Secondary school appeal help please

[Anotherschoolappealquery]

I've seen some really helpful advice on these boards and would be really grateful for some help in formulating our secondary school appeal.

DS has been offered his 2nd choice school. He really happy as most of his friends are going there, but I don't think it's as good a fit for him as our first choice which is hugely oversubscribed.

We are catchment but not feeder for preferred choice. And the allocation is random within that category (ie not distance). It's unlikely that we will get a place via the waiting list as they have offered above PAN. And the waiting list is also by random allocation so I'm not hopeful! So we're going to try an appeal..

I'd be really grateful for some advice on how to formulate our reasons for appeal into as good a case as we can.

Our reasons for appeal are:

1. we have been allocated a CofE school. I don't have a massive issue with this except for the fact that GCSE religious studies is compulsory. DS is bright/ academic but has no interest in RS so this feels like a waste of a GCSE. He'd have a wider choice at preferred school and is at a disadvantage compared to being in a non faith school. He is in a CofE primary. None of the preferred school's feeder schools are CofE.

2. sports: he is a keen swimmer. He's in a competitive squad at the council leisure centre (ie not an actual swimming club) and has won numerous races at thier galas. The preferred school has an indoor pool... and plenty of opportunity to use it the general sports provision is much better at the preferred school with lots of clubs and teams and he does other sports too. The offered school seems to just run a club (eg football) for half a term if they've entered a competition...

3. music: again really good provision at preferred school. He has lessons on 2 instruments at the moment but isn't in any groups. The preferred school has numerous Bands and orchestras as well as instrumental lessons but allocated school doesn't seem to have anything beyond lessons and a choir (he hates singing)

4. the preferred school is in the county and community we live in. Although the allocated school is closer, it's over the county border and has kids from all over. At the preferred school, he'd be there with the kids he goes to sports clubs etc with, and friends would be local.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

So you want to appeal because you put as a preference no 2 CoE school and your kid was in CoE primary and now you decided to raise him non religious. You want him go be a swimmer and a musician and with his friends.

They got 100 such appeals.

Why did you list the school at all if you didn’t want it?!

1 and 4 aren't really relevant. Friendship groups aren't a factor for appeal unless there is some strong medical evidence of the need, and the first one is really just a preference, not a need - and could have changed by the time he gets to GCSEs

2 and 3 are more relevant, but still pretty weak. He's already swimming outside of school, so
School provision would be nice but not necessary. The music groups are probably a stronger point of the 2 - why doesn't he do groups at the moment? Is it lack of availability? Is school the only way he'll be able to do these?

It's not a strong case as presented, but would depend on the strength of the schools case as well.

When you appeal, push the swimming. Possibly the music.

Don't mention the other stuff.

1. Many schools expect pupils to take RS at GCSE since they are supposed to study it anyway. In any event, it is a few years away and things could change, so this won't carry much weight.
2. This is a good point.
3. This is also a good point.
4. This is a very weak point. It is unlikely the appeal panel will give this any weight.

"DS is bright/ academic but has no interest in RS so this feels like a waste of a GCSE"

Your son is too young to know if he might find Key Stage 4 RE interesting, and this argument would just make you appear ignorant of the national curriculum. Some RE is compulsory in Key Stage 4 at every school. Not all do a GCSE in it, but many do - including many non-faith schools. It's all about comparing and contrasting religions (and non-religious philosophies), and looking at moral questions to do with topics such as peace and conflict, or family life. You don't have to be religious to find it interesting.

"sports: he is a keen swimmer. He's in a competitive squad at the council leisure centre (ie not an actual swimming club) and has won numerous races at thier galas"

So why does he need more swimming at school? Sounds like he's managing to access enough swimming outside of school.

"the preferred school is in the county and community we live in. Although the allocated school is closer, it's over the county border and has kids from all over. At the preferred school, he'd be there with the kids he goes to sports clubs etc with, and friends would be local."

This isn't a strong argument. Why should the school go over its numbers and increase student-staff ratios just so your son can be with friends that he can see outside of school? If he goes to the offered school he will make new friends.

Clicked post too soon.

Points 2 and 3 are your strongest points. They could be enough to win your appeal but it depends on the strength of the school's case to refuse admission. If you can identify any more things your son will miss out on if he isn't admitted, that will help.

Yes I agree with others, the swimming and the music are the strongest points. I would focus on why the groups offered at school would be beneficial as for xxxx reason he cannot access music groups outside school (maybe there are none locally).

The friends one is not relevant unfortunately (just as well tbh as you say most of his mates are going to the allocated school!) and again, the RS GCSE one a) might change and b) is a compulsory subject anyway.

On that - in case he does go to the allocated school - please clarify to him that it is a very interesting subject that is worth studying (wish my DC could have taken it but thanks to Ebacc they had to take history/geog and had no space for it). He cannot know aged 11 that he has no interest in it - and it would be a sad thing if that were the case. It may also be treated as an extra (has been where I have taught) and so taking it does not always mean less choice or limited options. That's not really relating to the appeal tbh, just to support your DS going forward.

The RE point is actually so narrow minded. There is so so much more to religious studies at secondary than "have a religion, we prefer this one".

Ethics, philosophy, debate, democracy, control and power, fairness, history, societal shifts.

