In year appeal question

[drillindown]

My DC in year 9 has a dtrong interest in doing a particular GCSE subject that's not offered by their current school, but it is offered nearby at School A (which is oversubscribed) and School B (which is undersubscribed). If we appeal for an in-year transfer to School A, can the panel hold it against us that School B has places and also offers the subject? I want to know whether they will be allowed to mention it, or ask me if we've applied there.

in a nutshell - yes - if the person presenting for the school/local authority were to point out that there is another school that could take your child and could offer the GCSE that would knock the wind out of your sail.

Yes. If you are basing your appeal on something that only school A can provide, the first thing the panel will want to know (and will probably raise in advance of the appeal) is, are there any other schools that offer this, and if so do they have places. If the panel doesn't ask this, I am sure the representative for school A will raise it. You could be lucky, and both the panel and School A don't spot this. There is no reason for you to volunteer this information yourself. If this is just one GCSE subject, they will also look to see if this subject can be taken by your child independently. So perhaps an arrangement with the current school allowing him to attend a local collage, or another setting for instance. So make sure you cover this.

You cannot use the argument that School B has a poorer rating or reputation than School A. You must make a solid case as to why only School A can meet your son's needs, and back this up with evidence.

Is his only reason for wanting to change schools GCSE options? If that is the case I’d really consider if it’s worth it.

If there are other factors, some of them may also contribute to your appeal, depending what they are.