School choice - turned down

James Baker · 07-03-2009, 6:54 PM

Just found out today that our 4 year old daughter has not gained a place at her primary school thats she has attended for the last 18months or so...

The letter said they only have places for 12 children and 19 applied...

We live about 2 1/2 miles away but have never had a problem getting her there on time etc.

The schools on our door step are without sounding like a snob in a council estate and dont have a good reputation.

Has anyone else had to appeal against a decision like this and if so ... any advice?

My fiance is devasted as my daughter loves the school and has many friends and it seems very unfair to me to let her go to reception class for a year only to say no to joining the school full time...

nheather · 07-03-2009, 7:08 PM

Trouble is there is a transparent pecking order

Children with special needs - this is not to say that they get first choice but if there is a good reason why that school would be better for them then they get first choice

Siblings of existing children

Catchment area - closest first

It sounds like you are not in the catchment area (as you say there are closer schools) and if that is the case and the places are already filled with children in the above categories then I don't think you have much chance in an appeal.

The appeal is only going to work if you find that some of the allocated places were offered out of process.

Cheers,

Nigel

James Baker · 07-03-2009, 7:37 PM

Just checked and they have turned her down due to the class size...the max size is 30 and they only have 12 spaces...how does that work?

Astraeus · 07-03-2009, 8:23 PM

I was turned down a place at my secondary school of choice on account of there being a school closer to me but succeeded on appeal by way of stating my two siblings were at the school. Without that being the case, mine (and the other appeals) would have barely got off the ground.

I'm very sorryto hear of your situation, it is very difficult to have a child switch schools. Of course, being so young, one hopes and expects that your daughter would be able to establish similarly productive groups of friends at any school she were to attend.

Best of luck.

Cyland101 · 07-03-2009, 8:54 PM

We didn't get our first choice school for our son when he was going to reception. He attended the nursery at the school but we lost out due to the selection criteria.

We thought about appealing, and even went as far as typing up the letter etc, but after speaking to the head and a few other people, it became apparent that for our son to get in, it would mean we would have to displace one of the other children who had gotten in. As we had not real valid reason we could see any reason why the appeal would have gone our way, so in the end we gave up and found a place for our son in a different school, which as is turns out is quite a good one!

I hope it works out for you as I know how stressful this is!

Tony

doodles · 08-03-2009, 1:54 AM

sorry didnt realise you duaghter already at this school.

Squiffy · 08-03-2009, 8:21 AM

Best thing is to go on the waiting list.

We were turned down for our choice with our eldest a few years ago. But we confirmed we wanted to stay on the waiting list, and by the time the term started he had a place.

Seems you have very little grounds to appeal, so I doubt you will get anywhere with that....

eric pisch · 08-03-2009, 8:35 AM

they will have a posted and public admissions policy, you can request a copy

you are also fully entitled to appeal with the local council education department and they have to hear your appeal

James Baker · 08-03-2009, 8:58 AM

Why do schools who know they are over subscribed let children attend when they know full well they cannot be kept on a permanent bassis?

When my daughter started last septmember she instantly enjoyed the school and still asks on weekends if she can go to school to see her friends...

So why do the schools let this happen .... surely they had an idea on how many places they have and how many children for those places so why waste our time and upset our daughter?

eric pisch · 08-03-2009, 9:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baldybouncer

Why do schools who know they are over subscribed let children attend when they know full well they cannot be kept on a permanent bassis?

When my daughter started last septmember she instantly enjoyed the school and still asks on weekends if she can go to school to see her friends...

So why do the schools let this happen .... surely they had an idea on how many places they have and how many children for those places so why waste our time and upset our daughter?

they don't have much say, in the old days parents and schools had a choice and everyone knew exactly what was happening

nulabore of course does not want people to have free choice so they removed this system and added lots of nice bureaucracy, they also dont want schools that perform better than others, they want all schools to work at the lowest common denominator.

now all schools in an area get the list of all the students, they rate them based on there published policy and the council then says who's getting whim, the problem is the parents can say "we are not going there" so no one really knows whats going on.

the system has been criticised recently for being over complex, an unusual even for a government system.

BBC NEWS | Education | School admissions 'too complex'

**alexs2** · 09-03-2009, 7:26 AM

We had a very similar situation some years ago with one of ours.

We used a copy of the admissions criteria,and also obtained the size of the classes for each of the other schools in the catchment area,and were able to use the fact that each of the other schools was at least as overcrowded,and a couple were also further away,to secure a place.

Basically we were able to use their own criteria to undermine the argument being used to exclude our child.

The appeals system is long winded and designed to put people off,but if you can find something to use as we did,it can be made to work in your favour.

Urien Rheged · 09-03-2009, 1:39 PM

My 11 year old step son got his 3rd choice school (last year) and we do not live in the school's catchment area so can't get him a place on the school bus. It costs me £40 a month to put him on public transport and I have to drive him to and from the bus stop every day.

We have complained to the school, the local council amd the county council and got nowhere.

Drunkeh · 09-03-2009, 5:21 PM

This thread is very scary!

Were just waiting to hear about our 4 yr olds school. We are desperate for the one nearest to us, good rep, 5 mins walk, all perfect. All the other primary schools are miles away and frankly have poor reports

Really feel bad for your situation Bouncer.