Questions for stage 1 of appeal

[Barbeasty]

We have our combined stage 1 & 2 appeal this week for entry to year 7 in September and would love some advice on any questions to ask the school.

Their submission makes it clear their PAN is 150 and they couldn’t possibly take more than 32 pupils in any of their 5 forms/ computer suites, with maximum of 22 in each of 8 DT groups and 28 in the 6 science groups.

Previous years vary from 153-160. Their closing statement says that they aren’t allowed to admit over PAN, but existing year groups are coping well so the panel has to decide the level of prejudice. But going over 32 in any tutor group would be unmanageable.

What questions do we need to ask or will the panel ask the obvious ones? And assuming we aren’t the only appeal, will we be told what questions and answers have been covered by others in stage 1?

Did you appeal by the deadline? If you're not a late appeal, then you may be the only appeal. I say that because stage 1 is usually grouped.

Obvious questions to ask:
How many appeals are there?
If there have been previous appeals, what were the q&a's and the outcomes?
If the extra 2 places they've highlighted have not been filled and you are the only appeal, then it sounds like you're in with a good chance.

I would say that stage 1 is often grouped rather than usually. I know of many admission authorities that always have individual appeals regardless of the number of appeals.

If it is not a grouped hearing, I doubt you will be told anything about questions asked by other appellants. However, if they have managed to weaken the school's case, that will help you just as much as it helps them.

You should use your questions to highlight any weaknesses in the school's case. However, what you have said about their case sounds almost like a green light to the appeal panel to admit up to 10 pupils.

Thank you both.

Most of their case very much reads as though they would like to take 10 extra pupils, which almost makes it harder to think of questions to ask.

We submitted the appeal on time, and from the footer of their case document I’d guess we are one of 48 appeals, assuming their case is the same length for every appeal.

Their schedule reads as though it’s an individual appeal, so I assume it’s not a group stage 1. Local schools seem to do a mixture of group and individual, regardless of the number they are hearing.

You don't have to ask questions if you don't want to - it does sound like the school would be happy to take some additional students. However, If there are 48 appeals (seems like a lot?) then I doubt there are any arguments that will show a school with a PAN of 150 can cope with nearly 50 extra students in one year group! You could perhaps ask a question to clarify whether the school feels it can cope with 10 extra students just so it is explicit.

In this situation, I think it would make most sense to focus on your own appeal one of the strongest ones, because I would guess that if there are 48 appeals, some but not all will get offers.

Are stage one and two being held separately? That would be unusual for an individual appeal.
As others have said, important to focus on presenting your individual case as strongly as possible. Remember the panel is most interested in your child's best interests - the wider family's needs are only really relevant where they impact the child significantly.
In terms of questions, I'd be asking how they cope with the extra students in other years.

Ask how many offers accepted as of today (if not in paperwork already)

Ask more questions about the problems caused by taking extra pupils - the school may take the opportunity to downplay this if they actually want to take extras. Ask about how they manage larger years further up, what is the biggest Y7 they have had in recent years, how was this managed, were there any major problems etc.

Was there anything in the way they allocated places that was a departure from the published admissions rules? Or anything that seems unfair as between different applicants? Ask about that if so.