Secondary place withdrawn today please help

[Middleoftheroad]

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the blue the HT of the comp calls me today to tell me that the LA has made a mistake in allocating its places and have withdrawn the place.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?

Thanks. I don't think so which is why it is confusing as they took two others off the list based on distance being 1.262miles from school and us 1.014. last cut off 1.012 on March 1. but everyone is woolly about why.

I am.however near the top of the waiting list the council assures me. It put my name down. last week! Are they for real?

DT2 has his second transition day next Weds. I hope the post comes before then as DT1 is supposed to have his 'second' transition the following week. Obviously he missed the first due to the withdrawal of the place the afternoon before. We had hung up his sports kit for that event and packed his pencil case ready. It makes me weep to think of it.

I can't bear to see another family go through this. My priority is to get the place 'back' so my DS never knows.

But the council needs to be made an example of. I hear they mess up lots that they did a similar thing last year by accidentally allocating a place to a boy 7 miles out of catchment for a sought after school with a very tight catchment. It was retracted earlier than ours, went to appeal and the family won.

Were previous appeals codes so ambiguous over when places could be withdrawn?

Everything crossed for you this weekend. I've been following your saga since the beginning and really hope you get the result you deserve

I just want to say that you have my upmost sympathy with regards to the stress this causes and the impact on daily life and mental health. My situation is different as my DD has SN so I am trying to gain a special school place for her, but dealing with my LA sends me in to a rage. The manipulation of situations to meet their end rather than thinking about the child at the centre is awful. And knowing they hold all the power and will change goal posts and delay emails and decisions to drag things out is infuriating and has honestly driven me to the edge.

I really hope it works out for you. I, like you, have a weekend of still waiting to try and transition my daughter. This could have been sorted but my contact at the LA has a habit of replying to my emails at 4:30 on a Friday. Really fucking helpful.

I honestly loathe them.

Thanks Tiggy. I just hope not all LAs/HT would force others to appeal after withdrawing at 15 weeks.

Fingers crossed it doesnt come to EFSA or a lawyer.

My hunch is that it will go in your favour. An appeal panel cannot be seen to accept an unfair fuck up of this magnitude.

Stradbroke sorry to hear about your dealings with the LA - sounds like a nightmare. I hope it gets sorted. Your family deserves better.

Cauliflower. I hope so. I don't know much about how members are chosen/trained and they didn't ask any questions....

Middleoftheroad the panel didn't ask me many questions either. I was assured they had thoroughly dissected the (very) long statement and all the supporting documents I had sent in advance. They also emphasised that it would all be considered along with anything that was discussed on the day. I would be amazed if they could justify not upholding in your case!

I don't think the fact they didn't ask many questions has a bearing. Probably the facts spoke for themselves.

Thanks Tiggy - if only they had a code, a moral.one. How depressing that this goes on more often.

Just back from the cinema..Have felt so low and neglected the boys that we just wanted to do something nice. Mind, I spent the film.pontificating, but DTs were relaxed. Hope they can stay that way

Good luck, I've been lurking for a while and willing you on. We were mistakenly refused a reception place for our son at our local school (they'd forgotten to include the sibling priority link) and the LA fixed it within 12 hours with a fulsome apology. Which is of course as it should be, but as I was told on here at the time, it's almost unheard of for an LEA to fix a mistake so quickly and competently! It really is outrageous that the system is so broken. Even if (as I sincerely hope) you get the place reinstated, it's still totally outrageous that they've needlessly put you through such serious mental anguish.

Thanks Zoe. so glad it was sorted. You also hit the nail on the head with the words 'full apology'.

The LA's attitude has been blase at best and cold during the rest. The language used and the insult of saying they can imagine our 'frustration' adds insult to injury.

But apparently there is no issue as we now have a place in a diff LA 6 miles from our house and 10 miles oppisite direction to his twin. It's also notorious which is why there are still places! Oh and we also have the right to appeal.....

Fingers crossed for good news!

Fingers crossed for early post today

Keeping everything crossed for you

Just checking in to see how your doing. I've been thinking of you all weekend, it's a truly horrible situation they have left you in.
I really hope you get good news quickly today.

Thinking of you and really hoping for a positive update from you! It must have been a long weekend so I hope you hear early today.

Hoping you get good news today

Oh gosh!

I am coming in new to this thread today but am absolutely horrified that your poor DS can have been messed around so much!

Best of luck for today .

Hope you get good news today.