They don't just do re runs of the nativity each term.

Thanks for the helpful replies.

Don't worry, I have been v positive to DS about RS, and i am aware that it is part of the curriculum for all secondary schools until year 11. But it does seem a shame that it leaves fewer GCSE choices when kids only do 9 these days. It's not an extra for the school and that won't change. By the time you've done the other compulsory subjects there isn't much room for choice... and as you point out they cover the subject anyway. That means probably stopping history, geography and languages after year 9 which seems quite limiting. But we'll focus the appeal on the stronger points as suggested, thank you.

And for those asking this school went on the form to make sure we got an offer for a school we can actually get to. Everywhere is very over subscribed locally and we're feeder and catchment for the allocated school.

That means probably stopping history, geography and languages after year 9 which seems quite limiting.

It would be unlikely they would let a DC stop all of those.
It generally seems to go:
Maths, 2 English, Dual award science = 5
RE in your case (many places enforce short course at 0.5 anyway) = 1 or 0.5
History or Geography = 1

• 2 or 3 free choice

Another one saying don’t dismiss RE. It covers philosophy and ethics too. My (no. Religious) daughter is about to select it as an option for the ethics and philosophy angle. I too would have sworn blind at eleven that she would have dropped it as soon as she could. You can’t predict their future interests as they change hugely once they start getting focused subjects.

Well of course students may only take 9 GCSEs at your allocated school. But for reference, plenty of schools allow more able students to take 10. And weaker students to take 8 (my DS1 only took 8).

I agree with @TeenDivided and also don’t see why RS GCSE means you have to give up MFL and history/geog. DS2 was keen on RS but in the end picked Comp sci instead – but he also did an MFL and history, and PE as well. He took 10 in total but if he had done 9 he would have had the same option possibilities, as the 9 would have meant double instead of triple science. He would rather have done RS than history as it goes but hey.

Thanks all. My guess is the GCSEs will be maths, English x2, science x3, RE plus 2 choices. Just seems quite limiting...

It would be unlikely that sciencex3 (ie 3 separate science GCSEs) would be compulsory in a non selective school. The 'standard' would be dual award (3 science subjects covered but resulting in 2 GCSEs) with separate sciences being for the more able possibly taking up an option slot, and possibly not.

Note you don't need separate science GCSEs to do science A levels.

I would ask the school - this is information they should be able to supply.

It may be that as RS is compulsory, it is taught in maybe one lesson a week (and some students may take the short course) and does not in effect take up an option block. That's certainly something that happens (tho not at every school).

A local school to me which is very highly rated insists on geog or history and French and students are left with one free choice. I mean I don't personally think that's great (one out of PE, RS, CS, DT, food, textiles, art, drama, music) but it's certainly not that unusual.

I would ask the school - this is information they should be able to supply.

I would look on the school website first. There is probably an options booklet or letter to parents that explains it all.

I agree with others that 3 separate sciences is likely to be an "extra" option for top sets.

Your second and third points are reasonable grounds for appeal I think. Definitely not your fourth sadly.
the first is a bit odd as you presumably chose a CofE primary for him.

My child ‘hates’ religion and in primary refused to do a project about anyone religious. And now RE is their favourite subject and a definite for GCSE.

At their school it is English x 2, Science x 2/3 (the triple science people get an extra GCSE I believe rather than losing an option, as the teaching time is the same), Maths, RE or History (a humanity), a language, and then 2 choices. So mine will do History as a choice as well.

I would be interested to know why you chose a Church of England primary. Was it the only option in a village, so in effect the local community primary, or is there a non-faith option within a mile or two - i.e. did you have real preferences available. On the instrumental tuition, how long has he been studying and what grades has he achieved? It could be argued that in allocating you a Church of England school, it offers consistency and anligns with your faith (if he is baptised into the Church) and offering the nearest school means easier travel and supports his school friendships. I don’t understand argument 4, when earlier in your post you state he is really happy and most of his friends will be going to the Church of England secondary.

@LadyLapsang you might be interested to know that, and it might be in the minds of the appeal panel too, but they wouldn't ask it as a question as it's not directly relevant.

For what it's worth, many non-religious or only-culturally-CofE families obviously do go to CofE primaries. Maybe it was the closest, or has the best Ofsted report, or the nicest grounds - religion doesn't have to be the primary reason. Faith schools have to cater for children of all religions and none, and some people choose them "despite" the religion rather than "because of" the religion.

I would focus on your 2nd and 3rd points.
He's at an age where he will be stepping up his physical training for a competitive sport if he wants to progress; his preferred school will provide that opportunity. And his allocated school doesn't offer the musical and instrumental range he's interested in and wants to pursue a music/drama GCSEs?

The primary is our nearest school. Nearest non CofE had a poor offsted report and mixed year groups. The school ds is at has lots more extracurricular activities, forest school, farm etc. Was an easy choice. But it turns out you have to be in the right feeder school.

The allocated school for secondary pulls in kids from all over the city so new friends are likely to be further away. It is one people go to precisely for the Christian distinctiveness. Not really a big deal but our preferred school makes a big thing about being part of the community, which is the community we live in.

You ignored that the primary was religious because it had a better ofsted so you went there but now want to use religion as an argument in your appeal??

She's already been talked down from that as an appeal argument.