Help! School admissions

[Mendeleev]

Hello all,
We received news two weeks ago that our son had been granted his EHCP for dyslexia. I sent back the draft with a couple of amendments and our school preference, which was for the one he has already been offered. His brother attends and I teach there so it was the obvious choice. I did however mention in the paper work that we were keen for a specialist private school but the panel made note that there was no evidence to suggest he would require the private school.
Today, I received an email from my school admissions officer to say that she had been informed by the LA that we had declined our place.
I am in an awful panic! I replied to say this was not the case and we still very much wanted to take up the offer. I have also emailed the case worker to find out what on Earth is going on.
Does anyone know if this is standard for a child who has recently been granted an EHCP? Do the LA remove the offer and go through the SEN channels for school admissions? We would be devastated if he couldn’t attend our school.
Please help reassure me!
Thank you.

No idea but you've requested this school to be named in the EHCP and if it's a mainstream school the LA should name it.

The only reason the local authority can refuse the request is if:

• The setting is unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs (“SEN”) of the child or young person; or
• The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others; or
• The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.

www.ipsea.org.uk/choosing-a-schoolcollege-with-an-ehc-plan

Hi!
Thanks for replying. There is absolutely no reason why the LA wouldn’t name it nor is there any reason why the school would/could refuse.
It all just seems very odd and frustrating that someone would write to the school to tell them that I have declined the place without any consent. I’m pretty furious!

Yes, you do go through the SEN Department rather than the normal school admission system. If anything, it's an advantage because it puts you at or close to the top of the list and the starting point is that the local authority should aim to meet parental preference.

Hi Judy,
Yes, that’s what the problem was. It’s all sorted now.
Thanks for replying though.