In year transfer appeal advice please

[TazTheFairy]

Please could anyone give any pointers on what to prepare before an in year transfer appeal. The year group is full but the admissions officer for the school suggested we may have chance at appeal so we have given it a go. We have no grounds for appeal on it being an error, so really we're just on a prayer that somehow they can make space, I know it's not ideal but ds is very unhappy where he is and wants to go where he was always meant to (before senco suggestion, no longer any need for SEN provision) and where his friends all are. If anyone can help I'm happy to share what info we have so far, this is probably outing so have used my local/outing mn name. Thank you for any words of wisdom.

Not an expert, but from reading here you need to be able to justify why is this other school better for him:

Does it offer subjects he is particularly interested in (that you can prove).
Does it have extra curricular he is particularly interested in (that you can prove).
Any other particular needs the other school can meet better?

"Where all his friends are" probably isn't sufficient, unless there is a particular social need.

The only element where his needs are better met that we can prove is it is the only CofE school, the school has additonal criteria for church attendance which we most definitely meet without just rocking up for a couple of years to get him in, this part was important to us as a family (yes I know faith schools are frowned upon on here), but I'm 99% certain this won't be enough, however he wants this and he doesn't ask for much, he's not year 7 so this isn't a settling in issue or a whim. From the research I've done the only hope I think we've got is the numbers, it's how to prove it won't cause the school more hardship to let him in so any guidance on this would be wonderful.

I wouldn't know if you've got any chance on any reasonable grounds. However, if your DS is a lovely child and you're from a religious family, they might just consider going over numbers for you. I have seen schools go over number for the 'right' child and therefore safeguard against being made to accept other children, eg those who have been excluded from elsewhere, as they are over capacity officially. Quite an underhand thing to do but it does happen.

JoJo this would be my dream. I even sent his behaviour record (angelic, never ever been in trouble at school, pretty sure he's not ours sometimes!) with the appeal just so they knew we weren't trying to shift a trouble maker. They're over already though sadly, the frustrating thing is if his birthday was 2 weeks different he would be in with no appeal as the other year is under numbers.

To win your appeal you need to show that the disadvantage to your son from not being admitted outweighs the disadvantage to the school rom having to cope with an additional pupil.

It is unlikely that you will be able to convince the panel that an additional pupil won't cause any problems. However, once you've got the school's case to refuse admission, you can look to counter the arguments they have put forward. That will help to minimise the hurdle you have to get over.

In terms of showing that your son will be disadvantaged, you need to find things that this school offers that are missing from his current school and that are particularly relevant for your son. The fact his friends go there is irrelevant. The fact that you meet the criteria for church attendance is irrelevant. Your case needs to be about subjects they offer and/or extra-curricular activities and/or other things such as pastoral care.

Thank you, I really appreciate the input. Unfortunately the education office said not to focus on these things as other schools with space could offer everything apart from the religious aspect so they wouldn't be grounds to appeal, so I've messed that bit up already. I know we have a slim to none chance but I've promised to give it my best shot as he is very unhappy and it's getting worse. The only thing this school has that's unique is a pool, and swimming was on his original dyspraxia report as a recommendation but that was 7 years ago and we'd really be blagging it as he genuinely no longer needs any SEN input (seriously regret listening the senco who then left) as he has taken every bit of advice on board and tried so hard, years of stress and additonal support have paid off in one sense, but then left him in a school he doesn't want to be at.
The basis for refusal is school building size, which I can't comprehend as he would have got a place being 2 weeks older as that year has space, classroom size in a couple of subject areas, and dilution of teaching for the lower sets if they allowed another pupil in. He never asks for anything (very unlike his sibling, don't think I'm one of those 'my children are perfect' parents) so the one time he does I am going to try.

You can use the religious aspect but not by saying how you meet the admission criteria. That simply governs your place on the waiting list. It does not give the appeal panel grounds to admit. However, you can still use it by talking about, for example, the school's ethos and how that would be beneficial for your son. Similarly you can talk about their pastoral care if that is better than that on offer from his current school.

If he does a lot of swimming, is a talented swimmer or wants to improve his swimming you can still use the swimming pool.

I would ignore the education office's advice that other schools with space can offer everything. That is almost certainly not true. This school may offer some subjects that are not available at other schools. It may have particular specialist provision in some subjects. And it almost certainly has different extra-curricular activities. Look at lunchtime and after school clubs, sports teams, musical activities and so on. Ask the school rather than the education office.

The case to refuse sounds fairly standard from the summary you give. If they are over capacity for the school in total the building size is relevant regardless of the fact that there are spaces in other years. However, if they are under capacity it is not. It is impossible to say more about their classroom size argument without more information but it is unlikely to be enough to say they really can't cope with an additional pupil. Dilution of teaching is a standard argument and in general won't be given a huge amount of weight. It doesn't sound like a huge mountain to get over but it will depend on you getting a strong enough case together.

It would be worth finding out if they have had more pupils in this year previously. If they have that is an argument in your favour - they have coped with X number of pupils before so they can cope with more now.

Note that the school (and the LA if it is the admission authority) must answer any questions you ask to help prepare for your appeal, so it should be easy to find out anything you need.

It would almost feel like cheating to claim a love of particular subjects, yes there are two at least they offer he would enjoy but it seems so blatant, it's a shame they've stopped doing a random language he has been teaching himself though. I'm not very good at being bolshy so I do worry I'm going to fail on this unnecessarily. He isn't a strong swimmer, his coordination isn't good enough but being able to do this and cross country in his PE class he would love. Would it look too desperate to add that in writing now? We have a couple of weeks to do so.

