Appeals help

[RaspberryStar88]

Hi newbie here, we’ve had our offer and son has been offered 3rd choice. Not a great school at all. We’re going to appeal 2nd choice, on the grounds of mental health. Son has high functioning anxiety which primary school are very aware of (and will hopefully provide some supporting letters) although son isn’t diagnosed. School we want has great SEND. Outdoor curriculum and lots of great sporting opportunities for son which would really benefit him. Offered school has none of this and awful reputation for bullying and SEN children failed miserably. Can anyone give me advice of what to do/not to do for a successful appeal. Sat here in tears, we’re in Birmingham too which has a very low success rate…

@PanelChair thanks for your comment it’s not brutal it’s just the harsh reality. My son has had anxiety needs throughout school not just because of starting a new school. He struggles daily with anything that isn’t his normal routine. New situations overwhelm him to the point of tears.
I will try my hardest to get some kind of medical back up whether that’s from the gp or a referral anywhere.

@PastMyBestBeforeDate thank you it’s good to know they’re not all bad

@Didiusfalco were literally on the outskirts - noardering Worcestershire, Halesowen etc so yea maybe trying schools out of Birmingham will help. Do I need to apply directly to a school to be added to a waiting list?

@Didiusfalco *bordering

Also does anyone know how I find out how many children were admitted compared to the pupil admission number each year at school were appealing? Thanks

Ask the LEA (or the school itself, if it’s an academy) for numbers in each year group at your preferred school. What you’re looking for is any year group where the actual numbers are more than the published admissions number (PAN); that would really help your appeal, as you can then argue that the school managed to cope with additional pupils then and could therefore cope with your child as an additional pupil.

don't panic.
waiting lists can move very fast.
dc got 6th 'choice' on offer's day but moved through the lists and was offered first choice less than a week later.

@PanelChair thank you I will call them
Tomorrow! So you happen to know if I get supporting letters do I need to send them with my appeal letter or just bring them to the actual hearing etc? I’m clueless…

@purplesequins I really hope this happens to us.. we literally need a miracle! Soma been so quiet and sad since he came home from school he’s just devastated

@purplesequins *sons

If you can, it’s better to send all your supporting evidence with your appeal, so that you can draw attention to (say) a letter from your GP or a psychologist and so that everyone knows where you’re coming from. But if you can’t get all the documents in time, send an outline of what your arguments are going to be and say that you’ll follow up with letters of support from professionals (and say who they’ll be).

@RaspberryStar88

Thank you all, I’ve decided I will appeal both 1st and 2nd school both on the grounds their SEN program is much more suited to my sons needs. The primary school he’s at currently are well aware of his anxiety and it’s been since reception not just the past two years. I’ve spoken to his class teacher today and she’s going to write a letter to support me, just need to speak to the other teachers and GP. If I ask senco to get educational psychologist to assess him how long will that take? Because if I can get a supporting letter from them surely that will help?

You need to speak to the Head. Teachers cant typically write- it has to be a whole school approach

Vey little chance of getting an educational psychologist unless you go privately and it may not carry much weight

An educational psychologist’s professional opinion is likely to carry more weight than a teacher’s or head teacher’s, firstly because it’s discussing a child’s health and well-being and secondly because teachers and head teachers are discouraged from getting involved in appeals.

@PanelChair would you recommend getting a private assessment done by an Ed psych then? And would the teachers letters not help at all?

@PanelChair

An educational psychologist’s professional opinion is likely to carry more weight than a teacher’s or head teacher’s, firstly because it’s discussing a child’s health and well-being and secondly because teachers and head teachers are discouraged from getting involved in appeals.

Which was what I was implying The whole school approach of many schools is- we don't get involved!

You must do whatever you need to do, to feel you’ve given it your best shot.

A letter from a teacher is unlikely to persuade the panel, because if you’re talking about your child’s (mental) health they will expect to see evidence from a health care professional and a teacher isn’t qualified to comment on a child’s health needs. The panel will expect to see a letter which says something to the effect that your child has anxiety and, in the health care professional’s opinion, they need to remain with their peer group from primary school to continue to receive their support.

Again, to be frank, if your main argument is that your child’s health needs are such that they need to attend a particular school, the panel might find it surprising if you can’t show that you’re seeking support from health care professionals. How you do that is up to you.

