Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

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

Original poster

Secondary place withdrawn today please help

449 replies

Middleoftheroad · 13/06/2017 15:50

I am still shaking

I have equal ability twins. One got into grammar one did not. We moved closer to be near the grammar and to secure my other twin a place at the local school, which we did at the start of March.

We have been through much heartache as this is a new area and a new school and my boys have been sad. I worked with the LA to secure the place after we moved. because we moved around offers day we were originally offered a failing school in our old LA which we declined once we had the new offer at the local school.

We did also appeal the grammar place for the comp bound twin - we proved his academic ability and the HT (presenting officer) said we gave a very persuasive case, but we were unsuccessful as they never allocate places on appeal. The boys wanted to be together but we were safe in the knowledge that whatever happened we had a comprehensive school place.

The twin who is going to comp has previously been under CAHMs for anxiety. He started to display these signs again so we took him to the doctor and have been working really hard to gee him up.

Tomorrow was meant to be a special transition day at the new school (he watched his twin go off to the grammar one yesterday) and we were looking forward to it.

out of the blue the HT of the comp calls me today to tell me that the LA has made a mistake in allocating its places and have withdrawn the place. The school wanted to let me know before the LA letter arrives so we don't go to the event tomorrow.

I have emailed my contact at the LA (ironically she is in appeals) the last place offered was 1.02 miles we are 1.04. I suspect they are currently allocating appeals places which we have missed the right to appeal. she says she is looking into it but as of right now we have no school place and I have a son on his way home who will be broken if we tell him.

We've had such an ordeal to get here. Aside from being morally bankrupt, is there a legal leg to stand on here? Apparently the LA messed up on quite a few offers made.

I just don't know what to do. I took the call at work and had to leave early. we have bought the uniform and built up to tomorrow. I am in total disbelief and feel sickened that my son is being messed around this way.

I have emailed the school again to ask that they intervene. Please help Tiggytape anybody?

OP posts:
ABitOTT · 23/06/2017 00:29

Just read this thread & I cannot believe what you've been put through! Wishing you the very best for a positive result from the appeal.FlowersFlowersFlowers

Shadow666 · 23/06/2017 02:47

Fingers crossed for you too OP!

HillaryWinshaw · 23/06/2017 03:10

Hope all goes in your favor, OP. What a shocking thing to have happened. Your son is lucky to have an advocate like you!

Original poster
Middleoftheroad · 23/06/2017 06:00

Thanks all. The support on here has been incredible and helped me through a bleak time.

I cannot thank prh47bridge enough. He's been so kind and helpful.

Unless I have completely misjudged this I am hopeful but dont want to jinx it!

OP posts:
Oblomov17 · 23/06/2017 06:28

Well done OP. You have done yourself and your ds proud. Thank goodness for prh47 and all the other knowledgeable people who have offered you information and support.
MN at its best!!

CauliflowerSqueeze · 23/06/2017 06:42

Can I just also add how good I think it is that you have kept your son out of all the worry here.

I've sat in independent appeals with parents who have brought the child in with them and gone on about how upset he/she is. I strongly feel it's not right for the child to listen to all the wranglings. I have my fingers crossed. They made a massive mistake.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 23/06/2017 06:54

I agree Cauliflower. We didnt tell DD a thing until we got the good news Sad

AwaywiththePixies27 · 23/06/2017 06:55

I agree Cauliflower. We didnt tell DD a thing until we got the good news Sad

AwaywiththePixies27 · 23/06/2017 06:58

Sorry that's meant to be a smiley face not a sad face! Smile

RahRahSkirt · 23/06/2017 07:07

When we went to our appeal, we were told that if the panel thought that the schools case wasn’t strong enough, we would only have to sit in and listen to that part of it, as they would have already made their decision in our favor. That first part took about 25 mins. If they thought the school had a strong case then they would listen to our argument. We had to leave the room while they talked about it. We were then called in back in and had to present our case which took another half an hour. Unfortunately they decided that the schools case was stronger and we lost the appeal. It sounds like the OPs panel are in agreement with the OP if there was only one sitting. I hope so. Fingers crossed.
X

PatriciaHolm · 23/06/2017 07:23

No, RahRah. If the OP presented her case, then it went to Stage 2, just like you. If the panel agreed the school could take all the appellants without prejudice, no-one has to present their case, and everyone finds out then that the appeal is successful. That didn't happen here.

Fingers crossed OP.

Gileswithachainsaw · 23/06/2017 07:27

Wow well done op such a pain they are making you wait til Monday it's going to be the longest weekend ever..

Flowers

But at least it's over now. Be kind to yourself and get some rest now

youarenotkiddingme · 23/06/2017 07:32

Well done for getting through it.

