Secondary admission appeal help please

[Parentingfrontline]

Having a difficult time as we’ve been allocated our 4th choice secondary. DS is smart (greater depth across the board) but sensitive & very anxious about going there - for valid reasons - as are we. While we try to sell him on the allocated school I’m quietly scrambling to appeal for our 1st choice (hugely oversubscribed).

Really hoping for input from people with appeal experience - stressful, uncharted territory for us.

We have 4 main questions.

1. Is academic provision really an appeal-worthy argument?

1. Is our child’s fear and anxiety over behaviour at the allocated school something we can mention, given we can’t be too negative towards the allocated school?

1. Is the fact that the preferred school has streaming (and the allocated school doesn’t) grounds for appeal?

1. Is a headteacher’s letter acceptable evidence when there’s been no third party / agency contact?

Headteacher is supportive and will write in support of our appeal on:

Wellbeing
DS on record for anxiety experienced historically at school, which required pastoral support. We support at home and it’s improved over time & with the (mostly) safe/ supportive environment he gets at primary school. So no 3rd party / agency evidence apart from school records. The school we’re appealing for has excellent pastoral care.
We’ve also had an awful family bereavement in last six months, again requiring strong pastoral provision at secondary.

Academic provision
DS is history obsessed and our first choice has a great history dept plus History Club.

Is it worth showing his work & free time research to support this?
There are other academic opportunities at the sch we’re appealing for, for children who excel - would be a great fit - but I feel mentioning at appeal may not come off well (don’t want to seem presumptuous!) How cautious should I be?

Behaviour expectations
A calm environment with clear behaviour boundaries such as the school we’re appealing for is necessary for him to feel safe and learn. DS has a clear sense of right and wrong and struggles with the chaos of a “relaxed” approach to discipline as taken by the allocated school.
Evidence- I have emails sent to school about DS’s discomfort when faced with disruption / behaviour issues (thankfully few at our primary). Hope this is the kind of thing that carries weight?

I know we can’t be negative about the allocated school but one of the reasons we’re appealing is DS’s fear of what he knows happened there (unfortunately he knows about a stabbing incident, has witnessed inappropriate behaviour from pupils’ of allocated school and is frightened). Unsure whether to mention at all?

Streaming
He’s spent most of his primary career partnering with children in his class with little English or additional learning needs — has great empathy and social awareness but frustrated after 6 years as now desperately wants to learn at his own level without having to help the teachers teach. The school we’re appealing for does rigorous setting. The allocated school no setting at all, with a huge spectrum of abilities (biggest school in the area).

Im guessing streaming vs no streaming won’t carry weight as an argument, as all schools should cater for able learners?

Thanks for helping.

You need to address what the other pupils at rhe school you want should be put to the detriment of having an additional pupil in their class I believe.

not want but why (autocorrect)

I used lots of similar arguments but the ones quoted on the appeal win letter were that the allocated school was 3 bus rides away (preferred school was one) and all her friends were going to the preferred school. I do however feel that they were swayed by my argument that she was a very high achiever and would make their grades look good.

History club
Strong pastoral provision if you can point to specifics
Behaviour policy and why specifically he needs it

Academics and streaming/setting unlikely to hold water.
Streaming - putting into same bands across subjects, setting, putting into groups for specific subjects / group of subjects.

Also you can appeal for schools 2 and 3 too.

The detriment stuff will be the 'same' for all appeals to the school. Have they ever gone over PAN before, have there been safety incidents due to overcrowding etc.

This does look like you are doing well at describing why the appealing-for school is best, but it may not be strong enough. the history obsession + history club is very good. but oversubscribed schools do not have the capacity to admit every pupil who would thrive there and the other 120(?) pupils who have been awarded places will suffer an incremental harm with each additional pupil admitted over capacity, so it's more than just showing he will benefit because the harm done by not admitting needs to outweigh the harm done by admitting.

@admission and @prh47bridge and @panelchair are often willing to and advice.

there's always a lot of waiting-list movement between now and September. are you on the waiting list for every single school that would be better than the allocated school?

