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Secondary education

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

Original poster

High school place appeal

46 replies

BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 20:10

Hello,

Any experts about it this field?

We moved out of catchment by about 0.5 miles (2 years ago), son attends a primary school on the same grounds of the high school.

I received a email today off a different high school with a welcome letter and saying 'thanks for choosing us' so I strongly suspect he has been declined his above and chosen high school and given his local one.

I will obviously appeal this and just wondered about any pointers/help?

Things I think might work in favour.

  1. Grandparents live pretty much behind the high school and help with pickups (they don't drive so wouldn't be able to go to a different school to pickup)
  1. His doctors surgery is a couple of minutes from the high school (and not in our area), sometimes requires doctors appointments in school time for asthma related issues
  1. Siblings attend the primary school next door
  1. High school is actually only a 6-7 minute drive from our house

Any help much appreciated

OP posts:
Original poster
BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 20:14

Also to add he has such a good bunch of friends and he would be devastated to not be going to the same high school as them

OP posts:
LIZS · 22/02/2024 20:16

None if those arguments will work. Does he need emergency care for asthma, if so how often, can you evidence it? What does that school offer that school 2 does not and your ds would benefit from.

The school may have sent the letter to everyone who listed them, not just allocated pupils, and you won't know until next Friday.

wobytide · 22/02/2024 20:27

Reading the "appeals" I'd say your time and energy is better spent preparing him for the new local school and making new friends

Hedonism · 22/02/2024 20:27

Agreed, none of those points will hold any weight in an appeal.

IncognitoUsername · 22/02/2024 20:27

I don’t think those reasons are going to be valid to be honest. SEN, children in care or looked after, parental faith commitment if a faith school, catchment area and siblings already in school are the most common ones. As pp says, it may just be a general letter so keep your fingers crossed!

YomAsalYomBasal · 22/02/2024 20:30

A panel wouldn't be interested in any of those reasons. You must have known you were moving out of catchment at the time, it was a risk you took. Get on the waiting list and meanwhile start thinking positively about this other school.

Original poster
BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 20:34

Thank you for the pointers so far.

The high school is the 'bees knees' of high schools, it's such a good school and I think because it's always been next door to his primary it's actually going to be a shock for him to not be going.
I get that we moved out of area, but I thought we would still be in with a chance.
It's definitely over subscribed.

Would I just be better not appealing it then if I have no grounds? Or still appealing it and hope for the best?

OP posts:
twistyizzy · 22/02/2024 20:39

No point appealing on any if the grounds you have listed. Unfortunately you made the decision to move outside of catchment. Unless you can appeal under the areas listed for your LA then just suck it up and get adjusted to going to the other school. Saying that though, I thought allocations aren't officially confirmed until Spring? I'm sure it was end March/April.

Original poster
BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 20:42

twistyizzy · 22/02/2024 20:39

No point appealing on any if the grounds you have listed. Unfortunately you made the decision to move outside of catchment. Unless you can appeal under the areas listed for your LA then just suck it up and get adjusted to going to the other school. Saying that though, I thought allocations aren't officially confirmed until Spring? I'm sure it was end March/April.

I received a email today from our local school with a welcome letter, they have no other reason to have my email address so I'm guessing we've been allocated this school instead of the one we chose.

OP posts:
Original poster
BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 21:09

Also just to add, the high school we wanted for him has things like 'culture days' which I think would benefit my DS as he would get to embrace his culture with clothes/food, he wouldn't get that at the other high school, is that a valid reason? There's a few other reasons too

OP posts:
Tulipvase · 22/02/2024 21:14

Isn’t national offer day 1st March? So assume you aren’t in England, have you checked what the grounds of appeal are in your area?

clary · 22/02/2024 21:18

Hi @BlueGown13 as others say, the grounds you list forcappeal will not carry any weight. Secondary pupils are expected to make their own way to and from school up to 3 miles walking, and not need childcare.

What you need is reasons why your child should be allocated that school. Remember not to bad mouth the allocated school.

Grounds might be:

  • He plays an instrument or sings and the appeal school has orchestra or choir
  • He plays xyz sport and it's offered at the school - after school club
  • He has learned German since age 6 and appeal school offers it, allocated does not, appeal school offers German exchange in yr 8
  • He loves science (would need evidence) and school has a science club or offers triple science and allocated school does not

Do you see the sort of thing?
What is it about this school that appeals? Good results unfortunately won't wash either.

