School appeals reject

[madamecholet43]

My son has not got into any of the six schools we placed on the pan London application form and was allocated a school 4 miles-3 bus trips and a walk away!
During the process we finally got a diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome after waiting years. Our Educational and clinical Psychologists and our head teacher and even the school which we got allocated to said that we had a strong case to get into a local school. We really need to get into a local school because of the high levels of stress and anxiety that my son they anticipate he will experience travelling before school and the close relationship we need with the school. Well they were wrong! Every school we have appealed for has turned us down because they say our case isn't strong enough. We have also been told my son is too academic to get a statement. Does anyone have any ideas or help? thanks

I think if you did a straw poll on here, you would find many posters who have been fed the same line about being too academic for a statement and whose dcs then went on to get a statement on other grounds.

You need to look up the sen code of practice which explains in detail the criteria for being assessed for a statement and the whole process. You can either download it or ring up and ask for it to be sent to you - free of charge.

Ipsea, sossen and partnership with parents will all support you through the process which you can start yourself - you don't need school's support or approval.

Thanks very much for your reply. Its seems like unless you've got a statement basically you're stuck, especially during appeals.

I am guessing you have been through all the appeals now? If not then do go over to the education section and post on there for help as there are some very knowledgeable people on there some of whom sit on appeals panels, others just very clued up parents who have been through it all.

Other than that you need to start the statementing process if you believe your son is going to need extra help in school - and that is not limited to just academicaly. If you are sucessful you will be able to name the school you want provided you can give good reasons why the school he is at is unable to provide adequately but the new school could.

Can you get onto the waiting lists of all the acceptable schools in the mean time and see if you can get lucky with a place coming up that will be closer at least.

While you are doing the above could you speak to your doctor/EP and ask for a letter supporting you on how unsuitalbe the journey would be then speak to the LEA regarding transport by taxi. This could provide an extra push to get them to get involved on school placement as they hate spending money.

If you think any of the appeals were not well handled you could complain to the local govt ombudsman who can try and get a fresh appeal if there has been an error in process

You could speak to Parent Partnership and the SEN officer and say you will now have to apply for a statement of SEN to get a place / or for them to fund a specialist placement or discuss them paying for SEN escorted transport - you might find if they think you are going to ask for a statement the LA will find a place (make a school take him). You could ask them about private options / home tutoring until a suitable placement comes up. That should make them sit up and take notice.

Did all the schools make a clear case as to why taking in one extra child would cause prejudice and was not possible and give clear reasons as to why the prejudice to the school outweighed the prejudice to your child in not taking him? If not refer to LGO website