Would any of these reasons stand up in an appeal?

[MrsSnape]

I want my DS to go to an over-subscribed secondary school out of our catchment area (although it is nearby, we're only just out of the catchment by 1 road!) Our catchment school is horrendous and he simply will not be going, even if I have to home-school.

So reasons for wanting this other school should we need to appeal:

Older cousins already in the school which would help DS settle easier (he's quiet, shy and extremely sensitive).

It's a specialist science school, would saying he had a high interest in science (true) do any good and what proof of this would they want if any?

Family (his great grandmother) are nearby the school so he would be close enough to go their at lunch times should he want/need to. No relations anywhere near hell-hole school.

Would any of these reasons stand up or am I clutching at straws?

Do you work?Could you say he will be going to his cousins afetr school?

I hope to be working by then and will definately use that too if I can.

Just thinking too, would having a high mark in his science SATs do him any favours considering it's a specialist science college?

Use evrything.

TBH I don;t think they would - there is no obvious reason why he should be there.

Does he have SEN?

You can only try. I wrote a letter for my BIL when we had to go to appeal for my nephew: stated his apptitude in Art (arts specialist school) location to his home (would be able to walk instead of catching bus); told them his mum didn't drive and the family supported the CofE ethos (alth didn't go to church). Finally got in 3 days before the start of the September term, but not sure this was due to my letter, more like the waiting list going down.

When I researched this (at my own school and several others) depdending on where you are on the waiting list can have a big effect. My nephew was 11th on the list at the start of the summer hols. An average sized high school (say 1000 pupils) will have around 6-12 pupils drop out in the summer due to change of circumstances.

He is currently being assessed for dyspraxia but I'm not sure how I could use that really...

Maybe this forum would be of help to you. They have some pretty good information and you can post a question to an appeal expert

www.parentscentre.gov.uk/forum/categories.cfm?catid=57

Some specialist schools select up to 10% of their intake on aptidude in their specialism; most don't. I know when I asked the head of an out of catchment maths specialist school if there was any flexibility in the admissions that might allow an out of catchment child exceptionally good at maths to get a place I was told there wasn't.

I wouldn't have thought any of them were strong grounds for appeal tbh, but I was told once by someone who worked for an LEA to ALWAYS appeal if you really want a particular school as it keeps you on their radar. Make sure your DS is on the waiting list, phone (the LEA, not the school as they don't decide) on a regular basis and generally keep the pressure up. Good luck.

Just having some more thoughts on this...

Other than the science specialism, what are the things you like about the school? What makes it better in your opinion for your son?

For instance: you say he's quiet, shy and sensitive. Does the school have a strong pastoral support system and or a buddying scheme that you can say he needs? Has he been bullied in the past that could be further evidence for needing such support?

You say he's interested in and good at science. Could you say as well that he definitely wants to do 3 science GCSEs (I assume a specialist science school would offer that option which maybe the other alternatives don't) - be careful to focus the appeal on what the desired school can do rather than what the others can't (that will come out by inference).

Dyspraxia - try to find out if the school offers any help in that area. It could be fairly tenuous - maybe there is more choice in sports options which would be good for co-ordination and/or self esteem (if he already has some ability in that sport)? Speak to whoever is assessing him and ask what is needed from a secondary school for him to thrive? If it sounds even remotely relevent get it written into the assessment and use it.

Your points are OK I think, but not really strong enough - I still think it's worth appealing though as you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It probably is worth getting some expert help with the appeal. Good luck!

I think to be honest you chances lie more with getting on the waiting list and waiting for people to drop out. As someone else said, this is actually quite common in many schools, for various reasons. For example, I know children who applied for, and were offered a place at, a very good comprehensive school but treated it as a fall-back in case they didn't get into their preferred selective private school. So, once they had got in to said private school, they didn't take up the place at the comprehensive. There are a myriad of reasons why someone might not take up a place.

If you are only one road out of catchment, you might have a more than reasonable chance of getting one of the 'drop-out' places.

Your other reasons, while plausible, just don't sound strong enough to me. For example, no child of 10 or 11 can say they 'definitely' want to do 3 separate science GCSEs, and I wouldn't have thought any school would fall for that one. And so many children get say level 5 at science in their SATs, you would need a really strong supporting case to prove strong interest or ability in science. My children's school has a science specialism, amongst others, but that would have no bearing whatsoever on admissions.

I would take Moomin's advice - find out where you stand on the waiting list and try to assess your chances of moving up the list.