The pastoral care at his current school is diabolical, the head of year's solution to problems with lessons being disruptive is to suggest looking at another school as most of the kids are on report!

The number the school has given me and the number the education office gave me differ by 1, if the EO number is correct this I in our favour, however they are under their net capacity (I really hope they don't read mn!). What questions is it appropriate to ask? It feels so cheeky to be putting them under the pressure of an appeal then demanding info from them.

And thank you, I've seen a lot of your input over the years and I know you know what you're talking about.

I need to get over myself cos I even feel cheeky asking for help on here!

I thought that swimming was well known to help coordination for children with dyspraxia? (See if you can find any official statement on this). So a school that offers swimming in PE would be great for a less coordinated child. Especially as so many PE options are dire for them. (I have 2 children with motor skills bottom 1%).

If the papers haven't been circulated yet you can still change your case and the panel will only see the final version. Even if they have already circulated the papers, it won't be a problem to change your case given the timing you talk about.

Don't claim a love of anything that isn't true. But if he loves a subject that this school offers you should say so.

It sounds like the pastoral care is something you could use but make sure it comes across as being in favour of the school you want. Don't criticise the current school - that could backfire.

It is not cheeky to ask questions. It is normal. Ask anything you think might help. For example, have they ever had more than the current number of pupils in the relevant year? If so, when? And how many did they have? Have they ever had more than the current total number of pupils? If so, when? And how many did they have? I would always ask those questions. I would also read the case to refuse admission carefully and see if that prompts any more questions.

Feel free to PM me if you would like me to take a look at their case.

As PRH has been saying in their posts do not in any way feel embarrassed in putting forward everything that you can in support of your appeal.
I am afraid that you are being led slightly astray by the education officers advice in that they cannot possibly know what the three members of the appeal panel are thinking, it is them that make the decision at the appeal not the school or the education officer. Even more importantly most of the school and education officers are fine about you putting a case and potentially winning, they will have presented many, many cases and simply put forward the best case they can, just as you should.
Do not get carried away by the net capacity of the school, what is more important is the number of pupils in the year group you are appealing for. If say the PAN is 270 then if there are 270 in the year group then it may not seem a lot to add just one more but if there are 300 in the year group already then it obviously is probably more difficult to accept one further pupil being admitted. Look at the numbers in each of the year groups and if any are over the PAN as that allows you to ask the most obvious question which is "as you are above PAN in year X, I presume that has not caused any issues as they are doing so well."

Oh, it does look like I took bad advice from the education office, I removed so much info from my appeal on that basis as well. Funnily enough admission the PAN is as you say (the fact this is quite identifiable is why I'm using this name, happy to pm my current normal one anyone though) however at 3 over this is the highest number in any year group, most are under numbers. I doubt they have gone over this but I will find out, this is a big year group.

I probably should have posted earlier, how would I go about adding a 'by the way he's desperate to do x subject ' without seeming like I'm lying (I won't be, I don't believe in lying to get something, it's not meant to be if you have to lie).

I would suggest that "X has a passion for subject Y and this is one of the reasons why this school is preferred, their current school does not do this subject and X is desperate to move schools so they can do the subject."
I know it sounds a bit desperate and a bit cheesy but you are simply stating one of the reasons why you want the preferred school.

Thanks, it does come across that way but he always wanted to work in this field since he was little, it's one the reasons, but not the main reason, he wants to move, it just made me think everyone would try this one on as it's quite specific to this school,i can however prove he is a member of a group related to this subject with subscriptions dating back to 2014. I guess I need to add this to my appeal ASAP, I have a couple of weeks to do so.

Sorry about the terrible grammar, hopefully DS is better at proofreading his work!

@TazTheFairy - Just checking that you received my reply to your message.

@prh47bridge yes, very sorry I was looking after my FIL last night so I didnt have chance to read and reply. I've replied this lunch time.

I've been told by dh to stop stressing about it over Christmas but that's not going to happen!

I agree with DH. There is nothing you can do over the Christmas period other than refine your appeal document and get it off to the clerk. Do it before Saturday and then forget about it for 2 weeks. You will have done everything that is possible to do.

I would have thought if your son shows such long term dedication to a subject then that makes it quite a strong case on that subjects case.
Also sports such as swimming and cross country could be argued as being more suitable for a boy with dyspraxia, and so giving him more of a chance to take part/compete at a more equal level.

Oh and I know about bad advice from SENCOs, my DS's Primary one persuaded me not to appeal for my son, and we were very close to not getting a place at the best school for him as a result. I know she was partly biased by her own experience of the school admissions system.

beka my normal rational self wouldn't have listened to her but the application fell at a time I was struggling myself (post bereavement and on meds) and I wasn't as on the ball as I usually am. In hindsight we shouldn't have listened. He took every tiny bit of advice from all agencies and tutors on board and, aside from his appalling handwriting, has found ways to keep up without support, it was hard work but so worth it.

admission today is the last day I can add documents to be considered so I have done and will now just have to work on what we will say on the day. It's hard to forget about it but there's nothing I can change now so will have to crack on with Christmas shopping instead!

Well, I did as dh instructed and piped down over Christmas, now it's all I can think about and I'm really thinking I'm wasting our time and we've not got a cat's chance in hell. The anxiety I've not had for years has reared it's ugly head and I need to get my brain in gear as I've promised ds I'll try my best. Darn it, parenting is so hard sometimes.

Any last words of wisdom or questions to ask the school representative? Especially about 'dilution of teaching' as I'm really not sure how to query this reason. The closer it gets the more I seem muddled!