What to do now, two appeals lost - help, please?

[IdespairIreallydo]

We were refused all of our 3 choices for our DS this September and allocated a place at a failing (on many levels as recorded by Ofsted) school. Having lost 2 appeals I am drained, emotionally wrung out. We don't want either of our DC's to attend this school, we have to 'choose' for our daughter this October and she particularly needs pretty much any other school rather than the current allocated one. Do we move to catchment for our chosen school or is there still hope that with some of the movement I understand goes on re school places we may get a place at any one of our 3 preferred schools (all oversubscribed) before Sept ? Any help much appreciated.

I guess it depends where you are on the waiting lists once all the appeals have been held and successful appellants have made their choice of school. They may be on both schools waiting lists so there could be movement. I would always advocate living in the catchment area of the school you want as "choice" is not available. You can only express a preference. I would try and move.

I think the only thing you can do is move to the school gate - as long as distance is priority 1 on the list and wait. THe closer to the school you are the higher up the list you will be ( pushing others back bar statemented kids and possibly siblings).

Are you on the wait list for every other school you would consider sending your child too? If not get onto them.

You can of course home educate pending a place but this doesn't twist the local authorities arm to place you where you want to be.

Did you really only have 3 slots on your preference form, or did you, misguidedly in retrospect think that only making 3 choices would mean you got one of them? There are usually 5 or 6 slots and others in future would be advised to use all these as they lessen the chance of getting a school that no one else wants at all.

So sorry to hear about your appeals. We did one for DD2 and it seemed to take over my whole life. Do any of the schools you are on waiting lists for have sibling priority? If they do and you are reasonably near the top it might be worth holding on with the hope that you can get your DD in next year once you get your DS in. If not (and they mostly don't where I am) then moving sounds like a good idea.

Have you considered other schools not on your original application? Are there any schools with places available that you would prefer to your allocated school?

Theas18 I think 3 preferences is normal outside of London and big cities.

4 choices in Hertfordshire.

Yes, only three slots on our application form, in Somerset. Only two schools with places available are poor performers, hence the others are over subscribed. We have worked out that we have to move, although we have to make sure that the nearest school is not one one of the two we don't want. I see the difference now - preference v choice - it's just I wish the LA had said last October, 'Look, no chance of entry in any of your preferences and no hope of your child winning at appeal because he has no unique/compelling reasons - your (catchment/inadequate) school is all you will be offered'. We could have saved ourselves a great deal of time and angst. We just want to give both our children the best possible chance of fulfilling their potential - that won't happen for sure at our allocated school.

The LA has to produce information on how places were allocated to each school in the previous year. You can tell from this whether you would have sold a chance or not. They will not tell every individual parent what the chances are, and, they do vary every year. This information will be on their web site so do look at it before you move.

Sorry, wondered if anyone had experienced the following (subsequent) scenario. So, we move very near to catchment of desired school and get daughter in for Sept 15. We want to move DS over from allocated school that he will start at this Sept to desired school that DD has a place at Sept 2015. Will we be able to do this as DD will be there (or will be allocated a place there) or will the LA say, no room, if you want them to be together they will have to go to allocated school as desired school oversubscribed IYSWIM?

You will still have to go through another in-year appeal for your ds, I think. It's extremely unlikely that they will hand you a (Y8?) place just because your dd is starting in Y7.

There's a very good state boarding school in Somerset. Could that be a possibility?

In your scenario, you increase your chances of getting a place for DS (assuming sibling priority exists, and works for older as well as younger siblings) as he would, with proximity and sibling, be at or very near the top of the waiting list.

You would however still have to wai for a van place. If the school is full, the only way to secure a place is via appeal.

Sorry: that should be "wait for a place" (no vans!)

Thanks meditrina I'm trying to avoid appeals as we have no unique and compelling reasons for a place other than we live on the doorstep and his sister goes there. Is this enough, do you trhink?

Do you mean September 2014? You can't have an allocated place for September 15 yet.

Why are you so sure they won't be happy and successful in the school they have been allocated to?

If I've read your posts right idespair I think you've got it a bit mixed up.

I take it you have two children in consecutive years - and the elder child moves up this September?

If you move now, to the 'better' schools catchment area, that won't affect your chances of getting a place for your elder child - they will change their place on the waiting list, perhaps, based on distance, but there's nothing automatic about it - you would only get a place if one became available and there isn't usually that much movement on the lists during a year. They don't reconsider the position at the start of each year, for example - so someone who has moved further away doesn't get bumped in favour of someone who has moved closer, so there is no guarantee of a place starting for year 8 or year 9

And as your elder DC won't have a place by the time you put in your form in October/November this year for your second DCs place for September 2015, you won't have any sibling priority by then to help you. If you've moved by then ( touch to arrange that by October?) DC2 will have a better chance but that would leave you with two kids in two different schools.

Sorry, but the chances look bleak unless there are special circumstances

So sorry to hear this. I would move and hope for the best. It's just bricks and mortar at the end of the day, but your childrens' education can affect them for the rest of their lives. We live in Brighton where there is a lottery system for school places (and only a couple of decent schools) so we decided not to risk it and went private at enormous expense and sacrifice (we have just the one chld, two or more, no way!)
Good luck.

AllsFair because it has been failing (according to Ofsted and local knowledge) for a number of years now and we want our DC's to fulfill their potential - our DD will definitely not thrive there, our son deserves better.
BeckAndCall quite possibly, I have been given various bits of information from the LA and it's an emotive subject in amongst all of the rules and regulations. Yes to your second para. There are two outstanding schools we are trying to get into the catchment for. I do see your reasoning and yes, I can see elder DC going to 'undesired' school and only DD at our preferred school. I keep being told there is a fair degree of movement in the first term Y7 but whether that is enough to gain a place for DS, who knows?
Brightonhome thanks for your sympathy, seems everyone thinks we are wrong to want to try and get a better education for our DC's than that which we have been offered. I am so with you re their education being important, it's just we are lucky (actually we worked hard) to have a great family home that will be a wrench to leave. But move we will have to do, it's the 'hope for the best ' bit my nerves are having trouble with.

a failing school put in special measures may become an improving school with potential espec for new entry yr 7. not all doom and gloom.

and money will be thrown at the school if it is deemed failing.

cestlavielife I have tried to focus on the positives of the allocated school, unfortunately the catchment is predominently known as being 'rough' (sorry, un PC but true). Our DS will get through it, although will he gain the maximum education he is able to, who can tell until it's too late? Our DD is easily led, will get in with the wrong crowd and she is a bright girl, deserves the best her parents can do for her (they both do).