Distance question for anyone who sits on an appeals panel please!

[Mummyspider27]

For my secondary school appeal, I am appealing on a few grounds but a quick question about distance. Is there any guidance on what a panel would deem an acceptable/unacceptable distance for a child to travel to school?
The allocated school is over 15miles away. Would take 50mins each way in a car. Both parents work and a younger sibling needs taking to their school so it would need to be via public transport. That would require a 10min drive to the bus stop, a public bus, a change to a second public bus and then a 10 min walk. And even then they wouldn’t get there in time for registration!!
I read some things that say that’s a strong case for appeal and other things that say “it is the parents responsibility to get their child to school each day”
Any thoughts greatly appreciated xx

The DfE say that a journey over 75 mins travel time from door to door would generally be excessive. For me as a panel member, anything over around 50 mins journey time, or involving a change of buses, or an unsafe walk starts to make me feel more likely to side with the parents.

Of course that doesn't mean you would win the appeal, as it would need to be balanced against the difficulties to the school in admitting more pupils, and also you may be appealing with other parents who have stronger cases.

Did you apply to the nearest school in the first place? Have you looked into other schools that might be easier to get to than the offered school? Make your argument around the difficulties for your child (length of time travelling, safety etc) rather than the difficulties for the family as a whole.

Good luck!

Thanks! This is all so helpful.

Yes, first place was catchment school that offers school bus from the village. 3 other schools listed (2 out of county but geographically closer). Was given a school not on our list, in county but 5th closest to our house.

We just want our catchment school!! Due to (unrelated to travel) safeguarding reasons the allocated school would not be suitable.

I have provided evidence why our catchment school is most suitable educationally, logistically, every other reason!!! And most importantly why it is the safest option x

Your LA should provide transport if you did apply for your catchment school and you didn’t get any preferences on your list. (We do have defined catchment areas in our LA, my closest school is not my catchment school.) It is worth checking what that transport would be to the allocated school, if they’re intending to pay for a taxi then 50 minutes is going to be fine.

Interesting. I live in a weird part of our county where we are right on the edge, closest is our listed catchment but all other county schools are quite a distance away. Closest (after catchment) is 40mins by car x

I agree with PP that a panel is likely to consider both the quality of the journey and the time it takes. 75 mins is a DfE figure but that is often calculated as scheduled time. In my experience, public transport is not reliable particularly at peak school run times.

You have been offered a place at a distant school which was not a preference. Have you checked with the neighbouring LA (you applied for schools there) if there are any that would be a better fallback should you not get a place at a preferred school? Your LA will simply have given you a place at the closest school in the LA with places.

The local-ish out of county school is SO over subscribed, the wait list for county people is huge.
Apparently (according to LA) the criteria is being looked at for future years so priority is given to children whose alternative school in county is further away, get priority of the catchment school even if they aren’t closest by distance. Could be interesting, although doesn’t help me this year!!