Academic provision as in the history department and history club is a relevant argument in an appeal (although I would want to know more about what the preferred school offers here and why it’s so much better for your child than what’s on offer at the allocated school which, presumably, also has a history department).

Other aspects of academic provision - such as setting or streaming - carry no weight at appeal, because they’re aspects of the management and organisation of the school and it’s difficult to argue (and difficult for the panel to agree) that any child needs a school that’s run in a particular way. The school is likely to argue, and the panel is likely to agree, that it manages the range of abilities and ensures all pupils’ needs are met.

If you wish to argue on the grounds of your child’s well-being, you will (I think) need evidence from a paediatrician or other health care professional to confirm that your child has anxiety and that in their professional opinion they need a place at this school and will be disadvantaged if they don’t get one. Without that, the school is likely to argue, and the panel is likely to agree, that anxiety is not a rare condition and all schools are capable of providing appropriate pastoral support.

I’m sorry not to be more encouraging. I suggest you look for other features of the school which would suit your child and which aren’t available at the offered school. Look too for weaknesses in the school’s argument against admitting: are they already over PAN in other year groups, suggesting they could manage additional pupils?

The panel are completely independent of the school. I chair appeal panels and honestly, we don't care at all about whether the child's achievements will make the school look good!

I'm not sure how it all works but it was one of the things asked by the head, who was at the appeal 🤷‍♀️

I’m surprised to hear of an appeal being won on the grounds of travel and staying with friends from primary school - I guess the panel took the view that the distance/time was beyond what could be considered reasonable. As PatriciaHolm says, “asset to the school” arguments don’t fly, because they don’t relate to what the child needs from the school and, besides, children who won’t be an “asset” have the same rights and the same chances at appeal.

You need to show that the detriment to him of not attending outweighs the detriment to the school of taking another child into his year.

Academic arguments such as streaming, achievement of the school, discipline, behaviour, etc are generally not relevant. They are the same for all who attend the school, and as PanelChair says, the school will say it can cater for all and the panel are unlikely to disagree. All schools will say their pastoral care is good, and again a panel are unlikely to disagree.

The history argument could be brought up if you can show there is something specific and particular about this school's provision - every secondary will have a history department. What are the other provisions you mention - they may actually be relevant, for example if he excels at chess and they have a thriving chess club. Or a successful computing club, or something else he is shows promise in that he won't get otherwise.

The anxiety would not be taken into account unless there was a letter from a qualified professional stating the issues and that your son needs this school specifically, I'm afraid. Pretty much every appeal I hear for secondary cites anxiety and friendship groups as an issue, but panels need solid proof of need.

The Head has no influence on the outcome of the appeal. He (or any representative of the school) is not part of decision making, and wouldn't have been in the room when decisions were made.. So he might have been interested, but it would have been irrelevant to the outcome!

You need to focus on things like his passion for history, with evidence of the "great" department and club to develop his interest. Unless his anxiety etc is professionally documented and only this school can address it you are on weak ground. Are you on waiting lists for all of the three preferred and any extra choices that you would prefer?

Unfortunately it reads like you just don't like the allocated school as not good enough for your child. But loads of parents will feel the same

I wonder if it's possible that the panel picks up a vibe from the head that he doesn't mind losing this particular appeal and reacts accordingly? I know it shouldn't affect their decision in legal terms, but in real terms it may be different?

I wonder if it's possible that the panel picks up a vibe from the head that he doesn't mind losing this particular appeal and reacts accordingly? I know it shouldn't affect their decision in legal terms, but in real terms it may be different?

Well, the panel shouldn't take that into account, no. I see what you mean though and who knows? TBH, Most panels would make an conscious effort to make sure it didn't affect their judgement as it would be wholly unfair to all other appeallants - the school doesn't get to cherrypick the ones it wants!

The panel might pick up a vibe that the headteacher is not averse to admitting additional pupils, but that goes back to the question of whether admitting additional pupils would cause prejudice to the school and the pupils already in it. The panel should already have explored all the issues around prejudice. If the panel takes the view that the school can admit more pupils, it should allow the appeals of the children who most need a place and will be most disadvantaged if they don’t get one, not those who are most likely to be “assets” to the school.

