School Appeal Help Please

[Phoenixwalking]

Hello all,
I'm looking for some help/advice.
My 11 year old child started secondary in September. Didn't know anyone as their primary was in another area 4 miles away, my other child attends the same primary. Current secondary is not a good fit, child has thrown themselves into clubs and making friends etc, however there have been a plethora of friendship issues, verbal and physical assaults.
I attempted a transfer to the feeder secondary, however this was rejected on Friday. The school is over subscribed and we are not in catchment.
What chance do I have in the appeals process please? Main reasons for wanting a transfer is safety, welfare, wellbeing, friendships and academic programme (music and sport). SEMH need as my child is seeing the school counsellor and is on the verge of becoming a refuser. I have a diary of events to back up the allegations of physical and emotional harm. I have worked with the school but even they are at a loss and gave me advice of what not to say during an appeal.

I have no idea where to start and I've trawled through so much information it is making my eyes hurt.

Any information gratefully received! Thanks.

Does the school agree that your DS needs to move? Have they considered a managed move to your preferred school.

Do you have emails, etc., as evidence of the physical assaults? To what extent was he assaulted? A prod is going to be less persuasive than a full assault, so it depends what level we are talking about as to whether it will help you.

Hello, yes school are supportive of the move. Not happy to go ahead with a managed move as they say it's for behaviour and this would not be suitable. Yes, I have emails and extent of assault is hospital visit due to concussion and earlier finishes to stop issues at school kick out.

Pushed down a flight of stairs, attempted to remove swimsuit in pool, pushed into pool clothed, grabbed by ankles when bending to put something in bag and tossed onto head.

I would definitely appeal and I would include full details of the incidents. I would hope a panel would find in your favour.

Erm, this sounds outrageous from the current school. Forget moving schools, what about the police?

Normally at appeal you are arguing for the school you want, not against the school you've got. However, in this situation there are clear safeguarding issues at the current school. You have evidence that your child is being bullied and the school is not doing anything effective to stop it. That is a good case that your child needs to move urgently. Go for it including all the information you've got about the incidents and any communications you've had with the school about this.

Thanks everyone. Any advice on how to set it out on the online appeal document? Shall I put a diary of events or save that for the panel? Thanks again.

You need to put all your evidence and points in the initial pack. You can expand verbally on the day, but all your evidence needs to go in advance.

A diary is often a good way to show a repeated pattern and escalation of events, yes. Any evidence you have in writing from school that they support the move would be very helpful - they are basically admitting they can't do what he needs.

I would include the diary, but keep the diary entries fairly brief, and refer to the diary entries in your appeal document.

For example, your diary might read:

05/05/23 - pushed down a flight of stairs. Sprained ankle.
08/07/23 - tossed on to head. Visited A&E.

Then your appeal document might say:

When DS was pushed down a flight of stairs (see diary), we contacted the school. They said they were unable to deal with the perpetrator because there were no witnesses/no CCTV/couldn't be sure it was a push and not a fall, etc. DS was very reluctant to return to school and we had to accompany him to the gates for several days.

In other words, you don't just want to refer to the incidents, but what impact they've had on your DS, and what action the school took, if any. The panel need to see that you need a place at your preferred school because the alternative is school refusal.

Thank you so so much, I feel a bit better prepared now.