I think you need to be really clear, in your own mind firstly, what it is that you are fighting for. We all have that instinct that our child needs stability and the best. For as many children who are excited about the new chapter in their lives, there will be children who are anxious, scared, or down right terrified.

From a panel's point of view, look at your arguments objectively.

~Your DS doesn't like change: Ok, but change is coming, wherever he goes.
~Your DS wants to be with friends: OK, but he'll move to a school with, say, 1300 children, which is 300 to a year group. 10 classes, so 10% chance of being in the same form class as his friends and even then, about 8% chance of being in the same teaching classes. That's using the example of DD2's school, where the year group is split in half for timetabling, then split in 6 within that for their main lessons. Then they're set for maths, science and PE.

So putting friendships aside, because honestly that's a really common argument and also a really weak one, what is it about your preferred school that your DS needs? Go from there. Don't just say 'SEN provision', especially if he hasn't got established SEN. Be really specific. Talk to the SEN departments of all 3 schools and find out what they would do for your DS.

I very much agree with Lougle. The argument about staying with friends is always a weak one and parents will never sway a panel with it, unless they can demonstrate that this is much more than starting school nerves and the child’s mental health depends on it. The panel will probably expect, though, that a child with these needs will have received a diagnosis and will be receiving appropriate care from mental health professionals.

@PanelChair bit of an update I’ve spoken to his primary school senco today she’s going to write me a letter and also book an assessment with Ed psych but that won’t be until after Easter. My son is already currently seeing a councillor at school every week and has been for almost a year, it’s for his anxiety so if I can get a letter from them would that be good enough medical evidence?

It's a start, but you have to consider what that evidence will say. You don't have to tell us, but it's worth thinking yourself:

~Your DS has presumably been in the same primary school for 7 years, yet he is still anxious. What is the root of that anxiety, and how will that be helped by gaining a place in your preferred school?
~The Ed Psych will state what measures should be taken to help your DS. In all honesty, that's going to be quite generic stuff. Unless you know that there is a specific thing that your preferred school offers that the other schools don't, the panel is likely to conclude that any secondary school can do that.
~Unless the Ed Psych says that only x school will do, it's not going to have much impact.

Have you talked to the offered school about what they could provide for your DS? The panel is likely to ask and if you say no, you risk looking like you are only looking for your preferred solution, rather than the best solution.

Again, I agree entirely with Lougle. You need to demonstrate that there’s something particular to your preferred school that - in the opinion of health care professionals - will help your child and isn’t available elsewhere, whether that’s the presence of his friends or SEN provision that’s not offered at the other school or anything else. Otherwise the panel is likely to conclude that all schools are geared up to deal with these issues and could meet your child’s needs.

I agree with the above, especially around this -

"My son is already currently seeing a councillor at school every week and has been for almost a year, it’s for his anxiety so if I can get a letter from them would that be good enough medical evidence?"

This year, I think pretty much every appeal I heard mentioned anxiety, and being supported for it in school. That's not to belittle it at all, more to say that over the last couple of years the amount of children needing this support has grown quite significantly, and a letter saying he's being supported in school really won't be anything like enough to win an appeal.

All secondaries are supposed to be able to deal with it, and several around here have employed extra staff on the counselling/support side.

The preferred school offer an outdoor curriculum which in their words
“significantly raised standards and improved pupils personal, social and emotional development.”
“Opportunities for students to develop their independence and self reliance, through facing up to challenges overcoming fears and apprehensions, students make major strides in confidence.”
They also have a vast range of extra curricular sports clubs which we all know physical activity improves mental health.
The offered school has 382 pupils in total 63% are on free school meals, 34% are SEN. The school is rated inadequate from ofsted. He would be failed miserably if I were to send him here. They don’t offer the same kind of education and support he needs.
I’m hoping to have letters from senco, class teacher and councillor all stating they believe the preferred school is the best school to support my sons needs. Fingers crossed I get the Ed psych report sooner rather than later and that backs up what I’m saying too.

Your perception of the allocated school does not come into an appeal. The outdoor ed aspect may but unless it is specifically aimed at children in your ds situation, and you can evidence it, it may not influence it. "Ds has a history of anxiety (reference professional reports etc). School A has a programme of support and facilities including outdoor education to improve self confidence and alleviate anxiety" might be better. What support does school A promise?

Also his two friends who are his support network and he relies heavily upon, both will attend preferred school. My son needs to keep this support network. Offered school not one member of his class is going to.