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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Where do I start/what information needed

18 replies

hoxtonbabe · 01/03/2019 23:41

Hi all,

So like most here today my son did not get into any of the 5 schools we applied to and L.A. offered him a school that is totally unsuitable for him.

1st choice school does that annoying lottery allocation thing and is the most oversubscribed school in my borough. 2nd choice is the one making me scratch my head the most. The school is new, only two years, at the open day the head clearly said she’d encourage those who don’t live in the immediate area to apply as they are a new school and at present don’t have a catchment as such, she said if you live within 4 miles that is “doable” so with that information I applied as I’m around 1.7 miles away. The school the LA have offered is 0.2 miles closer to my house so just a few minutes walk.

3rd choice school has opened up an extra 30 places this year and I found out yesterday morning he was in the top banding following their own in house test. The distance fluctuates so a few years back the child furthest away in my sons band was just over 3 miles which I’m within but then last year it was 2miles which I’m not within , so once again head encouraged those that lived within say 3.5 miles to still apply.

Now as my LA didn’t actually send me the official email like all the others in my sons class that got their choices received I don’t actually know why my son didn’t get any of his places. Earlier today before offer was released I was speaking with sons teacher in a meeting about him in general as he’s been getting stressed about certain things ( this news has now made him 10x worse) so I asked if she had his CAT results and she said no... so I’m wondering who would have this?!?!

I’m not too clued up on this appeal stuff anf want to be sure they have applied everything properly before I go on to why the school the have allocated him is unsuitable so I assume I would need his cat results, how many applied, how many were offered within his band, distances, etc.

I know I’m going to have to get clued up but where do I start and what information should I be requesting.

Many thanks in advance.

OP posts:
clary · 02/03/2019 00:37

You need to appeal based on why school A is suitable for him, not why the allocated school is not.

So look at things like clubs at a specific school that he is interested in (music, drama, sport) or opportunities to study certain things eg engineering, specific tech subject etc.

Or if there are Sen or medical needs then talk about that.

Make sure you accept the offered place and talk up that school as he may end up going there. At least it is walking distance. What is so bad about it?

HotpotLawyer · 02/03/2019 02:21

Kingsdsle, Charter ED and Dunraven?

All wildly over subscribed. Did you use all 6 places on your list? Are you sure the Dunraven distance has stretched that far?

I THINK Kongsdale does a Maths scholarship post-admission (because they are not allowed to select in maths as an admission scholarship) so Kingsdale could be a possibility for an appeal?

Have you been offered Harris Boys?

Original poster
hoxtonbabe · 02/03/2019 08:26

Hotpot. I’m not sure what you are talking about. Who’s/what schools are they :-)

Clary. Ok. I get you. The school they allocated isn’t in walking distance (his first choice is even closer) I mean he could walk and I’m assuming within what the GOv say is reasonable/within their walking distance rules, but Would be about 30 mins and given they have to be in school by 7.50am (and finish at 4pm) it’s not really one I want him walking to especially in the winter when it will be dark with not many people around, but that’s not the main reason for us not wanting him There.

OP posts:
MissWimpyDimple · 02/03/2019 08:31

30 minutes walk is really not far at all for secondary school so that won't be a relevant argument. Our catchment schools are over an hours walk and that's seen as acceptable. Plus there are probably buses.

Sounds like you were unlucky/misinformed.

Original poster
hoxtonbabe · 02/03/2019 08:47

I’m not using the distance as an argument although I do feel getting in for 7.50am is a bit much. I’m just needing somehelp/advice on where to start, what information I should be requesting, etc

OP posts:
Original poster
hoxtonbabe · 02/03/2019 08:53

Can I appeal to more than one school?? As a couple are in neighbouring boroughs

OP posts:
ninjawarriorsocks · 02/03/2019 08:58

What does it say on the website of your LA? Ours has a page specifically about what to do if you don’t get your preferred school with dates, contact numbers etc.

ninjawarriorsocks · 02/03/2019 09:00

This is a good article.

