Appeals

[threeslickers]

I am looking for advice appealing a high school place. My daughter didn’t get any of her choices and was given an alternative. I know the chances of winning an appeal are slim but I wouldn’t be doing her justice if I didn't try as the school she has been offered is diabolical (not exaggerating) and who doesn’t want better for their child. My high school failed me and so did my family and I want better. My child doesn’t have any special circumstances why she should get the place she is in the lowest category (other children) but I know going to the school offered will hinder her education because they can’t give her one! Any help on what to put in the appeal would be greatly appreciated.

It doesn't sound like you have any grounds for appeal. Have you put her on waiting list for all acceptable schools?

Make sure you are on the waiting lists for the schools you preferred,

And don't panic-have you looked at the school she's got's stats? How do kids at her ability level do? Sometimes the intake can mate a school look worse than it is-m.

To get started look at extra curricular and subjects offered. Are there things that particularly benefit your DD offered at preferred schools compared with allocated one.

Is the school you were allocated your local/catchment/nearest one @threeslickers ? If so, did you list it? If not, and you were not allocated your closest school despite listing it on your form it’s worth looking at furthest distance to make sure the process has been correctly folliwed

Your best bet for an appeal is to look for what the proposed school offers that the allocated school does not. This is things like subjects, clubs that you can show an interest in. Unfortunately distance and ofsted reports aren’t usually taken into account.

You don’t have any grounds it would seem other than you want better for your daughter.

The school offered is closest to our house the school we would prefer is futher away. Like I said above I know the appeal will be hard and probably unsuccessful due to no special circumstances such as educational needs, or siblings. Believe me when I say the school offered has just moved from inadequate to requiring improvement with education stated at requires improvement due to lack of consistency and confidence from the teachers. There staff turn around is shocking and the behaviour of the children is just as bad there extra curricula activities are more after school clubs than electives. How is anyone suppose to just be ok and settle for rubbish I have to try do something. She is on the waiting list for the other schools. The preferred choice would give her a chance of a decent education the offered alternative is not going to provide one at all. So I am asking on the basis of this without anything special what can I state as my reason. The school we want is a new school only three years in so no Ofsted report or GCSEs results to compare to anyway it’s just what the school has to offer and it’s ethos and values that match my daughter. Sorry this is long.

You won't win an appeal based on allocated school being rubbish.

You need to find things that will particularly benefit your DD that aren't behaviour, results, travel, ofsted.

If you are going to spend time appealing then look for points that are viable.

as just moved from inadequate to requiring improvement with education stated at requires improvement due to lack of consistency and confidence from the teachers.

Yes it sounds shit

but unless you move sharpish… that is the school your daughter is going to

where are her friends going?

I am asking on the basis of this without anything special what can I state as my reason.

Op we are trying to tell you… don’t waste your time.

Just get yourself on the waiting fingers and speak positively about the school she got in to… to your daughter

You don't have anything to say. Don't waste your energy. Put her on as many waiting lists as you can feasibly get her to and then if you really can't stomach it home school or private.

Just make sure you’re on the waiting lists for the schools you expressed a preference for and I agree that your grounds for appeal are slim to none.

If you are determined to appeal, you must put in what you think the schools you want offer, that you can’t get at the school she’s been assigned. Don't make a derogatory comment about that school. Focus on the things she needs that that school doesn’t have. Particularly if she has a particular talent or interest.

If there is no movement, be as positive about the school as you can, as far as your daughter is concerned. Stay on the waiting lists or consider moving.

You need to identify things this school offers that are not available at the allocated school and that are particularly relevant for your daughter. As others have said, behaviour, results, travel and Ofsted are not relevant for appeal. You need to make a positive case for the school you want, not argue against the school you have been offered.

Op did you look round the allocated school?

We looked around all school including the one we have been offered. I have kept my discussion with my child about the school good but I can’t stop her from hearing the horror story’s told to her in school of from the siblings that attend there or stop her witnessing the fights and violence outside the school as it’s round the corner from her school and we drive past it. What questions will be asked to us on the day? How informal is it? I know it might be pointless as some of you have said but as a parent I have to try don’t I! She does have particular interests that’s the offered school doesn’t have but I fear that alone is not enough 😩

Do I need to add evidence when I fill the online form in or do I have time to gather it after I have requested an appeal. Why is there no help for people it’s not easy to find this information anywhere!

My council were very helpful when we appealed, you can ask them what they want evidence wise and at what point.

I did bullet points in my submission and then had time to flesh out each point during the hearing itself.

If I had my time again, I'd submit the fleshed out version to the panel.

We were unsuccessful.

Best of luck to you OP. Keep trying to get her into your preferred school.

Does the school you want offer anything your child would particularly benefit from? I think that’s a good reason for appeal. If the benefit to your child outweighs the disadvantage to the school by taking on an extra child then it stands a good chance. Eg if your child has been doing gymnastics from a young age and the school has an active gymnastics team (or similar) but the offered school doesn’t.

Do a search on MN about appeals. There are loads of similar threads with great advice on successful appeals.

Always remember that you are appealing for the school you prefer, not against the one you've been allocated

Unless you think a mistake has been made, then your appeal would be "balance of prejudice", which means that you have to show that the detriment (prejudice) to your DC by not attending the preferred school outweighs the detriment to the school and its pupils by going over numbers.

So it depends both on the strength of the school's case (which you can chip away at - for example, if it says it cannot possibly cope with more pupils than PAN (permitted admission number) but you can show they've been running 8-12 pupils about that with no apparent issues every year, then their case is weaker, and the appeals panel might be minded to grant some appeals. Other schools might have stronger grounds - but that's for the panel to determine

So it also depends on the strength of your case. If they decide some could be admitted without undue detriment to the school, then you want your DC to be one of those. You need to show why, either uniquely or by far and away the best, this school suits your DC. So what does it offer that other local schools don't? Has your DD got a skill/aptitude/demonstrable interest in those things? Can you bring evidence (other than parental assertion) to show the importance to your DC?

You don't have to submit everything straight away. Make sure you get your appeal in by the deadline, but you can continue to gather evidence and update your written case after that.

Hi does anyone k ow how to appeal if you didn’t get any offer at all?

I would start a new thread @ThatBluePoet

But that's very unusual - did you apply on time? And got no offer? what have the LA said? as I understand it, they are obliged to offer a school somewhere and transport if it is over a certain distance and you applied to your nearest school.

Where did you apply (as in, to schools near to you?). Why didn't you get a place?

Do you mean you didn't get an offer from any your choices? or any offer at all?

You can appeal for any school you have applied for but didn't get an offer from - so in your case, all your preferences.

Your LA have an obligation to offer you a place. If you don't have an offer at all once it gets to appeal this would boost your chances of winning.

@clary @PatriciaHolm My LA had 126 applicants without an offer on National Offer Day. Happens every year. They rely on families giving up their offers to go private, so usually everyone has an offer by September.