11 Plus Exams Forum

My eldest daughter attends Chelmsford County High & youngest daughter missed a place there and was awarded a place at Westcliffe. Can I appeal directly to the head of CCHS for support in the appeal providing my academic evidence and mitigating circumstances?

Hi Penelope,
Welcome to the forum.Well done to your younger daughter.She did extremely well but I can understand that you want them together.
You may wish to post also in the appeals section.I am sorry that I don't have the expertise to help you but someone in the appeals section certainly will.
Good luck.

Thank you for that. I will do that. This is my first time on so I am just finding my way around.

Hello Penelope.p

I would like to add that plenty of girls travel from Chelmsford to Westcliff every day. My own children travelled the other way until we moved here. They do develop a social life on the bus/train, my son actually misses the social side of the travel.

Westcliff is a great school and if it is where your daughter ends up she will have a fantastic education.

The Essex consortium of schools do not take many children on appeal, so your extenuating circumstances will need to be well documented. There is no sibling policy so having a sister in the school will not help.

Contact the council regarding the appeal; they will explain all of the requirements that you have to fulfil. The only successful appeal that I know of involved a very well-prepared case and very strong mitigating circumstances.

Best of luck, as CM says try the appeal section. But if you end up with Westcliff then you have already won as it is an excellent school.

I'm afraid you will almost certainly find that the Head at CCHS is fighting your appeal. Put it this way - if you are successful and no-one drops out they will have to buy another desk and chair (+requisite equipment) for every classroom your daughter is taught in! Of course that rarely (if ever) happens; very few appeals are successful and are usually coped with by those not taking up places - in one case (at KEGS) I remember it wasn't until someone didn't turn up on day one that we had 112.

Thank you for the post on Appeals. I've responded there (to say it would be a breach of the Appeals Code).

Thank you all for your comments and advice. MOVED mentioned that she knew of one successful appeal, are you able to tell me the circumstances please. I know that Westcliffe is an excellent school and we are very proud of her. We do have extenuating circumstances and good reasons for needing CCHS as opposed to just a grammar school. I have read and reread all the advice and do's & dont's with regards to appeals. One thing I havent managed to establish though, is the time frame. When are the appeals heard? And when are the second round of places offered to people on the waiting list? The question is, if we win the appeal (i know it is not very likely), would we and any other successul people, then be allocated a place BEFORE they start offering to people on the waiting list. OR would the refused places already have been re allocated before the hearings take place?
many thanks

When are the appeals heard?

Someone local may know when the appeals are usually held. The only legal requirement is as follows:

Secondary admissions round – appeals for on-time applications (i.e. those relating to decisions sent on national offer day) must be heard by 6 July or the next working day, if 6 July falls on a weekend.

I'm afraid this means the admission authority is free to choose any time in the summer term (but no later than early July).

if we win the appeal (i know it is not very likely), would we and any other successul people, then be allocated a place BEFORE they start offering to people on the waiting list. OR would the refused places already have been re allocated before the hearings take place?

Good question! The two processes must continue independently of one another. If the waiting list vacancy occurs first, then the place must be offered - it cannot be held back pending appeals.

penelope.p wrote:MOVED mentioned that she knew of one successful appeal, are you able to tell me the circumstances please.

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