Masses of empathy here as been through my own appeals and had the LA make some dubious decisions re my ds - and like you work for them (in my case in education!) and it always feels like career suicide but still the right thing to do!

I hope they make the right decision.

RahRahSkirt · 23/06/2017 07:34

@PatriciaHolm it was the other way around with us, perhaps it’s different in wales. The school presented their case first and if the panel didn’t think that the school had a strong argument , then they would have found in our favor without having to hear our case, however , as it was we had to go back in and present ours.
We didn’t win the appeal, but it’s worked out for the better anyway.

PatriciaHolm · 23/06/2017 07:39

That's what I said, rah rah - school present its case against taking any more first, if panel conclude it hasn't proved it then the appeal doesn't proceed to hear the individual cases, everyone wins.

Here, OP did present, so the school obviously "won" stage one and proved they couldn't take all the appellants. The process in England and Wales is the same.

prh47bridge · 23/06/2017 08:54

Here, OP did present, so the school obviously "won" stage one and proved they couldn't take all the appellants

From what the OP has told me I don't believe this was run as a grouped multiple appeal. I think it was run as a series of individual appeals. I therefore wouldn't read anything into the fact that the OP had to present her case. In my experience panels dealing with a series of single appeals generally go through the full hearing before considering whether or not the appellant won at stage 1.

PatriciaHolm · 23/06/2017 09:15

Ah PRH - sorry, of course you have more info than we do I think.

Anyway, sorry to slightly derail - it is what it is and OP should hear by Monday hopefully. I think we all have our fingers crossed!

Original poster
Middleoftheroad · 23/06/2017 11:03

There was no group hearing like my previous appeal.
Both stages were done at the same hearing.
I never want to go through one again. If I did I think I would take an expert. Pray I never have to do this again.

OP posts:
PatriciaHolm · 23/06/2017 11:10

Oh OP. It's appalling that the LA have put you through this (and I speak as a Panel Member) - there is no justifiable reason this should have gone to appeal.

If they don't allow it, then I would suggest getting those of us who are panelists to look at the decision letter (if you are OK with that) as there are various legal requirements it needs to fulfill, and I would bet my bottom dollar it won't.

admission · 23/06/2017 11:53

I would prefer to believe that the panel cannot get this so wrong as to not uphold the appeal.
If the panel did decide not to admit, whatever the decision letter said would be irrelevant. The collective belief of everybody with any specialist knowledge on this site is that this situation is totally wrong, should never have even got to an appeal. WE can't have all got it so wrong, so I expect the appeal panel to get it right, with fingers crossed.

PatriciaHolm · 23/06/2017 11:58

Fingers crossed!

Original poster
Middleoftheroad · 23/06/2017 12:54

Thankyou PatriciaHolm that is very kind. I hope it isn't unsuccesl as I didn't ask half the questions I had planned.

I keep hoping I might get a phonecall rather than wait as we have waited long enough already in agony.

OP posts:
mychildrenarebarmy · 23/06/2017 13:11

I had an in year admission appeal for a year 9 place for my daughter on Monday, we got a decision letter yesterday. I hope your letter arrives quickly Middleoftheroad

Original poster
Middleoftheroad · 23/06/2017 17:50

Thanks too admission. This has left me feeling like a mad woman. So to know all the experts can't believe it ether makes me feel better. According to the LA they've done nothing wrong!

mychldrenarebarmy - congratulations! what a relief 😁

I feel really down that I am going into the weekend like this with no answer. It is my uncle's funeral Monday and I won't get home until late. If I arrive to bad news I don't know what I'll do. I'm beginning to doubt that it went ok. My friend said she doubts I'll relax even if we do win until DS is actually in his seat in Sept! If we do get in I need to make sure he's on the list!

Because all of this makes me think a place can be snatched away at any time with no recourse from the LA. In fact I am to be happy because we have been offered a place 6miles away at a school in a different LA in the opposote direction to his twin that is failing on all levels and where he knows nobody. This news was delivered just before we went to appeal!

We have to win or I am genuinely frightened about how they can get away with this.

So I have another weekend of waiting....

It was all.so unncessary. So callous and the LA's response insulting. The CEO is investigating but I know they will keep clinging to the appeals code and being able to withdraw a place.

I still don't know how the error occurred and they just say 'when processing applications'. We've been shattered by this. It's put my job at risk (had to take hol and sick leave) and caused us so much angst and misery. I know this is about DS but the fear of how he will react keeps me awake every night.

I wish there were more legal precedents. I hope though it's not me setting it! Sad

OP posts:
Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 23/06/2017 17:54

OP, is there any way your move in March has muddied the waters? It's just it would have left you in a tricky position (your earlier address is the one that obviously should have been used). Could they believe that there is fraud going on? I know this isn't any use to you now, after the appeal, but it could conceivably explain some things.

Good luck for next week.