Appeals process for catholic schools

[babyseven76]

Hi does anyone knows how to appeal a decision for a Catholic girls school as we are practicing Catholic and would like my daughter to get a place there but we don't come under the same LEA as the school 🤔😕

Hi. Do you have a copy of the admissions criteria for the school. That would be your starting point. You need to know which category of admission your dd should have been admitted under and check that she was considered for that category. Also find out which category the last admitted pupil fell under. A different LA will mean you're not in catchment but that's not necessarily the top consideration in a religious school.

Do accept the school offered, and ensure that your DD is on the waiting list for your preferred school(s).

The steps suggested by BarbarianMum are important not just for any appeal but also to ensure that your DD is correctly ranked (by reference to relevant admissions criteria) on the waiting list.

The letter telling you that you didn't get a place should tell you how to appeal. In terms of constructing your appeal, the first question is whether they've made a mistake - put your daughter in the wrong category or measured the home to school distance incorrectly, for example. If there is no mistake you can still appeal and argue that the disadvantage to your daughter from not being admitted outweighs any problems the school will face if she is admitted.

Hi, thanks all. Not sure what all these abbreviations means DD etc... 🤔
I haven't got the letter yet jus got offer by email so will probably wait to receive it thanks

DD is (darling/dear) daughter. LA is the Local Authority.

I suspect that your application failed on distance from the school - as you live in a different LEA you are probably beyond the last place offered. The letter should confirm whether that’s the case.

As for the appeal, as previous posters have said it’s about the relative prejudice (ie disadvantage) to your child and the school.