Admission appeal for yr 7 place

[SummerHouse]

We have handed in our appeal but deadline is Monday so I could still add to it. Thought I could relax once it was in but no, I dreamed the panel were executioners last night. It feels like it is down to which parents can argue their case best and I know some have legal reps.

One thing I am wondering is if we need more evidence. So for example the school we want offers German. We have close family in Germany and had visited every year. Should I ask for evidence from them that they are German citizens or is that ridiculous?

Also wondering what they might ask at the hearing if anyone has experience?

What a horrible process. Sympathy with all who are going through this.

@SummerHouse rightbackatcha
My hearing won’t be until May/June, the waiting is impossibly hard

@SummerHouse what area are you in please your appeal is going to be heard at a similar time to mine

German (for a complete beginner) and friendship groups (without significant support that not going up with his friends) wouldn't get you anywhere near an appeal in any of the schools in the area I work with. Not a chance. Neither would after school activities (most currently still suspended due to covid) or 6th form provision.

A friend of mine chose her sons school based on the language option at GCSE being the same as her family (he was fluent by 4 years old) but by the time the GCSEs were chosen they'd removed this language from the curriculum: he ended up taking it independently and did appallingly badly as the language he learned (familiar, conversational) was miles away from the formal requirements of a GCSE, much the same as we can speak English but not get A* at GCSE.

@feliciabirthgiver thank you for saying that I really appreciate it. I will now (rather than imaging them naked) image the panel scrolling Mumsnet! Everything I have heard tells me that the panel make a horrible process as bearable as possible and it's good to be reminded they are just people with a job to do.

@mstiva I am in East Midlands. Good luck with yours.

@SummerHouse - just checking in, how are you? We find out our waiting list places tomorrow but I’m not optimistic. Ive submitted the appeal paperwork now but the LA sent me a letter today saying it will be a paper appeal only (ie. no hearing) which I now need to argue. Just finding the whole process draining. Thinking of everyone else going through this process x

@Thischarmlessgirl there seems to be some anomalies this year. We will get a date in May. The school organise their appeal process rather than the LEA and the dep head said the hearing will not have a bearing on the decision because it has to be equal opportunity for all and potentially some appellants can't access (so seemingly pointless). But my interpretation was that they had to give the opportunity to present? Paperwork is all in. Bloody reams of it! I thought I could relax once it was in and leave it in the hands of the gods but ended up writing loads more and submitting as additional points. Best of luck with the wait list. Keep me posted.

@SummerHouse our process was confirmed as paper only as the LA said they trialled video/telephone conferencing but it wasn’t always stable and apparently a paper appeal with right to respond via email is more fair.
We are number 10 and number 4 on the waiting lists so desperately hoping we may get a place that way. Do you know your numbers?
I don’t know about you but this whole process is taking over my life

No idea on where we are - I asked to be added to the wait list and they said sure, but places don't really come up that way so our best chance is appeal. Dreading the hearing to be honest so I wish it was paper only. I feel we are stronger on paper than in person. DP thinks the whole thing is ridiculous so worried that both of us will say the wrong thing. He will scoff and I will be a babbling, grovelling mess.

@SummerHouse I feel your pain, dreading the appeals too, we have two to get through. My DP isn’t taking part at all as he finds it too stressful and so it’s down to muggins
Is your DC ok with it all? My DS is quite anxious about it all which doesn’t help the pressure!

@SummerHouse I think I know the school, and it is a very unusual admission process and have always taken an additional class at appeal.

We appealed for our DD2 who got allocated our second choice as she didn’t get sibling priority because DD1 had already left before we applied. We weren’t successful at appeal but the school she is at is a better fit in retrospect.
Someone we do know got in on appeal and they commute from some distance by train each day.

@MrsPnut that's the thing. I don't think you really know the right school till your child goes there so I wonder if we are doing the right thing. Our son is very sociable but very nervous. His hands were shaking when he went back after lockdown but he puts on a confident front.

@Thischarmlessgirl I just can't imagine the headspace needed to do two appeals at once! Especially as your DP has checked out!! Well I am with you and rooting for you. We can only give it our best shot. DS seems fine. We have discussed it a lot. His heart is set but I try to win his head round. We walked to his offered school the other day and talked about the pros of going there. He understands the appeal is a long shot so we talk about his offered school as his school.

We won our appeal and was offered a place today at our first choice school I am just so relieved!