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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

not happy with the school place given

73 replies

123mon · 01/03/2013 11:49

hi im really upset about my daughter not been accepted to the first school that i choose for her and i really don't want send her where she has been accepted (apparentely not good school at all), does anyone know what i can do to change the decision? really worry for my daughter education and im sure sending her to that school will make it worse...

OP posts:
OneLittleToddleTerror · 01/03/2013 11:52

This reply has been deleted

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kilmuir · 01/03/2013 11:55

I have a Ten year age gap between my oldest and youngest DC. Why jump to assumption of op being a troll

Original poster
123mon · 01/03/2013 11:55

yes i have 2 daughters, and im not a troll, whats the problem?

OP posts:
Original poster
123mon · 01/03/2013 11:57

thanks kimuir, some people like to be miserable

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 01/03/2013 11:59

A bit harsh One, a ten year age gap is not unheard of. There's 13 years between my siblings. My parents were dealing with Uni applications and preschool boosters at the same time!

OneLittleToddleTerror · 01/03/2013 12:00

Just that you started two controversial topics. You must have seen the replies you had from the vaccination one?

neddle · 01/03/2013 12:00

You can lodge an appeal, it should tell you how in your offer letter.

OneLittleToddleTerror · 01/03/2013 12:00

It's not about the 10 year gap. Read the other thread.

KatieMiddleton · 01/03/2013 12:00

Well you have a few options:

  1. Appeal if you have grounds
  2. Put her on the waiting list at the schools you do want
  3. Work with the school she goes to and help make it a great school

Please don't come out with anything that suggests your child is too good/sensitive/gifted/speshul for this school but that it's fine for Other People's Children. There's less chance of a bunfight then :)

montmartre · 01/03/2013 12:01

Eh? 10yr gap not uncommon!
Anyway, your options are- appeal or go private.
Make sure you get on the waiting list for your preferred school, and ensure you stay on there, so your child has a chance if places come up.
These are allocated according to the admissions criteria, so do what you can to get her to the top of the waiting list (short of putting her in care!)

salcz · 01/03/2013 12:01

I haven't got any school age DC, but I thought the letters were being received tomorrow and the emails tonight for places??

OneLittleToddleTerror · 01/03/2013 12:04

I was thinking she was going to start a baiting thread with the "too good/sensitive/gifted/speshul for this school" angle. I read your other thread earlier today. Sorry if I have got you wrong.

Many of us have to send children to schools we don't like. It's either that or go private. Isn't it only 7% or so children are in private education? Many of us can't afford it. There's nothing we could do.

crikeybill · 01/03/2013 12:04

Yes you have received your letter early Hmm

Oh and I have a 9 year gap Grin just to add to the buns !

PootlePosyPerkin · 01/03/2013 12:06

I have a 10 year age gap between DS2 & DD too.

With regards to the question (assuming it's genuine), do you have a realistic chance of appeal? Do you live in the catchment area for your 1st choice? Does your DC have SN that would be best served by a place at the 1st choice school?

You can always appeal, although appeals in this LEA are usually unsuccessful unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Alternatively, you can go on the waiting list for a place at your 1st choice - although it would be worth knowing where you are on that list. Top 5, your DC is likely to get a place. 95th, they are not.

Best of luck.

MirandaWest · 01/03/2013 12:06

Emails were being sent out in some areas from midnight so not unusual to have found out where your child has been allocated.

pinktabulous · 01/03/2013 12:08

We are waiting for our outcome email too - will have to wait until this evening, but other counties sent their emails as from midnight/early am

crikeybill · 01/03/2013 12:15

Ok fair enough. I will withdraw my Hmmmm.

Original poster
123mon · 01/03/2013 12:21

even if i started 2 controversial topics i dont think i offended anyone!!! plus im only asking opinions people you dont have to answer if you dont want and thank you to the people who gave me some tips

OP posts:
Original poster
123mon · 01/03/2013 12:38

e problem is i don't live in the catchment area, but i know that the school where she is been chosen for is really bad and i don't know what exuses to use to convince them

OP posts:
BackforGood · 01/03/2013 12:43

I've been notified where my dd is going too - as has everyone in our authority who provided an e-mail address!

Unless you feel there has been an example of the criteria not being applied, or not being applied fairly, you don't really have any grounds for appeal.
Was the school you've been allocated your 2nd choice? There's a news article in our local paper same article as they regurgitate every year saying that "1 in 4 miss out on their first choice school", but, as you go into it, it explains that a huge number of people here are either very unrealistic in their choices, or, at best "hopeful", and a lot put down the grammar school as their first choice, when they only take about 2% of the population, so, of course a lot of people won't be allocated their first choice, but it is made clear to people before hand, to be careful with their next 5 choices, so you don't end up being allocated a totally unsuitable school.

BackforGood · 01/03/2013 12:44

Ah - x-posted.
Well, if you put as first choice a school you weren't likely to get in to, then, it surely can't be unexpected, even though I understand your disappointment.

3littlewomen · 01/03/2013 12:45

Ponders her large bump and the 16 year age gap between bump and big brother.....

Blu · 01/03/2013 12:46

LOADS of people had their offers within seconds of midnight - what is the matter with MN?

OP, sorry to hear you have such a disappointment -

  1. You can appeal, although it is hard to appeal successfully for secondary school, unless you can demonstrate that they applied their own admissions criteria incorrectly have strong social and medical grounds, and used those to apply in the first place. You should get a message or letter telling you how to appeal.
  2. You can go on the waiting list for all the schools you put above the offered school in your list of preferences.
  3. You can also go on waiting lists for any other school you think you would prefer.
  4. There is often lots of waiting list movement after people put in their acceptances or not, and all the way through the summer holidays.

Do you know why you did not get a place? Too far away?

I believe that the advice is always to accept the place you have been given while you pursue all the other options, because that does not put you at any disadvantage on waiting lists or appeals, and if you turn it down you could end up with something worse and further away! Maybe more qualified posters could confirm or deny that advice?

PootlePosyPerkin · 01/03/2013 12:48

So, was the "really bad" school your second choice? Is that your catchment area school?

Have you had a look round? There is a secondary school here with a negative reputation but, when you break it down, that reputation was made 20 or 30 years ago! If you speak to anyone whose DC go there now (or have been in recent years) they will tell you how good it is. Their results at GCSE & A-Level are excellent.

My point being, don't write off a school as bad until you have checked it out for yourself (which you may have done).

JugglingFromHereToThere · 01/03/2013 12:51

We heard from the website about a place for DS when we looked this morning.
We were pleased he'll be able to go to the same school as his sister.
Am sorry for anyone who's not happy though.
Basically you can try an appeal but not easy - you do hear of some who are successful.

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