Is there a case for appeal here?

[Winterpike]

My son has not been offered a place at his first secondary school choice. I am reluctant to put us all through the appeals process unless we have a strong case. We don't yet know where we are on the waiting list for the preferred school. We have two main points - can you let me know if these sound like any kind of proper case?

We have a full assessment for dyslexia indicating that my son has dyslexia. Our preferred school has a strong SEN department with good provision for dyslexic students. Some of this is backed up in evidence from visiting the school and meeting the SENCO but is also based on anecdotal evidence from other families whose kids go there specifically because they have a strong inclusion and SEN track record. The school where we have been offered a place 1) was unable to provide us with a SENCO contact as they had been on long term sick leave. 2) were unable to provide us with any info on support for dyslexic students.

Our other reason reason for wanting our preferred school is that they provide a broad and creative curriculum. In last few years they have invested 3 million into a new creative arts department! My son is very interested in art and drama and is currently part of a drama programme outside of school. The school where we have been offered a place only offers the creative curriculum on a carousel up to year 10 meaning our child wouldn't ever be able to do a full year in all the creative subjects: art, drama and music. We see this as a big disadvantage as this is an area he takes very seriously.

Any advice you can give would be much appreciated.

bump

In theory any school should be able to cope with a dyslexic cchild. However, the lack of information from the offered school gives a valid concern.

The curriculum point is good.

You have the makings of a decent case there. You may not win but you won't know if you don't try. My recommendation would be to go for it.

Others will know more than me, especially on the SEN aspect, but the drama and creative side sounds worth a punt.

thanks so much for words of encouragement I feel more confident about going for it.

"We have a full assessment for dyslexia indicating that my son has dyslexia."

This concerns me slightly, @Winterpike, but it may just be phrasing. When you say it indicates that your DS has dyslexia, does it specify a degree of severity? Does it simply say "does have dyslexic tendencies" or does it say "mild/moderate/severe dyslexia?" Were formal tests used, and are any interventions recommended for schools?

I ask because, as @prh47bridge says, all schools should be able to cater for dyslexia to a degree in their normal differentiation, within normally timetabled classes, without specific SENCO input, because dyslexia often isn't tested for, let alone diagnosed, so schools have to be able to cater. So to require a specific school for dyslexia, suggests that the dyslexia is quite severe.

So, I would consider whether that is backed to by the report (and it may well be!) or whether you need to flesh out your appeal case with other benefits of attending the school as well, so that the dyslexia isn't the main/only feature.

What you don't want, is to pin everything in the dyslexia, have an unconvinced panel, or a very reassuring LA rep who says "X (allocated) school is very capable of dealing with dyslexia, actually..." and have nothing left to draw on.

*on the dyslexia, not in.

I agree with Lougle. To make the strongest possible case, you need to be able to demonstrate that your son’s dyslexia is such that he needs the specialist provision at this school, and that the general provision at other schools would not meet his needs. The art and drama provision is another argument you can use.

I’ve learnt on these boards that your case should be why the preferred school is best and only school for your son, and not focused on why other school is worse.