Slightly devastated!...
My son did not get in to our school of choice, so I am appealing on medical and social grounds.
He suffers with anxiety, OCD, intrusive thoughts and sensory issues.
Though he's had a telephone call with CAMHS, who do believe he's on the Autistic spectrum, with probable ADHD/ADD, he's no formal diagnosis as yet due to the delays and long wait times.
He's also been chronically bullied throughout school and all of the children who've bullied him are going to the one (local) allocated to him (which we did not list). He needs a fresh start away from them.
Our school of choice has a very strong mental health system in place, excellent pastoral care and a strong and effective anti-bullying policy.
We have visited the school of choice (as we did the one allocated, which my son took an instant dislike to and begged me not to send him there) - It is perfect for our son, and we are 2.8 miles away as the crow flies.
It is the nearest school to us with all of the support our son needs.
My son came out absolutely beaming, he loved it, and was like a different kid compared to the one who came out of the one he's been allocated.
The admissions team did not take in to account his mental health or chronic bullying, so we are having to appeal.
They went on distance alone, we're 2.8 miles as the crow flies. They did not take in to account his mental health or chronic bullying.
The school have as criteria, in order: 2 - medical grounds, and 3 - social grounds. These come above siblings, catchment, etc., but these were not taken in to consideration at application.
He will not be attending the school he's been allocated, as it is not very good - They have hardly any mental health support, and the bullying is so out of control that I know of many children who’ve been taken out and moved to other schools as this school simply do nothing to protect the bullied children. If we sent him there, it would not only further disadvantage my son, but would extremely detrimental to his mental health, which we simply cannot allow.
I emailed them on 10/3/23 to ask for their policies, but nearly eight weeks later, they've still not replied, which just really backs up my grave concerns about this school.
I have submitted a very lengthy appeal, and have some evidence (especially re bullying, as provided by his current school), but as he's had no formal diagnosis yet by CAMHS, they can't confirm autism and possible ADHD/ADD, even though they strongly believe he has these after a telephone appointment with us, where they got to speak to my son too.
I have supportive letters and emails to and from from his current school re bullying and him needing mental health support and pastoral care, a general one from our GP as she's only just become involved as school told me we didn't need to involve our GP, they would sort the referral to CAMHS out (wish I'd not listened as if we'd gone to the GP, as it turns out, it would probably have been faster), and his CAMHS referrals.
ACE tell me we have a very strong case to appeal, but after 19 full days of research, phone calls, collating evidence, note making, typing up the appeal, adding to the appeal, and so forth, I am now running on empty!
A very kind lady from ACE who regularly sits on panels told me if my son's case was being heard by her, she would be putting it in the 'upheld' pile, bless her. She made me cry, in a good way...I wish she could be on the panel!
I am so worried I will fail my boy.
He's desperate to go to this school, where his best friends are going.
Whilst friends in school isn't great grounds for appeal, for kids like my son, it is really important he has this network to transition.
I am over-thinking things, I am just a wreck at the moment.
I am so worried that I may have said something wrong in my appeal.
His current school were really holding back on information, and the deadline to get all the information in was a day away, so I had to say my son had been called names by teachers at his current school, and I thought that was the reason they were not so forthcoming with the evidence I needed. I just needed to show I was trying to get the evidence, but at that point, his school didn't look like they were going to send the reports of bullying he's endured.
I am now worrying that was not a very good idea to put that in the appeal, but it's a bit late now (even though the school state that all staff are aware of his problems, that was not the case at the time he was called names).
I believe he was misunderstood by some teachers who weren't aware of his mental health issues, and he's never had an apology from them - He's a good kid, he really is, especially given all he has to deal with.
I also had to say that the local allocated school have very little in the way of provison to help my son, and that they still have not replied with the information I requested eight weeks ago - I am worried I have been negative, and constantly worrying I've said something wrong in my appeal.
I am also seriously worried that I've sent in too much in the form of my written appeal and the little evidence I do have. I don't seem to have the ability to consolidate, and I am worrying myself stupid that the appeal is extremely long, and it will really get me off to the wrong start with the Appeals Panel before they even meet me!
I am just trying to fight for my boy, but I am now scared silly the appeal is so long that the panel will be seriously upset with me because of the length of it, and points mentioned above.
I really need advice - The hearing in on 9/5/23, next Tuesday.
Please can anyone help me?
And sorry for the long post (if you think this is long, you want to see the appeal!)
TIA