Secondary Faith School Appeal - Admission Criteria not Followed

[TwinMum67]

Does anybody have experience with a Faith School not correctly applying their own criteria.

We believe we are on Criteria 4, which is 3 years of 24 weekly church attendances.

I phoned the school to find out where we are on the waiting list and I was told that we are not on any criteria as the Governors have amended the supplementary form and decided we have only completed 2.5 years of church attendance. Therefore, we are in the random pool on the waiting list with 160 above us.

We dispute this point as outlined below:

1. Our supplementary form has been signed by the Vicar showing we are on Criteria 4.

Wording on the supplementary form clearly demonstrates that the clergy form and signature is taken as proof of Criteria.
Given that our Vicar has signed us at Criteria 4 we see no reason why the Governors should amend this.

2. On our supplementary form we put church attendance as between Jan 16 and Aug 18 – with over 24 weeks in each year.
3. We have attended church sufficiently to qualify for the Admission Criteria 4.
a. Year one we attended church 26 weeks
b. Year two we attended church 24 weeks
c. Year three we attended church 25 weeks
4. It is not stated anywhere at what point in the year the church attendance needs to start.
5. Additionally, it not stated anywhere how the church attendance should be distributed throughout the year.
6. Further, whilst it does state fortnightly. “Fortnightly” is very usefully defined on the supplementary form as:
A worship attendance of not less than fortnightly over the period of three years (between 1st September 2015 and 31st August, 2018). “Fortnightly” means attendance of at least 24 weekly services per year.
7. The Admission criteria downloaded from the school website states:
4) a worship attendance of not less than fortnightly over a period of three years as of 31st August 2018. “Fortnightly” means attendance of at least 24 weekly services per year.

Our argument is that we have qualified in criteria 4 and should not have been'downgraded'.

The school has informed us that, based on criteria 4, my twin boys would be in place 7 and 8 on the waiting list.

Therefore, they have not been denied a place per se, however, i feel they have been denied a reasonable chance of a place from the waiting list.

Anybody know how an appeal panel is likely to view this?

Or the best way to tackle this?

But it doesn’t matter if they’d be attending church their whole life or waited for the clock to start ticking. This isn’t a judgment about religion! It’s about attending a particular place during a particular month and if the governors can show that’s what’s been happening!

@TheGrey1houndSpeaks i agree and if you read all the posts in this thread you might understand something of my history you might know why i wasn't attending church for some time.

I had lost my faith, i have no problem expressing that. My father died of cancer and within 6 months I was diagnosed with cancer. it was misdiagnosed and mistreated and therefore went on for over 5 years. I am not yet out of the woods. I did lose my faith and i am grateful to have found my way back.

If you read my question it was simply about the adjustment to my criteria. I do not wish to keep defending my position as i had never considered this was such judgemental forum

I have been very grateful for several knowledgeable posters but in general i would be very cautious to ask for advice on here again. That's sad, it was my first time posting and i did think it was about mums supporting mums.

I am VERY grateful to a few posters who have offered informed advice and support.