Secondary school appeals process

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Hi, my daughter has been offered her second choice school. So we have put her on the waiting list and will submit an appeal for her first choice. Having never being through this process before is there anyone out there that could give us some advice on building a strong case please?
Thanks in advance.

It very rarely works unless a mistake has been made.

On what grounds are you appealing?
Then perhaps people can help.

If it's just that you are unhappy then it's pointless.

You need to appeal for the school you want and not against the school you've got.
Think of reasons why the school will particularly benefit your daughter - subjects they offer that the other school doesn't, particular extra-curricular activities (e.g. your daughter is very musical and the other school has lots of music groups) or thing like your daughter struggles with mobility and the other school is all on one level. Don't use arguments that could reasonably apply to both schools e.g. you can't say you want the 2nd school because the maths teaching is better, as it will be argued that the teaching should be equally good at both schools.

SandyBalls is incorrect - you don't need to prove an error has been made at secondary school level.

That is total rubbish! You appeal because you think the admissions policy hadn't been properly applied in your case, not because your daughter likes the music lessons!

Incorrect morrisey. Secondary appeals are based on balancing the disadvantage to the family against the disadvantage to the school. In fact this applies to all appeals which are not based on Infant Class Size legislation.

Theres nothing to lose by appealing.

Admissions mistake applies to primary.

With secondary schools you have to prove your child will be disadvantaged more by not attending than the other kids will be disadvantaged by an extra body in the class.

Is there something the first choice offers that you can use?

Are you an admissions expert morrisey? If not, perhaps you should stop stating misleading information as "facts"?

At secondary school level you only have to prove that the disadvantage to your child from not getting a place at a school outweighs the problems the school will face from having to cope with an additional pupil. You only need to prove a mistake has been made if it's an infants class size appeal - clearly not the case here as it's for a secondary school place.

Hopefully one of the actual admissions experts will be around soon to answer OP's question.

It very rarely works unless a mistake has been made

You appeal because you think the admissions policy hadn't been properly applied in your case, not because your daughter likes the music lessons

Why do people keep posting this rubbish (and worse, "correcting" people who give correct advice).

This is not an appeal for an infants class. This is for secondary school. The rules are different, which is why almost 25% of appeals for secondary school are successful. In 2018/19 (the most recent statistics available) there were almost 7,400 successful appeals for secondary schools. LAs don't always get it right but they don't make that many mistakes.

RedskyAtnight is absolutely correct. Whilst you can win a case by showing that there has been a mistake, at secondary school level you can also win by showing that the disadvantage to your child from not being admitted to the school outweighs any problems the school will face from having to cope with an additional child.

You need to look at what this school offers that is missing from the allocated school and that is particularly relevant to your daughter - subjects, extra-curricular activities, societies, etc. So, for example, if your daughter is musically talented and the school you want has lots of musical activities, that should be part of your case.

Remember you are appealing for the school you want, not against the school you've got. Remember also that your case must be about your daughter's needs. Far too many parents talk about things that are problems for them but aren't a problem for the child (e.g. needing to get two children to different schools).

I concur with all that prh47bridge has said.

It’s quite alarming that people are turning up on these threads posting “advice” that is patently wrong (and it seems to me that there’s more of this dud advice this year than in previous years).

Thank you prh47bridge and redskyatnight and Sarah, that's really useful information. The preferred school has a performing arts specialism so I can use that. Thanks for all your help.