You've had excellent advice already @Parentingfrontline - I agree the history club is the best thing you mention.

YY what are the other academic opportunities? Does the school offer trips, for example, which would support his interests (eg an MFL he has studied in primary or through a relative and the preferred school runs a trip to that country while the offered one does not)? This could also include history trips, especially if you can document his interest.

Why is the history dept so good? If it just has good teachers then that won't hold any sway but maybe it offers more history lessons, or a wider offer at GCSE (such as a choice of modules?).

Unfortunately the pastoral care will be expected to be of a suitable standard at any school. Is there any way you can get a medical diagnosis of his anxiety and how it relates to school A before the appeal? This is what you need for such arguments to have weight.

Agree with others abotu waiting lists as well - make sure you are on as many as would be suitable.

Nothing to add really. PanelChair and PatriciaHolm have already given good advice. Listen to them.

Thanks so much to parents and panel members for valuable advice.

Yes we’re on waiting lists for our top 2 schools.

Frustrating to realise that having worked so hard to support our child’s anxiety at home and at school - rather than seeking medical support - consequently we might not get a school that supports his needs. Food for thought.

@Marchsnowstormsallocated school isn’t a bad school at all - many thrive there, it’s just not a fit for our DS. Thanks for flagging this possible interpretation.

@panelchairdo Headteachers often attend panels? Also wondered if it's a good idea to send short examples of work ahead of the appeal as supporting docs, as we're referencing specific academic provision. Or better just to take to the hearing?

Do not send examples of your child's work or take them to the hearing. The panel are not in a position to evaluate it and it is not relevant.

In my experience heads do not generally attend appeal hearings.

do Headteachers often attend panels? Also wondered if it's a good idea to send short examples of work ahead of the appeal as supporting docs, as we're referencing specific academic provision. Or better just to take to the hearing?

Heads sometimes do, as sometimes they are the ones putting the case for the school, but often its another member of staff, or an external provider bought in. As I said, their opinion is not taken into account.

Examples of work are rarely relevant. You can say "he gets 100% in all his history tests" if you like but it's not really relevant, as already said - you need to show what the preferred school offers. Showing panels work is often suggestive of the argument that "he's so bright he deserves a better school" which is one to avoid.

Please don't bring anything to the hearing that you haven't submitted already, unless it's extremely relevant and not available earlier (for example, medical reports). Panels don't have to accept it, and it can cause adjournments if they feel they need time to read it.

Frustrating to realise that having worked so hard to support our child’s anxiety at home and at school - rather than seeking medical support - consequently we might not get a school that supports his needs. Food for thought.

Please don't worry - In reality what you would have needed here is, as said, a clear, recent letter from a Professional stating a diagnosis and the fact that in their opinion, this school is the only school that can meet his needs. These are rare, as honestly it is rarely true, and professionals are unlikely to know all the local schools well enough to be able to make a judgement.

I can’t add anything useful to what prh47bridge and PatriciaHolm have said.

Samples of a child’s work are not helpful (especially as they can be interpreted as “my child is bright and so needs a better school”). I have rarely met a headteacher at an appeal. As has been said before, the appeal is not an opportunity for headteachers to cherry-pick students.

The one time that a head teacher really stuck out to me at appeal, was when the LA rep made a huge deal about the fact that the school had to use a static classroom because they had sooo many children. We asked if that made teaching difficult and the HT gushed "Oooh no, it's lovely and big. All the teachers fight over it!" Unhappy LA rep 😁

Do remember that a prejudice appeal is like a set of scales. Each side puts their 'weights' on (grounds for appeal Vs disadvantage to current students) and whichever side is heaviest wins. It doesn't actually matter if you have lots of very small arguments that all add up to a majority, or one or two 'slam dunks'.

Look at what is beneficial about the history department, what pastoral arrangements are, look at everything.

Do not show work. It's not helpful.