Appeals: route maps for distance calculations

[enchantin]

1. Do local authority admissions departments routinely provide route maps for their distance calculations if parent ask for them?

1. If an appeal (for an academy) is based on questioning the distance calculation to the school, should the appellant provide the local authority's route map in their evidence or, if they don't, can they expect the school will provide the route map in their evidence instead?

Our LA make clear in their admissions policy that they use a particular piece of software (sorry, can't remember the name now) for calculating distances between properties. It measures to front door, not just postcode.

I'm my LA the LA produces a map with the appellant's property and the school identified, and asks the appellant to confirm that they agree with the positions at the start of the appeal.

The admissions policy should state how distance is determined ('straight line distance'). The distance is calculated to 4 d.p. in my LA.

Is the distance measured by straight line, or by walking route?

In both cases, the end points should be specified, and the admissions authority will use a specialist software to calculate it.

They should be able to give you the map, yes. A straight line distance will be hard to argue unless they have your address incorrectly, but I have known walking routes to be challenged.

Thanks. It is a walking route. And yes, the LA has specialist software, (which is why its important to see the route they have used rather than just using Google Maps).

there are rules regarding walking routes about them being safe, lit, public walking routes - so they should factor in road crossings and footbridges. You may say that you can cut across a car park, or through private land but the LA might not be able to use that route as it is not a safe walking route - there are definitions online.

I don’t think they necessarily need to be lit to be deemed safe. Lots of the routes from our village and the next one are deemed as safe walking routes but they use footpaths across fields, and at the side of unlit roads.

yes - it does vary but the LA will have their definition online somewhere - we no longer have waking routes in our LA but lit paths was part of ours. My friend who is more rural didn't have it as part of theirs.