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SEN

Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

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Original poster

Can apply for Ds1's secondary school place online tomorrow for sept 2009, have to apply under rule 2. Anyone know much about this??

11 replies

SparklyGothKat · 01/09/2008 22:05

Ds1 has Cerebral Palsy, no statement, but we can apply under rule 2 ie: medical and social needs. We have been to see the school that the eductional Phys. has recommended for him and its ideal, completely disabled adapted, has a very good OFSTED report, will push him (he is very bright) and its every thing we need. The only thing is its not our nearest school. Its 3.4 miles from our house, the other disabled adapted school is 3 miles (but is not as good) and another school is about 1.5 miles (but is not disabled friendly as over 3 floors)

Has anyone ever applied under rule 2 and how do I do it??

TIA

OP posts:

daisy5678 · 05/09/2008 20:31

Don't think it's called Rule 2 everywhere, but I get your drift!

I applied under this kind of rule for J and was turned down BUT I hadn't asked anyone 'official' to back my request. If this school has been recommended by someone official, get that in writing to back your application.

As it turned out, I had to appeal to get J a place (this was pre-dx of either the ADHD or the autism. We won the appeal, partly, I think, on the basis that I argued that he had so much to deal with with his SEN that it seemed at least kind to let him go to school with his friends AND he was about to be Statemented, so I argued that we'd only put the school in Part 4 of his Statement anyway, so they might as well let us have the place as he'd only get it later and have to change schools etc. I think appeals are fairly easy to win, but would be surprised if they didn't let him in under 'Rule 2' given the fact that the EP has recommended it!

Good luck

Original poster

SparklyGothKat · 05/09/2008 23:26

Arrghh!! Receieved the 'Moving on' Booklet today, 221 people applied under rule 2 last year and only 21 children got in on rule 2. The school has 178 places, 815 people applied for that school!! I am really worried Ds1 willnot get in. We have to 'prove' that this school is the only one who can provide for his needs, and there is another school that can meet those needs, abiet not as well. I have to go to see the other school so I can say what the good school can provide which the other one cant...

OP posts:

chatee · 01/10/2008 21:24

hiya sparkly,
how did you get on at viewing the school?
we are in similar position but dd does have a statement so we have the process a year early....(let battle commence!)
did you compile a list of why (your preferred school)can meet his needs better?

mabanana · 01/10/2008 21:27

I got DLA and a statement at first go for my ds and I put it down to sending off my application with support from an ed psych, his teacher, his OT etc etc etc - if I didn't have a report, I asked for one. Can you do the same? ie write a very persuasive argument about his needs, and ask as many people as poss to back you up to say it is the ONLY school he can go to. Also say you will go to appeal and tribunal over this - they hate that!

Original poster

SparklyGothKat · 08/10/2008 23:04

Just seen the other messages.
Have been to see 2 schools and seeing another one on the 20th. As we thought the first school is the one that came meet his needs the best. the second school is not actually PNI status (as we were lead to believe) as it hasn't had all the adaptions needed to gain its status. Have got supporting letters and they have been sent to admissions, and we have been told we have a very good case and very high chance of getting Ds1 into the first school. Have done all we can now and keep our fingers crossed

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MadBadandDangerousToKnow · 08/10/2008 23:19

Sparkly -

I have been a member of a school admissions appeal panel. It will depend on exactly what your rules/admissions criteria say, but in our borough, to get a place under our equivalent of rule 2 you have to have documented evidence not only that the school will meet your child's needs but also that it will meet them better than any other school would. The appeals that failed tended to be those where the child's needs seemed just as likely to be met in other schools as they were in the school for which they were appealing.

It sounds as if you have a very strong case. Good luck!

Original poster

SparklyGothKat · 08/10/2008 23:36

Thanks Mad, We do seem to have a strong case. The school we want has lifts, ramps and automatic doors, disabled toliets, physiotherapy room, specialist equiment throughout the school.
The second school (the one nearest to us) has one lift which services only one side of the school, has no ramps, no automatic doors, no disabled toliets. Ds1 would spend a lot of the day walking up and down to the lift. He also wouldn't be indepentant at this school, as he would need someone with him at all times due to the fire doors. At the first school he could be indepentant.

OP posts:

chatee · 10/10/2008 10:24

hiya sparkly,
good luck for your ds.
what is a pni status and how do you find out which secondary schools have it(have tried to google it with our county added as well but don't get any results!)
MadBadandDangerousToKnow,
so taking that neither of our nearest secondary schools have the status and both are pretty similar with regards to needing to have adaptions-what and how would be the best way to ensure that our dc gets into the one we want(which happens to be slighty further in distance by 1.5 miles but a shorter journey time according to aa route planner)and would it make a difference if there were other children with physical difficulties who were planning on this school also(and some lived in catchment)
thanks

cory · 10/10/2008 10:41

Good luck to both of you! If you don't get in there is still the appeal.

We got dd in on appeal as we were able to show that going to any of the other schools was likely to be detrimental to her health and academic success.

Don't be rude about the other schools- just very specific about your dc's needs. Explain exactly what he will miss out on if he does not get your preferred choice. And have a doctor's letter sent out beforehand to support every part of your argument. Make an extra apoointment with Dr if necessary.

Oh, and a reference to the Disability Discrimination Act never goes amiss. For the LEA to let your ds in (even if school is officially full) could be construed as reasonable adjustment under the rule. But ONLY if the other schools cannot make adjustments to meet dc's specific needs.

Original poster

SparklyGothKat · 10/10/2008 11:28

chatee PNI is Physical, Neurologial inpariment(sp?)

We will be appealing if we don't get in our first choice.

OP posts:

MadBadandDangerousToKnow · 10/10/2008 14:51

chatee -

I don't want to set myself up as an adviser because I'd hate anyone to rely on what I say and then find that they haven't gone about things in the right way and so have lost the place that they wanted for their child. Anyway, I can't offer you any advice as I don't know what your schools' (or borough's) admissions criteria are. All I can say is look carefully at what your preferred school's admissions criteria say about pupils with special (or medical or social) needs and make clear in your application how your child qualifies under those criteria.

As I said, our borough expects evidence - such as a letter from a specialist or professional who is working with your child - that confirms not only that (a) they have a need which is outside the scope of what most schools can be expected to cater for and (b) the preferred school is better able to cater for that need than any other school would be.

Has your borough got a parents' support/advocacy service? Can they advise you?

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