School Appeals...anyone been through it?

Well, letters for school acceptance came around and we were not accepted to our first choice school and we are devastated. Especially since we feel that we meet the criteria and my son has already been there since September at the nursery.  I can't believe how upsetting this whole debacle is. We are going to appeal, however I was wondering if anyone else has gone through an appeal (win or lose) and if anyone has any advice for us.  We have been accepted to two other schools, so there is a place for him, but we love being a part of this school near our house.

This is like the icing on the cake after the terrible first three months of the year we have had, including some post natal depression etc etc...

Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

I'd look at contacting the Children's Legal Centre for advice:

http://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/

Best of luck!

I've been through it - hell and back again.  PM me if you want the whole sordid story...

We ultimately lost even though it went to our MP and the ombudsman and in the end, the second choice school was a better fit for our son and he's loved it.  Life has a funny way of working things out for you - but it was six solid months of hell to get there! 

I totally understand the devastation.  I couldn't eat or sleep for a week after we got our letter.  It was awful. 

Can one of you explain why your child was eligible for more than one school? I thought it was determined by your postcode...
Does this mean that you could be required to travel away from your neighborhood to another school farther away?

Can one of you explain why your child was eligible for more than one school? I thought it was determined by your postcode...
Does this mean that you could be required to travel away from your neighborhood to another school farther away?

It isn't the same in the US.  You have to apply for a place and you are not guaranteed a place at your closest school.  My co-workers kid is going to a school 7 miles away as a 6 year old and there is one two blocks from their house. 

Thanks everyone, we live on the border of two areas, so I can apply within those two councils! The other schools we have been accepted to are okay, but I hate the idea of taking Noah out of the school he is so happy at...but who knows!!!

The school he is at now is about 14 houses away from us, and the schools he has been accepted to are maybe a quarter of a mile in each direction away, same neighbourhood really. One school has an Outstanding Ofsted rating but would not be my choice to send him to, and and the other school has ratings of 2/3 with Ofsted but is very urban and has no green space, but this one would be my choice. What to do!!!

Mrs Pink...we have been the same with the news!!!

Ah - I see.  So it sounds like you have to apply in advance - since we're not moving until June will we just apply immediately when we find our house?

Ah - I see.  So it sounds like you have to apply in advance - since we're not moving until June will we just apply immediately when we find our house?

As soon as you have an agreement in place for a place to live apply.  But you are not guaranteed a place in your closest school.  With my son's allocation, he was allocated to the next closest school, 5 miles away as opposed to walking distance to the closest school.  He goes to school in a taxi everyday at the council's expense.  Explain that logic to me, please. 

the school allocation system in this country is seriously messed up.

He goes to school in a taxi everyday at the council's expense.  Explain that logic to me, please. 

OMG! That is crazy... They don't have a school bus?  Well, I'm sure it will be an adventure for me.

OMG! That is crazy... They don't have a school bus?  Well, I'm sure it will be an adventure for me.

It depends on the school - I got into a secondary school that was in the next town over from us (I would have basically had a guaranteed place at the local secondary school down the road, but my parents preferred the one 3 miles away, so we applied to get me in) and when I started there (1994), they had a school bus. But as the years went by, less kids were using the bus and it wasn't worth running it anymore so just after I left in 2001, they got rid of the school bus service to my town and now all the kids have to walk 15 minutes along the road to the public bus stop!

the school allocation system in this country is seriously messed up.

OMG...amen on that one! It just boggles the mind this one! How they can accept us for nursery and not for reception...is just unbelievable. To take a child out of school after a whole year is just cruel!!!

OMG...amen on that one! It just boggles the mind this one! How they can accept us for nursery and not for reception...is just unbelievable. To take a child out of school after a whole year is just cruel!!!

With my son, he had been at his high school three years (years 7 to 9) but he didn't get allocated to the feeder college which is within walking distance.  There is no public transport to the next school over, hence the taxi.   DS knew not one soul at the 2nd choice school and it almost killed us watching all his mates go off together to the 1st choice school, leaving him behind. I've never felt more heartbroken for my children than seeing DS come home after his first day of school.  It almost killed me.  Thank God his second day and every day after that was golden.  Given the choice, there is no way he'd go to the first choice school now!   

I would advise you to ask for a copy of your application right away to make sure that all the paperwork is there.  We had sent all necessary documentation but apparantly, one important piece was missing even though I had proof that it was sent.  We didn't find out about this until way after the appeal was over.  If I had asked for a copy of what they had right away, we could have appealed on maladministration rather than going through a full on appeal.  By the time we found this out though, we were so disgusted with the whole process that we just left it as it was. 
 

Thanks for the advice Mrs Pink, I just spoke to the LEA and he is possibly high on the waiting list! We have had some great advice, thanks so much!!!

Good luck! Hope you get it sorted out Rach.  The reason they're not guaranteed a place even though they go to nursery there is because nursery is only part time.  A lot of working parents need full time and put their kids in private nursery.  one kid may be attending the school and they'll have the other kid in a private nursery.  Then when the second kid goes into reception they're in before you because of the older sib.  Pretty f*cked up for others who think/hope because their kid is there for nursery they'll get in.  Also think it's a pretty f*cked up system full stop.  Es got into her 4th choice.  luckily it's not a bad school but it is almost a mile away.  Our closest school is BAD so glad she didn't get in there (had them as my 6th choice).  Don't know how they can change it as I'd be totally bummed if Es had to go to the closest one. Of course if you couldn't pick and choose the school and you just had to go to nearest would the standard improve because parents would demand it??  We're planning on sending Es private in a couple of years.  Only way to guarentee a solid consistent education. W/ state you get Outstanding OFSTED one inspection and then the next they're down to satisfactory.  

Thanks for the advice Mrs Pink, I just spoke to the LEA and he is possibly high on the waiting list! We have had some great advice, thanks so much!!!

If he can get in on the waiting list, then that's fantastic.  Avoiding a school appeal is the best thing for everyone! 

And Lindy, I can't believe your little one is of school age already. Time has flown by!!!