Putting in a late appeal?

[Moochin2day]

I'm number 2 on a secondary school waiting list. I heard that number 5 won their appeal. Their grounds for appeal were pretty flimsy - they just said the child's friendship group is going to this school and that it has a better Ofsted rating than the school they were allocated. In the end, they said they didn't even have to present their case to the panel because the panel said upfront that they disagreed with the school's reasons for saying they had no more space. Now I know this I am thinking we should put in a late appeal, because if there are spaces for more kids then I think they should be allocated in waiting list order, not just to people who appeal on grounds that could apply to anyone. Do you think this is the right thing to do? If so, I want to get in quick because there may be a few other people thinking the same way.

You have nothing to lose by trying. The other family’s arguments would not normally be enough to win an appeal, so it does sound as if the panel took the view that the school’s reasons for not admitting were weak, and so the detriment to the child in not getting a place was greater than any detriment to the school in having to cater for another pupil, hence they allowed the appeal (unless of course there were other reasons/arguments you don’t know about).

Keep in mind that if other parents now appeal, the panel may have to take a view on how many extra pupils the school can take, and if they are minded to allow more appeals than that, which are the strongest cases. Make sure then that you identify all the reasons why your child will be disadvantaged if they don’t get a place.

And the school won’t allocate these “extra” spaces in waiting list order, because the school will always work to the PAN. It’s the panel which has apparently decided there’s room for one more and therefore the panel which will decide whether there’s room for your child too.

There is nothing to stop you, obviously, and it does sound that the panel thought the schools' case weak. However, that doesn't tell you how weak, and now another child has been given a place, it may appear stronger. There may be others who won as well, that you are not aware of. So the same decision may not be made again.

Also be aware if you request an appeal now, you may well not get it before the end of term, especially if others do too and the admissions authority finds itself having to convene another panel for a day/half day.