As others have said, 30 minute walk is not far - my DD does that although she is fortunate there’s also a bus she sometimes gets - what are the public transport options?
Although yes 7.50 does sound an early start if they finish at 4pm.

HotpotLawyer · 02/03/2019 09:01

Oh, ok, sorry, sounded v much like a trio of schools in my area Wink

ninjawarriorsocks · 02/03/2019 09:03

Regarding CATS - in our area these are tests used in Secondary school to assess children’s ability, they aren’t done in primary here.

LIZS · 02/03/2019 09:03

You were willing for him to walk to school 2 but not the allocated one which is closer Confused are you on waiting lists, if so where?

HotpotLawyer · 02/03/2019 09:10

You can appeal for more than one school, as long as it is a school you applied for.

You can go on waiting lists for as many schools as you like, and once waiting lists open you can go on extra ones.

None of this is afffrcted by any borough boundaries.

Tne journey to school won’t be considered relevant unless there are Social / medical / SEN issues.

Specific factors about why your preferred school is the right school are what count: how what it offers meets your Dc’s Needs and how he will be disadvantaged if he doesn’t attend. These need to be around specific provision: e.g Music / sport / languages / specialist maths provision. Not general academic standards, e,g “the offered school is in special measures”.

But I would check with the LA why you didn’t get your preferred schools, and check they have assessed your application correctly.

prh47bridge · 02/03/2019 10:06

Several points to pick up on here.

Yes, you can appeal for all of the schools to which you applied, regardless of whether or not they are in your LA.

Regarding distance, anything within 3 miles by the shortest safe route is considered to be within walking distance. A journey of up to 75 minutes each way is considered reasonable for a child of this age.

The thing that intrigues me is that you don't seem to have received proper notification. That makes me wonder if the LA may have made a mistake and failed to process your application correctly. You need to find out why you didn't get any of your preferred schools.

NewYear12UserName · 02/03/2019 20:21

Have you been offered Hackney New School by any chance? (Just guessing)

As others have said you need to be identifying factors to build your case for why you should have been offered the schools further up your list.

It may be that your place on a waiting list means you won't need to appeal at all. Very frustrating when March 1st falls on a Friday and you have to wait it out before contacting the LA.

Original poster
hoxtonbabe · 04/03/2019 07:49

Good morning.

Sorry for delayed reply. I had to shut off from all this over the weekend as I had one mother blowing up my phone wanting to know my sons outcome and the whole thing is just overwhelming.

To be clear the issue isn’t the distance I’ve applied for slightly further schools but none of them start at 7.50 and finish at 4pm!

The letter came through and it appears to be distance as to why he did not get into my borough ones which on one of the schools it’ was always going to be a bit of a lottery not because I’m far or necessarily out the catchment it’s because they literally do a lottery system once the SEN, looked after etc kids have been allocated. The one that’s really got to me is the school that clearly said we don’t have a catchment at the moment so I will encourage you to apply even if you live as far as xxx/3/4 miles away ( which I live no where near as far as the place she mentioned) only to see they didn’t take any children in beyond 0.8 mile. All the schools i visited were honest in this regard so basically we don’t end up applying for a school we have no realistic chance of getting into..but Not this particular one Confused

I have no idea why he didn’t get into the other schools as it doesn’t give any reason at all? Is this normal for there to be no reason noted for the out of borough schools ( not further away may I add just not my borough)

OP posts:
Original poster
hoxtonbabe · 04/03/2019 08:05

Thank you for your helpful replies by way. My first son ( now 21) had a statement so I never went through any of this so it’s all a bit of a shock to my systemSad

OP posts:
prh47bridge · 04/03/2019 09:15

They often only give the reason you missed out on your first choice school. If you ask they should be able to give you reasons for all the schools you missed out on. Each school for which you appeal will give a case to refuse admission which will set out why you didn't get a place.

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