What would you do in this situation? Appeals, waiting list, paperwork, unethical?

[SuperMonkeys]

Our child didn't get a place at our nearest school, a huge number of siblings means not many kids got in from the local area.

Appeal was unsuccessful (as were the other 18 odd), we are on the waiting list. As part of the appeal paperwork we submitted a doctor's note detailing a mental health issue that child struggled with when younger that made us think the local school would be better.

As it is, child is dealing with the unexpected very well so may not be relevant right now, though actually starting could kick it off again.

Admissions staff said they would add the medical info to her file and she would get moved up the waiting list, probably to the top from around number 15, due to their oversubscription criteria.

However, they need the doctor to change his wording, make his support more explicit or whatever.

Now I'm in an ethical conundrum. I don't know what to do for the best. Do I pursue this, and potentially move her up to the top of the waiting list over some of her friends? Bear in mind that the condition in question was very real and documented, but doesn't apply now really.

I feel uncomfortable leapfrogging over others, but equally I am worried about the travel involved to the other school, and her separation from her long term best friend.

Parent of said friend suggested that all the other parents would do what it took for their child, so we should do it. But husband and I feel like it is a step too far.

What would you do in our shoes?

Honestly? I would do it.

If the doctor feels it's no longer relevant they won't write the note. Leave it in the doctors hands.

Others might leapfrog you. If a child moves into the area they may go straight to the top of the waiting list. If your daughter is entitled to priority on medical grounds, you should take it. As long as you don't give false information to secure the place, I don't see anything wrong with that.

If your Doctor is happy to write a specific letter that means your child meets their criteria, by all means do it.

Usually it is very hard to get acceptance under the medical/social criteria and I have no doubt the school and Doctor wouldn't agree/write if they didn't genuinely believe you had a case.

And of course it doesn't get you a place; someone has to drop out for that to happen.

I'm more annoyed I didn't know about this earlier, I would have asked to have this information considered back when the waiting lists were still being established. She may well have a space by now.

There were only four girls from her school who didn't get in to local one, one quickly switched to private as had already been discussed, and the other has just decided they too will go private. That isn't an option for us even if dh would agree, so it is just us and one other left now.

If the letter would have made a difference to wl then why would it not have done so at appeal? There are still no guarantees. Do you still believe she needs that school from a mh point of view or just to not be odd one out? Is the allocated school problematic?

It's not a great school, and travel is a bit of a pain, but it is ok and doable.

Daughter suffered from severe anxiety around school years ago and had to be home educated for a while. She's doing fine now, and seems excited about the new school. The doctor's note confirms her history etc. While she is ok now, I am nervous that actually starting elsewhere will be very hard for her.

Apparently at the moment her position on the waiting list has been determined by distance which is low down the over subscription criteria. With the relevant letter they would move her up the criteria to medical needs which is higher up.

@LIZS

If the letter would have made a difference to wl then why would it not have done so at appeal? There are still no guarantees. Do you still believe she needs that school from a mh point of view or just to not be odd one out? Is the allocated school problematic?

It sounds like the doctor's note submitted for appeal fell short of saying clearly that, in the doctor's professional opinion, the OP's child needed to attend this school, hence the reference to needing the doctor to make his support more explicit. If the doctor is willing to do that, it sounds like the school believe they will have the evidence they need to move the OP's child up the waiting list.

I would also point out that the school can, if they wish, accept medical evidence as justifying moving a child to a different admissions category even if the appeal panel think it is insufficient to justify a successful appeal.

You are, of course, right that there are no guarantees. It may be that the doctor will not be willing to beef up his note. It may be that the school will still not move the OP's child to a higher admissions category. But the OP will never know if she doesn't try.