Hi. I have an appeal for my daughter's first preference school this week (she got none of her preferences). I am not sure what I expected to see but the school's case that the panel cannot admit more children does not seem very substantial.
It is very oversubscribed school, and children are admitted on appeal. But the appeal paperwork shows the school only has its PAN at each year throughout the school (so presumably people have left to even things out?). But that to me means that there is not a big overcrowding issue and weakens their side of the balancing act (or I may be getting a bit too optimistic here).
The school's case appears to be:
more pupils mean less teacher time, problems with differentiation and setting, and a squeeze on GCSE options.
the DfE want only 20 pupils per DT class and so there is a squeeze on DT spaces.
Some lessons are being taught in the wrong classrooms (ie RE in MFL classrooms)
They are 2 tech rooms short of the recommended amount and they cannot extend A level sciences due to lab space.
There is a wide range of SEN (but actually not very many pupils with a statement - 13 in total - although I do recognise there lots of children will have additional needs and no statement)
There is 90% occupancy of classrooms (I am not sure what this means - does it mean 90% of capacity or only 10% space to walk around and have furniture or resources).
I did not really intend to challenge the school's case at all. It seems fairly accepted/ obvious that admitting more pupils will put pressure on staff and resources. But there does not appear to be that much in terms of concrete grounds here?
I know we are all pretty sick of this stuff this time of year. But does anyone have any thoughts and perhaps anything I could bring up. (Presumably the panel will do most of that though). It is a mass stage one hearing and then individual stage two's if that makes any difference.
Thanks in advance of any views.