Waiting list or transfer appeal

[Dad40]

Thanks Sally-Anne.

Two other questions then:

1. As a rule, do most of the applicants on waiting lists NOT also go to transfer appeal ? Or do most applicants on waiting lists think "what the heck" and launch generally futile appeals anyway ?

2. For the 11+, I presume you only get told your starting position on the waiting list (in about April)....you don't get told every time your position changes ?

Thanks in advance.

[Etienne]

"What reasons might cause a panel to over-rule the normal admissions rules?"

I think it depends how strong a case is put forward on behalf of the school to resist further admissions.

If it's an average to strong case, then Sally-Anne has given some good examples of how appellants might nevertheless succeed, especially if there is strong supporting evidence.

If it's not such a strong case on behalf of the school, then just being in catchment might be enough to convince the panel.

At what is sometimes called the "balancing stage" the panel has to weigh up the opposing cases.

Another factor that might affect the outcome is the total number of appellants for a particular school. A panel will rank all the appeals, consider upholding the strongest ones first, and work its way down the list until it decides the prejudice to the school has become too great. In this situation, an individual's chances of success are reduced if there are a lot of other (strong) appeals.

do most of the applicants on waiting lists NOT also go to transfer appeal ?

In my experience, most appellants were also on the waiting list. What I'm not sure of is how many on the waiting list didn't appeal. I suspect there would have been some - for example, those who couldn't face what can be quite an ordeal.

[Dad40]

Etienne,

Thanks for that very comprehensive reply !

[Sally-Anne]

Hi Dad40

Just to answer your second question, no, parents are not told every time the waiting list changes - they have to ring the school on a regular basis - but not often enough to become a pain! Every couple of months is probably about right.

Sally-Anne

[Dad40]

Thanks Sally-Anne: another top tip !

So it is the schools themselves who hold their own waiting lists......

[Guest55]

The LA do the allocation of places and will allocate the next child on the list - but it is easier to ring up the school than speak to Admissions

[Dad40]

Further question (probably for Etienne!).....

Some Bucks figures for 2005/06 suggest that 513 transfer appeals were lodged.

That seems an extremely high number and to my untrained eye suggests that the vast majority of people who wanted to transfer didn't rely on waiting lists alone.

Is this right ?

[Sally-Anne]

Hi Dad40

Are those transfer appeals for Grammar Schools alone, or does the figure include Upper Schools? If so, it would explain the large numbersvery quickly.

Sally-Anne

[Etienne]

Hi Dad40

It looks quite a high figure to me, so I am sure it must include all secondary, junior and infant school transfers.

My impression used to be that a very high proportion of appellants were on the waiting list as well. Not so sure about the reverse - I suspect that a much smaller proportion of waiting list families went to appeal!

Incidentally, there can be a marked difference between the number of transfer appeals lodged and the number heard. I would expect a dropout of up to a 20%, suggesting that there is quite a lot of movement following the first round of allocations.

[Sally-Anne]

Incidentally, there can be a marked difference between the number of transfer appeals lodged and the number heard. I would expect a dropout of up to a 20%, suggesting that there is quite a lot of movement following the first round of allocations.

Quite right Etienne. For the recent 12+ Appeals I know that for one school 6 appeals were lodged and 3 parents failed to turn up - they had obviously changed their minds - so, a 50% drop-out rate.

Sally-Anne