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Secondary education

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Original poster

Daughter not happy with choice

56 replies

mumoftwogirls2017 · 01/03/2024 08:47

We got offered the 2nd choice. I know the 2nd school is closer to us so I think that’s why. But she was crying her eyes out she wanted to go to the other one.
im not sure whether to appeal or not. It looks like they require a lot of information.
Im going to let her think about it. She gone to school so once talking to her friends she may change her mind.
I personally had reasons why I didn’t want 2nd choice but at the end day I guess it’s for her.
it’s so hard being a parent! 😒

OP posts:
TotoroElla · 04/03/2024 07:56

prh47bridge · 04/03/2024 07:37

Disagree with @PuttingDownRoots. Not accepting a place usually means the offer will be taken away, so it is the same as rejecting it. In England, it is highly unlikely that an offer will still be open when you get to appeal unless the school offered is undersubscribed.

If you are right that the panel saw it as backing up your argument, they were in serious need of retraining. If panels universally saw it this way, everyone could strengthen their appeal by not accepting the offered place, which would lead to chaos.

The school place was definitely still there as they continued contacting me! The advice was given by the LA not to accept the place but the offer would still be there. It is clearly different elsewhere.

As I said it backed up a specific point which not everyone would be able to make so no it couldn't be used in that way. However, as for retraining the whole thing showed up many areas where retraining was probably needed! I was quite shocked by how it was carried out, tbh.

TotoroElla · 04/03/2024 08:03

Wode · 04/03/2024 07:43

@TotoroElla what isn't clear on these threads is that some posters are actually the qualified legal bods who represent the applicant appealing or sit on the panel for the school, they do this year in year out in real life. They are therefore the experts in these matters. I recognise the names as this comes up year after year and have personally thanked @prh47bridge who gave me some advice years ago. So thank you again.

The advice is always to accept the school place you have been offered even if you never intend to place your child in that school. If anyone rejects a place then the LA has no responsibility to find you a school place because they found you one; they fulfilled their duty. They can therefore wash their hands of you. If you lose an appeal you have no school place for your child and then you need to find one. Schools local to you may all be full and potentially your child may end up only finding a school with places absolutely miles away. That is why you always accept the school place offered. There are waiting lists and appeals that go on from now so some movement in school places.

@mumoftwogirls2017 if your DD is still unhappy go on the waiting list for the first choice and get an appeal ready. Lots of advice on MN on how to do it, mainly coming down to what the first choice school can offer your child which is beneficial to them.

I am aware of that and I know what the set advice is. I was just pointing out in my case I was advised not to accept the place and it would still be there if I wanted it. The advice is to argue how the school you want will meet your DC's needs not how the school offered won't, but for me I was asked specifically how the school offered wouldn't meet her needs. So the official advice is not always correct in all LAs. In my case I'm glad I sought local advice as well as the very informative advice on here. That's all I'm trying (obviously badly) to say.

TotoroElla · 04/03/2024 08:10

ThatBeverleyMacca · 04/03/2024 07:55

Was the offered school undersubscribed, so still had places spare and therefore if you (or anyone else) had asked you could have been given a place without question? That’s the only scenario I can think of where you would still ‘have’ your place having not accepted the offer (but even then if the school filled its places with others who wanted them then they couldn’t ‘hold’ a place for you).

Unless this was the case I just don’t understand how the scenario you describe could work in practice, as they can’t hold a place for you that you haven’t accepted if there are people on the waiting list.

Show quote history

At the open evening they said they were oversubscribed.

The more people are querying it the more I don't understand it myself! Perhaps they do take not rejecting as accepting. But the fact I specifically hadn't accepted the school helped my appeal. But maybe officially the place was accepted. The LA advised me not to accept the school place but I don't think this was specific to the school so I don't think it was to do with being under subscribed.

SaffronSpice · 04/03/2024 08:11

TotoroElla you are not adding anything more to the thread. Please stop derailing.

Tiredalwaystired · 04/03/2024 08:17

prh47bridge · 03/03/2024 23:08

@Tiredalwaystired - The words "I'm sure they don't" in @EduCated's post were clearly referring to your comment, "I’m also sure the person with a desk full of appeals doesn’t feel like one less appeal would make much difference", not the strength of OP's case.

Well that wasn’t very clear.

TotoroElla · 04/03/2024 08:39

SaffronSpice · 04/03/2024 08:11

TotoroElla you are not adding anything more to the thread. Please stop derailing.

Perhaps ask those who keep asking me questions to stop derailing?

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