Hello,
I've registered an appeal for DD secondary school as we didn't get our first choice and am now trying to compile the documents to evidence our case.
We have accepted the place at our second choice - which is a perfectly reasonable school but isn't the one either of us preferred.
She is currently in a tiny private school (12 in her year - all girls) and is moving out of her school into year 7 at our local state school which has an intake of 250 for the year.
When we visited the school the admissions secretary informed us that we were within catchment (but area 4/5 or something) and everyone in our catchment area had got in successfully for the last 5-6 years. We would perhaps be refused a place initially, but as long as we put it down as our first choice we should get in by Easter without a problem. It since turns out that there has been an unprecedented interest in the school this year and whilst we moved from over 40 to 17 on the waiting list - the admissions secretary advised us our only option now was to appeal. Ugh.
I don't believe there is any error in the admissions criteria so believe our focus is on why she has to go to this school. We randomly live in the middle of no schools so all 3 options are a bus/car journey away - the one we prefer is not the nearest, but only a slightly different route and marginally further in distance. I don't think the transport logistics are going to be a valid evidence point.
The school is an academy and has a technology specialism, so I will obviously promote how important this specialism is to her and how it is a strength for her and something she wants to develop, also the excellent music facilities etc.
At the first choice school that we are appealing for DD does know 4 or 5 children that have got in there from her extra curricular activities, whilst at the one we have been allocated she knows not a single person in her year (and actually they have a larger intake of 320). Is there any weight in explaining the massive culture shock she is going to have going from an incredibly sheltered environment to this massive state school and the fact there would be a couple of friendly faces to help her with that transition?
I'm looking for additional points to aid our appeal but don't want to spend time evidencing things that won't bear weight.
Appreciate any advice offered!