice to the school will be proved. There have to be reasons over and above having met PAN. That is why the admission authority will talk about small classrooms, narrow corridors, health and safety issues, the lack of facilities etc as they have to show that there are other issues other having reached PAN. So in the first stag the normal procedure is that all parents are present whilst the admission authority make their case not to admit. Parents can and should challenge what is said by the admission authority where appropriate, so all points made will be considered at the end of stage 1 when the appeal panel will make a decision as to whether the admission authority have made their case not to admit all the appellants. It is important to remember that it is all appellants that has to be considered, not individual appellants.
In the majority of cases the panel will agree with the admission authority that they cannot admit all appellants but they might decide that a certain number can be admitted. What then happens at stage 2 is that each individual appellant talks to the panel about their own specific circumstances and reasons for wanting a place at the school. If the panel have determined that a certain number can be admitted then as a minimum that number will be admitted. They will be admitted on the strength of their individual case, which is why it is important to have the strongest possible case to present to the panel. In all cases the key will be whether the prejudice to the appellant in terms of their reasons outweighs the prejudice to the school to admit that pupil.
It is also possible that the panel can decide to admit nobody or can decide that the school managed to squeeze through stage 1 by the skin of their teeth and that the prejudice to all the appellants is such that it outweighs the prejudice to the school and therefore admit all.

Hi all

Thanks for feedback. So i am understanding that any of the points raised in terms of the health and safety type issues or admissions process will be shared amongst all appelants ? However personal type for example if i raised the point that other children with a less than required score got into the school and performed accademically ( head teacher appeal), and were not a drain on resources. Trying to prove that my ds would also be able to cope accademically, would that be considered for all children with a less than perfect score ? or just my appeal as i raised that point ?

Thanks