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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Secondary school

14 replies

SleepyPanda30 · 31/12/2024 12:16

Hi! My 15 year old daughter got taken out of school due to severe anxiety and depression. She's been concentrating on her mental health for the past 2 years. She is now at a place where she feels she can now get back to school and start making friends. We have applied for local school but unfortunately alot are full so we had to apply for a school further a field, not too far though. Anyway she was accepted and we accepted the school place, this was 3 months ago!! We have still not had a start date or a meeting or anything. We have emailed and rang the school on numerous occasions but still heard nothing back. It's starting to now effect my daughters mental health as she just wants to get to school. What can I do? Is there anyone I should be speaking with? I should also add my daughter would be going back to school on a reduced timetable. Any help would be appreciated 🙏

OP posts:
OooOk · 31/12/2024 20:20

I would phone the school and talk to someone. It doesn't sound like your acceptance got through op.

Bluevelvetsofa · 31/12/2024 20:28

You sy she’s 15, but is she year 10 or year 11? A reduced timetable is going to be difficult in either year, but particularly in year 11, because most of the syllabus has been taught.

prh47bridge · 01/01/2025 00:19

This is completely unacceptable. Tell the school that you are referring them to the LGO (or the ESFA if it is an academy or free school) and asking that they be ordered to pay for private tutoring to allow your daughter to catch up on the 3 months education she has missed due to their clear breach of paragraph 2.31 of the Admissions Code (this paragraph requires the school to arrange that the child starts school as soon as possible after an offer has been accepted, particularly where, as in this case, the child is out of school).

Original poster
SleepyPanda30 · 01/01/2025 01:45

She's in year 10 now and we applied before they started in September 2024

OP posts:
Original poster
SleepyPanda30 · 01/01/2025 01:46

OooOk · 31/12/2024 20:20

I would phone the school and talk to someone. It doesn't sound like your acceptance got through op.

It definitely got through, I told them we applied and got accepted but they've just been extremely slow in replying

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Lightuptheroom · 01/01/2025 02:59

Ring the school on Monday, request to speak to the headteacher. Ring the admissions team at your local authority and ask to speak to the admissions manager and the fair access team manager (did you receive the offer letter from the school if they are their own admissions authority or the local authority?) They normally have 10 days to arrange admittance and cannot delay like this. The reduced timetable, how was that agreed and by whom?
How often have you spoken to the school because that's a whole terms delay which they know they can't legally do. They should be providing an education under Section 19 as well if she is medically unfit to be at school.
As @prh47bridge has said they are breaching particular parts of the admissions code and should be reminded of this.

Original poster
SleepyPanda30 · 02/01/2025 07:59

Lightuptheroom · 01/01/2025 02:59

Ring the school on Monday, request to speak to the headteacher. Ring the admissions team at your local authority and ask to speak to the admissions manager and the fair access team manager (did you receive the offer letter from the school if they are their own admissions authority or the local authority?) They normally have 10 days to arrange admittance and cannot delay like this. The reduced timetable, how was that agreed and by whom?
How often have you spoken to the school because that's a whole terms delay which they know they can't legally do. They should be providing an education under Section 19 as well if she is medically unfit to be at school.
As @prh47bridge has said they are breaching particular parts of the admissions code and should be reminded of this.

I've rang and requested to speak with the Headteacher on a number of occasions, it's always "we will get her to call you". Never got a call back. Haven't got a letter as the admissions is done online now through my account but I have the acceptance on there. Tbh I'm not sure who dealt with the reduced timetable. CAMHS have been in contact with the school though to help with the reduced timetable as originally the school stated they don't allow reduced timetables unless under certain circumstances.
All the other schools are full otherwise I'd probably send her somewhere else due to the lack of communication from them. 3 months now is just ridiculous and was planning to go down and speak with someone in person but tbh I don't know if this is the right thing or I may just get fobbed off again.

OP posts:
Lightuptheroom · 02/01/2025 09:14

You can go in person if you wish, state calmly and show the email acceptance. Or ring them and request a meeting. Definitely contact the 2 departments at your local authority. Reduced timetables are at each schools discretion they are correct in that. The place has been offered and they are currently breaching the admissions code.

Oreyt · 02/01/2025 10:50

Not what you asked for but a reduced timetable won't help her to make friends.

I get why they do them and I think they are a good idea but not in this case.

prh47bridge · 02/01/2025 10:53

As per my earlier post, they are clearly in breach of the Admissions Code. You have nothing to lose by going there and trying to speak to someone in person. If that fails, it is time to refer the matter to the LGO or ESFA (depending on the type of school).

Original poster
SleepyPanda30 · 02/01/2025 13:56

Oreyt · 02/01/2025 10:50

Not what you asked for but a reduced timetable won't help her to make friends.

I get why they do them and I think they are a good idea but not in this case.

I get that but with her being out of school for so long she needs to be eased back in otherwise I'm setting her up for failure

OP posts:
Lightuptheroom · 02/01/2025 14:07

Once a young person has been out of education, then sometimes the reduced timetable is the only 'tool' to avoid EBSA. It's not something all schools will agree to and having friends probably isn't the top priority at the moment.
Please contact both the admissions manager and the fair access manager (in some local authorities this could be the same team and manager) and then proceed to the Ombudsman as suggested (they will want to see that the local authority has acted properly first)

Oblomov25 · 02/01/2025 14:29

You need to be firmer in your emails. Then ring and say you are coming in to see them.

Original poster
SleepyPanda30 · 02/01/2025 17:19

Thanks all for your advice, i really appreciate it. I will be ringing and emailing on Monday and if I still don't speak to someone I will be going there in person

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