Secondary school places appeals

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Hi everyone, just to let you know that we've got a Q&A with John Chard from www.schoolappeals.org.uk on this thread if you've got any questions you'd like to put to him.

Thanks, MNHQ

My daughter applied to single sex faith schools and was not offered any place in any faith school. One of the criteria for rejection is that she did not go to a faith primary school but also we were outside the distance criteria. Can either of thease be challenged on appeal? Can we successfully challenge one criteria and then lose on another so the net affect is that we lose the appeal.
Do you need to give your reasons/grounds for appeal in the appeals letter?

You don't challenge the criteria for rejection at appeal unless you think there has been a mistake.

It sounds to me like these are both factual. Obviously you can challenge them if your daughter did go to a faith primary school or if they've got the distance wrong. You will only win on a mistake if your daughter would have been admitted but for the mistake. So if she did go to a faith primary school but, even if they had put her in the correct category, she wouldn't have been admitted because you live too far away from the school, your appeal would fail.

You can appeal even if no mistake has been made in which case your argument will be that the prejudice to the school from admitting your daughter is less than the prejudice to your daughter if she is not admitted. You would therefore be looking for things which your daughter needs which are provided by the school for which you are appealing but not by the allocated school.

Note that you cannot appeal on the basis that your preferred school provides a better education. Mention of league tables and the like may well turn the appeal panel against you.

You will have to provide any documents, information and evidence you want to submit to the appeal before the hearing. If you provide this information too late, the hearing may be adjourned to allow the LA and panel to consider it properly, meaning that you would have to go back at a later date.