Appeal help please

[hooplahoop]

Hello

I was hoping for some advice from the kind experts on here . I am considering appealing our allocation on health grounds ( my child has a food allergy that causes an anaphylaxis/ life threatening reaction ) so it's important the school is near a hospital / an ambulance could get there quickly

I don't know if that on its own would be enough . But to complicate matters the school we have been allocated ( i think I put it 4th on my form, in London we got 6 choices ) is in a completely different area. We are considering a big move , school one big factor but not all.

Does that make it too difficult for the panel to make a decision for an appeal?

Thanks for your time

Did you apply to the school on special needs grounds?
Also being located nearer to a hospital wil not necessarily mean greater access to an ambulance. How are you going to demonstrate this? For example where I live the ambulance hub is 4 miles in the opposite direction to the hospital from our house. When an ambulance was required it took a lot longer when we were near the hospital. Also consider what measures the school already has in place and can they demonstrate meeting your child's needs?

if you are in London, I can't imagine you can make a strong case that one school is likely to have significantly better access to ambulances than any other, plus the panel will likely take the view that every school is supposed to be able to deal with children with such allergies.

If you can get a letter from a medical professional saying that your child needs to attend School X and specifying why, then you have better grounds.

Thanks . No i didn't apply on medical grounds. Will research the amubulance hub.

It sounds tenuous. How often does your child end up being taken to hospital because of an anaphylactic reaction?

Being completely honest with yourself, is the allergy concern the real reason why you don't want the school that has been allocated?

The other school is not in London ( hence my query about would it be too complex for the appeal)

For me , a life threatening reaction needs to be planned for appropriately . In my mind , for something so serious as an anaphylaxtic shock it does not matter how often it happens. But this is all new to me , so advice appreciated

So you want to appeal for a school that is a long way from where you are now?

As I said before, a panel will at least start with the view that all schools should be able to deal with medical emergencies such as this - they aren't that usual, most secondaries will have children with strong allergies and will have epipen training, policies, etc. It's not that rare.

Ok but lots of people have anaphylaxis. And other conditions. They can’t place them all in schools near hospitals.

My dd is expected to manage her own anaphylaxis at high school. When she started I had a meeting with the catering team. She knows she needs to check the menu. She carries her own epipen and antihistamine. Her friends have had a go on a dummy epipen and they know she is anaphylactic.

If your child is often taken to hospital for anaphylaxis then you might have a case.

aren't that unusual, I meant!

Thanks everyone, sounds like an allele would not be the right route

Every school I know have staff trained in dealing with children with food allergies, type 1 diabetics, epilepsy etc Your dc will be looked after no matter which school they attend.

In answer to your question I dont believe you would win an appeal on that basis especially if the school you have been allocated already has students with medical conditions that may require ambulance attendance. Another consideration should be how far away is your home from the hospital? If its the same or further then this will not help you in an appeal.

You would be better off speaking with the school allocated and go through everything with them in advance of your dc starting the school. They will be able to reassure you of their processes in the event your dc has an allergic reaction.