Secondary school appeals

[OUB1974]

I thought it would be handy to start a thread for anyone planning to appeal and hopefully get some advice.

My son got our 3rd choice. He passed his 11+ with flying colours but was 2 pts off an exceptionally high entry score. Our local alternative is heavily oversubscribed.

We are being quite pragmatic about it and understand it quite probably won't succeed, but we want to give him a chance. There's also a possibility of a place in the 2nd round at the grammar.

Does anyone have advice on writing an effective appeal. He did really well on the 11+ with no tutoring, so I think he'd do well at the grammar as it's a popular school with a very wide catchment from areas with no grammars, so there's a lot of tutoring for the test, and I think that the fact he almost got there without any help is really positive.

This aspect I'm totally onboard with and completely agree it should be fair for all.

What I don't particularly like is that the pupil premium category covers kids who's parents are part of the armed forces. They are not at a disadvantage at all, just a loophole to exploit to make achieving a place easier compared to other families.

Forces families tend to have a disrupted life, relocation every few years, parent often absent for extended periods, sometimes on active service in danger zones. You need to set aside this attitude of begrudging other children an opportunity.

What LIZS said!

ETA in any event, the 20 pupil premium places must still clear the 220 hurdle and are also score ranked. So whilst you know someone who got in with 229 and a PP, it’s entirely possible that many of the PP places went to children that scored higher than 235 (or indeed, than 242)

You may see it as begrudging but I don't.

When your child is judged so harshly in another category with stricter criteria the points need making. I've got another thread going and everyone's attitude on there is that my son would probably struggle at a grammar school because of his score. When a child in another category scoring lower than my son is never judged the same way and would never get the response of 'well may be they haven't done well enough to warrant a place' - it doesn't make sense.

The system is broken, and the fact that I live so close to the grammar school just feels completely unfair.

I think you have to reconcile yourself that those 20 PP places were never available to DS, just as places for LAC are not available to DS.

Additionally , had they been in the “general mix” then it is likely that the net effect would be the last score admitted being 240 or 239, not that 235 would have got a place.

In prior years, the last score admitted has been a lot lower than 235 so I do think your son is academically capable, of course, just as other boys in the band of 0-10 points below last score admitted would be. 220 is set as the cut off every year to ensure that there is a certain minimum standard. But unfortunately for you and other local boys, the VAT impact on private schools etc has probably made the test more competitive and hence the higher score needed for a place.

ETA I’m on your other thread and it’s an overstatement to say that everyone is suggesting your son would struggle.

Agree with @SheilaFentiman. If your ds had got a place on offers day you would not even be considering the rights and wrongs of the pp and Forces criteria.

Thank you for your input and understanding.

It does smart a bit but I can see why they do it. They also offer a free subscription to one of the online learning platforms for pupil premium. So a kid could get 220 after having a free subscription and another kid who scored 20 points more without any help other than the school familiarisation gets a totally unsuitable school.

I'm not saying it shouldn't exist, but it's hard when your kid's high score would have otherwise got them in, especially if you couldn't afford to access any of the additional help - either online or tutoring. It's pitting local kids against local kids though when it's those that travel in from surrounding cities, and those that can afford expensive tutors that are the real issue here. When they claim to be for the top 25% of kids in the local area and someone who got in the top 7% of scores on their own ability doesn't get in it makes you wonder what the point is.

But this is why grammar schools were abolished in most areas - because they create polarisation.

Is the alternative option really "totally unsuitable" or just comprehensive and inclusive? If it is unsuitable to the extent that high prior attainers can't fulfill their potential then that is an issue that is caused by the proximity of the grammar school. The answer is to move somewhere with a more fully comprehensive system (or go private).

Our existing offer is totally unsuitable. The one we're appealing for will do. I wouldn't pay for school even if I could afford it, which I can't. Although if I had my time again I'd pay for tutoring - not that I think it's right but most do so you have to really I think. Agree they create polarisation.

What is your appeal ground?

If it’s “he’s a bright kid, he ought to be at the grammar” that isn’t going to work.

Do you have other grounds?

Interestingly, from a post on the other thread and the reference in the admissions criteria to full pupil premium, it seems that the service pupil premium does not put a child into the 20 places “reserved”

This is an older thread that has been brought back as we lost our appeal sadly, so our grounds weren't good enough. I have concerns about his current offer, which doesn't have the wider selection of academic subjects. I think he'll do ok there but won't have the encouragement and push he needs to do brilliantly, which I know he's capable of. Especially as hes a quiet kid, i think he'll be seen as doing OK and not pushed further. It's a shame, but it's where we are.

Ah sorry, I didn’t realise.

If you believe the admissions policy is unfair you can refer the case to the OSA. It won’t help you, but it will help future cohorts. On the Pupil Premium aspect, take a look at the Sutton Trust Admissions Not Impossible report. Look at the percentage of FSM children in the targetted and surrounding schools.

Thanks, i will. But it was challenged a few years ago and the challenge failed I think. I gather it's lawful, which is what it has to be. Lots of local parents think it's unfair, but at the end of the day, it's just an opinion I guess. X

Hi pls could you message me as going through this now. Do have medical grounds but would love to hear what helped you win

Bear in mind that if there is more than one appeal, a 'killer question' in Stage 1 that shows the school has a space for an additional child doesn't necessarily mean that it is your child who would get the space.

When was your appeal? How did it go? Any advice on what to expect?

We have 3 appeals coming up; next week, the week after and then then the last one at the start of June

So what was the killer question?! I appreciate that

It was tough. I felt I'd done well but I didn't. They dismissed my reasons as "parental preference", which makes me feel like I wasn't heard properly as I thought I focused on my son's needs and didn't even mention my preference. I would really focus on what this school has to offer that no other school can and the effect it will have on your child. I would also make sure you have looked at every single other school in the area and can arriculate why theyre unsuitable.

Good luck. It's a soul destroying process in my opinion! I really feel as though I've let my son down by not winning for him. He really deserves it. Hopefully the next one will be better.

I would also make sure you have looked at every single other school in the area and can arriculate why theyre unsuitable.

Please do take this on board - remember that the presenting officer for your 'appeal' school (here it would normally be the HT or the Deputy HT with responsibility for admissions) will often have knowledge of other schools in the area. So e.g. claiming that School A is 'the only one in the town which offers MFL X' when the school recently came second to School B half a mile away in the regional Have Your Say competition in that language in year 7 isn't a good idea. Or 'My DC can't possibly get to any other school', when the same public bus route from near to the home address passes School C to get to School A etc.

Yes, you are appealing for School A, but make sure that any 'essential attributes' do actually apply.

@OUB1974 I am sure you did present well - with only one appeal out of 39 being accepted, the school must be full/overfull already and the panel deemed it was only possible to add one more child to this year group, regardless of how well stage 2 was handled by parents.

Thank you. I did my best and I'm learning more every day to do my best in appeal no 2!

We're new to secondary school and i dont think I'd appreciated how easy it is to fall through several sieves, just because all of the admissions policies are entirely separate and you miss out on some closer schools because they dont go on distance, but then you are excluded from further away ones because you're too far away, or you can't get transport because you're expected to go to a closer school. It's very frustrating! Thank you for all of your helpful comments. 💐

@atriskacademic pls do let me know any advice