Question about waiting lists/appeals

[Charl39]

Can someone clarify pls - do the successful appeals affect the number of places on waiting list? Say you're no.1 on a list, the school is obv up to PAN. The School then upholds 3 appeals. Someone then declines a place. Will you still get offered it as you're next in line or do you have to wait til it goes back down below PAN? I always thought appeals were dealt with separately & any places offered were in addition to PAN so the waiting list process carried on filling any spare places, but a friend has told me that's not the case. I'm confused!

[Daogroupie]

As I understand it an oversubscribed school is only required to contact those on the waiting list when their numbers fall below PAN. If appeals take their number above PAN then they are not required to contact those on the waiting list until their numbers fall below PAN. It is possible however that they may decide that they have managed well with the extra numbers and that they can continue to operate with the increased number. They could then take from the waiting list on the basis that they are now set up to operate with that number in that year. It is an interesting question as to the policy of the council on this matter. Do they leave the school to decide or do they insist on a common policy? What is not in question is if successful appeals take the school over PAN. They do. Which is why those high on the waiting list who do not bother to appeal run the risk of losing out on a place to a family who might not even have applied to the school in the first place. We know someone who lost out over this situation. They were number one on the waiting list and they knew of a family who were holding onto a place but had no intention of taking it up because they had won a scholarship to the local private school. So they were so confident they would get a place they even bought the uniform! But unfortunately a family with twins who had not even applied to the school appealed and won. This put the school over PAN so when the family going to private school declined their place it was not offered out. DG

[WP]

Yes, they only have vacancies if they're under PAN, and successful appeals always take them over PAN (since they're obliged to fill vacancies regardless of pending appeals). So after successful appeals the next few places freed won't lead to new offers, until they fall below PAN again. If they were to offer places over PAN apart from appeals, they would be saying the school has more capacity.

[Charl39]

Thanks. It's a puzzler as school in question has many more children on roll in Years 8 & 9 than their PAN but I dont know how they filled them. We are appealing so will ask how having that many more has affected the school. I had a feeling they were all upheld appeals and that the waiting list was continuing filling places but I must be wrong.

[Apsh]

Hi Charl39,
I don't know much about the appeals, but as you are appealing just wanted to say ALL THE BEST..
yes things are quite confusing so hope everything turns out in your favour..

Apsh

[Charl39]

Thanks Apsh! Yes it's confusing but we are slowly getting information to help us.