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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

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Original poster

Secondary School Appeal

15 replies

otherwayup · 30/03/2023 12:22

Hello, I'm currently working with a family who are set to face the appeal panel soon for a secondary school place.
Are there any websites, resources that I could recommend to them?
It's not something I have experience of and I know they are lots of knowledgeable posters on here!

OP posts:

Lunde · 30/03/2023 12:24

You should report your own post and ask for this to be moved to the Secondary Education forum - many knowledgeable appeal specialists over there

PatriciaHolm · 30/03/2023 12:25

Yep - come on over to secondary and explain the case and there are several of us happy to help!

Original poster

otherwayup · 30/03/2023 16:59

Thanks both! I have indeed reported myself 😊

OP posts:

MNHQ

LivMumsnet · 30/03/2023 17:03

Afternoon @otherwayup , we've now moved your thread over to our Secondary Education topic. Hope that helps.

ComeOnNumber100 · 30/03/2023 17:05

It depends on what your grounds for appeal?

Original poster

otherwayup · 30/03/2023 17:13

I need to be vague but the child has a medical condition (under the hospital) and has a sibling at the school they wish to attend.

OP posts:

Lougle · 30/03/2023 17:17

The best thing would be for your contact to get a letter from a medical professional that says the school is the only one that can meet their needs. This is quite hard to get, though. Having a sibling at the school is not a good grounds for appeal.

Perhaps if you told us what is better about the preferred school, we can help with grounds.

PatriciaHolm · 30/03/2023 17:23

They need to show the detriment to her of not attending is greater than the detriment to the school of taking another pupil. Siblings aren't really relevant I'm afraid so you would need to find other reasons why this school meets needs.

In terms of the medical issue you would need to ideally have some external evidence as to why the child needs this school specifically. If, for example, they have regular hospital visits and emergencies admissions and this is the only school within 10 miles of the hospital for example. Or the school has some specialty that is relevant though I'm not sure what that might be.

Other things that would help would be things like subjects and clubs this school offers that suit the child's needs.

Alongside that the school will offer a case that they are full, and this case can often be challenged by knowing the number of students in each year to show that the school can cope with going over PAN.

ComeOnNumber100 · 30/03/2023 17:42

Basing this on it being a regular state school. So no sibling link presumably. If it’s logistics then generally having a sibling isn’t sufficient as they wouldn’t have removed the sibling link as one of the admission criteria. As far as any medical condition is concerned, you usually need to evidence why the school you want would be better than any other school, do they have certain facilities that the allocated school doesn’t have? Without wishing to sound harsh, you you might win the appeal with a sympathy vote which others may take issue with, personally if you win the appeal I don’t see it as a problem. Good luck.

PanelChair · 30/03/2023 17:52

As others have already said (and assuming there has been no mistake and the school does not give priority to siblings) having a sibling at the school won’t be enough to win the appeal. Of course, you can mention the ways in which the child might benefit from being at the same school, but this is unlikely to clinch the appeal.

With the medical issue (again, as others have said) you need to demonstrate why the preferred school can cater for or support that issue better than the offered school. What will carry most weight is a letter from a paediatrician or other health care professional confirming that in their opinion the child needs to attend this school and will be disadvantaged if they don’t. Otherwise, the school is likely to argue - and the panel might agree - that all schools have pupils with a diverse range of medical and other issues and can provide appropriate care and support.

Hye000 · 31/03/2023 19:00

Can someone post a link to this thread that has now been moved as I can’t find it and was interested in reading advice

PanelChair · 31/03/2023 19:48

Eh? This is the thread - it’s been moved but it’s still the same thread. What did you want to know?

prh47bridge · 01/04/2023 00:31

As others have said, the sibling is irrelevant. The medical condition may be relevant, but what you have said is far too vague to give an opinion.

If you don't want to post details publicly, I will be happy to give advice if you PM me more information.

LCason · 02/04/2023 11:22

Read the admissions criteria for the school. As other, much wiser people have said here, you need a letter from a medial professional naming the school. And the medical professional must name the school. It won't be valid if it says something like 'the parent' says X and I agree'. It must be their considered opinion. But, some schools may require 2 letters from medical professionals. Having one letter, even if it is from the top pediatrician in the country, will not be considered.

Without knowing more about the medical condition, there is also room for the panel to decide in your favour if it's a situation where no reasonable person would deny them a place. Only case that I know of where this has been successful involved terminal illness. It was quite heartbreaking.

prh47bridge · 02/04/2023 14:51

Re evidence, the appeal panel makes its own rules. The school's admission arrangements may say that you need two letters from medical professionals. The appeal panel don't have to follow that. If they are happy that one letter is enough to prove that the disadvantage to your child from not being admitted outweighs the school's case not to admit, they can admit your child.

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