Friends will really only work as a reason if there is medical back up that he needs to be with them (eg doctor is happy to say friendship group is crucial to his mental wellbeng)

It's still worth appealing if you have some grounds like this, but you also need to talk up the allocated school. Is it near? Can he easily walk there? What does it offer?

wheo · 22/02/2024 21:18

BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 21:09

Also just to add, the high school we wanted for him has things like 'culture days' which I think would benefit my DS as he would get to embrace his culture with clothes/food, he wouldn't get that at the other high school, is that a valid reason? There's a few other reasons too

Presumably these would benefit the other children going there as well... who are in the catchment area.

This sounds very entitled to be honest

clary · 22/02/2024 21:19

Just seen your update - yes the culture day I it relates to his culture is certs relevant

Bluevelvetsofa · 22/02/2024 21:20

You don’t have grounds for appeal.

MixingPlaydough · 22/02/2024 21:22

Tulipvase · 22/02/2024 21:14

Isn’t national offer day 1st March? So assume you aren’t in England, have you checked what the grounds of appeal are in your area?

This. You need to see what grounds of appeal are relevant to where you are because none of what you've listed would be grounds for appeal in the UK.

Original poster
BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 21:22

@clary Thank you for your very helpful pointers, he does do football after school club which he the high school we've chosen also do this, so I'll need to see if his offered place do this too so that would be a starter.

Well he has 3 cousins in his current year that are all moving up to the same high school and then he's going to feel left out but don't think they'd feel for him about that really.

OP posts:
NerrSnerr · 22/02/2024 21:26

I don't think grandparents doing the pick up would be an argument, wouldn't be be getting himself to school for secondary?

I think your best bet is going on the waiting list for the school you want but assume that he'll be going to the other school.

Had you prepared him that you're out of catchment so another school would be likely?

Original poster
BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 21:27

@clary Do you mean take up the allocated space offered?

Yes, both are not far from us really, he could walk there and back no issue, I'm sure he'd be nervous at first and he's never been left alone before as we both work and other siblings will be with grandparents who live behind the other school.
Another issue is can he be left alone at home at age 11? For 2.5 hours after school? Not sure how he would feel about that either but he'd get used to it I suppose.

OP posts:
Original poster
BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 21:28

@NerrSnerr
Yes, we've prepared him.

OP posts:
LIZS · 22/02/2024 21:29

Can he not walk to gps from other school? But yes home on his own is acceptable,

lavagal · 22/02/2024 21:30

Op we got similar email a few years ago from our second choice school. They had simply been given our details as we had put them on the application. We still got offered our first place school. Don't worry too much

Soontobe60 · 22/02/2024 21:33

BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 20:10

Hello,

Any experts about it this field?

We moved out of catchment by about 0.5 miles (2 years ago), son attends a primary school on the same grounds of the high school.

I received a email today off a different high school with a welcome letter and saying 'thanks for choosing us' so I strongly suspect he has been declined his above and chosen high school and given his local one.

I will obviously appeal this and just wondered about any pointers/help?

Things I think might work in favour.

  1. Grandparents live pretty much behind the high school and help with pickups (they don't drive so wouldn't be able to go to a different school to pickup)
  1. His doctors surgery is a couple of minutes from the high school (and not in our area), sometimes requires doctors appointments in school time for asthma related issues
  1. Siblings attend the primary school next door
  1. High school is actually only a 6-7 minute drive from our house

Any help much appreciated

I’m afraid none of those reasons are grounds for appeal.

Soontobe60 · 22/02/2024 21:35

BlueGown13 · 22/02/2024 21:09

Also just to add, the high school we wanted for him has things like 'culture days' which I think would benefit my DS as he would get to embrace his culture with clothes/food, he wouldn't get that at the other high school, is that a valid reason? There's a few other reasons too

No it’s not. As his parents you would be expected to support him to ‘embrace his culture’.

RockyRogue1001 · 22/02/2024 21:35

Tulipvase · 22/02/2024 21:14

Isn’t national offer day 1st March? So assume you aren’t in England, have you checked what the grounds of appeal are in your area?

@BlueGown13

Why haven't you answered this question?