Looking for some advice with regard to a secondary school appeal as I have an appeals hearing later this week. My son has been diagnosed with ADHD and aspergers and also is a very anxious boy generally. I have appealed already for my preferred school and lost but due to the allocated school changing their start and finish times I have now gained a 2nd appeal (my boy is absolutely terrified of dogs and animals generally so cannot go to school on his own so I would need to take and pick him up each day but I also have a 5 year old and change of times are now exactly the same as both boys so I cannot possibly pick up and drop them off each day -the preferred school has earlier and later times so I can manage these). I have compared the differences of the two schools in that the preferred school is well known for their excellent Learning Support Department, they have lunchtime clubs (which my son will need as this is a difficult unstructured time), they don't have a bell for change of lessons (he has sensory issues and does not like loud sudden noises and cannot cope with a bell). However the allocated school went into special measures in 2015 and one of the reasons was to 'improve the overall achievement of children with special needs'. This school has now changed to an academy and the preferred school are helping and giving advice to the allocated school as they are part of the same academy trust. The allocated school obviously has a lot of work to do especially with special needs, they have a bell for change of lessons, they don't do clubs on a lunchtime only after school etc.
Due to Aspergers and his peers treating him differently he does not have many friends and as most of his peers are attending the allocated school we feel he needs to have a new fresh start at a different school too.
I don't know if I should refer to the special measures and the OFSTED report as it is in connection with special needs. Any other advice to help me with the appeal would be appreciated.