Allocation Day !! How's everyone feeling ?

[secondtime]

DD got her place at KGGS, Grantham

Sorry to hear a few of you may have to go down the appeals route. The advice available on here will no doubt be invaluable.

Any more posters DD's going to KGGS?

[Alex]

Really pleased for all of you who have got what you wanted and so sorry for those of you who are disappointed.

QEHS is often heavily oversubscribed and the distance does vary a bit from year to year.

it is the address thing that really makes me cross especially if you know that people have got a place by being underhand actually just scrub that, told blatant lies.

The admissions department are well aware that there are people who seek to cheat the system and are anxious to stop this but unless there is something to flag up a possible fraudulent application they rely on someone telling them so that they can investigate. The message is that if you genuinely do know that someone has got a place who shouldn't please tell Lincolnshire County Council.

There are also some practices which most of us might see as underhand but which are not fraudulent. For example, it is not fraudulent to move house for a period in order to be nearer a school so long as you and your child do actually move and live in the property and it is your main address (unlike renting a second property nearer the school).

How do you appeal against distance? Unless its been miscalculated (& therefore a clerical error) I see no grounds. Appeals are last ditch attempts and unlikely to be successful. With no grounds they are a waste of everyone's time and effort.

You don't generally "appeal against" something unless you know or strongly suspect a mistake has been made. You appeal FOR a school, giving all the reasons why that is the most suitable school to meet your child's needs. Most appeals are decided on the balance between the "prejudice" to the education and efficient use of resources posed by taking extra pupil(s) in the school and the need for the child to have that particular school place. Some appeals DO succeed.

Have a read of the Appeals Q&A:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are plenty of people who can support you through the process if you decide to go that route, including people who have had successful oversubscription appeals for QEHS.

[Ziggi]

Thanks Stocky. I think I have very good reasons for QEHS but I can also imagine what the counter-argument would be. My good reasons would almost certainly not be viewed as compelling grounds by the Appeals Panel. I fear we've got to accept the decision.

Even if we opt to go on the waiting list, I imagine we'll be so far down the list that we'll never get in.

Just out if interest, how long do you have to be living in a house for it to be considered a genuine move? 6 months? less?

I know it almost certainly won't benefit my child, but if anyone knows of someone who has definitely cheated, then report them, even if your child got in. If the boot was on the other foot you'd wish someone would do the same for you.

[FluxCapacity]

We're about 13 miles from QEHSG and didn't try for it (she's in at Caistor), but clearly we wouldn't have made it in this year (although my next door neighbour's kids are there). It's a strange strange system that means we could get in to KEVIGS in Louth, 22 miles away, but not QEHSG. And we could get into Horncastle too. I believe these 2 have failed to fill all places in last couple of years, and so KEVIGS especially are touting for students from this side of the Wolds.

[Alex]

I think I have very good reasons for QEHS but I can also imagine what the counter-argument would be. My good reasons would almost certainly not be viewed as compelling grounds by the Appeals Panel. I fear we've got to accept the decision.

Although I would certainly not say that going through an appeal is an easy matter, nothing ventured is nothing gained. You can always run your arguments and counter-arguments past other people for advice on the appeals section or on the Lincs section and you can use the confidential appeals box or can send a Private Message if there are things which would identify you too much or which you wish to keep private. An unsuitable school allocation is not an argument in itself but it can be used to compare and contrast with what is available at the desired school.

Even if we opt to go on the waiting list, I imagine we'll be so far down the list that we'll never get in.

It is never a good idea to just stay on the waiting list when a school is heavily oversubscribed. If there are successful appeals even those right near the top may never get a place.

All the best with whatever you decide to do.

[JRM]

I'm sorry to hear people have had bad news so close to the distance criteria. There has been a lot of new cheap housing in Gainsborough lately so I can only suspect that the distance might shrink further next year.

I now know that we are within the distance, but won't relax until I have confirmation - I have a lack of trust that my local authority will not have made an error, but hope to be proved wrong. We were naughty and tried to phone the council and the school for confirmation and obviously neither will tell us and we have to wait for the post tomorrow. I am tempted to ask them why they bother to ask for e-mail address on the application form, but I realise that they have a very busy and difficult day today, so I am trying to be nice.

[Huntly]

Anyone on here secured a place at Bourne Grammar? - our daughter has been offered a place (we are 9.2 miles out) and one of her friends also has a place (9.8 miles out), but not sure how far out they have gone this year. We are also on the waiting list for a place at Kings Cathedral School in Peterborough - has anybody on here had an academic offer from Kings that they are unlikely to take up?

[secondtime]

Huntly, We don't get many Kings Peterborough posters on here - can't think of one this year. They usually attract my attention as it is my old school.

[MumLincs]

Well although we didn't get to QEHS Gainsborough, I am somewhat heartened by the fact that our second choice school (Non-grammar) yesterday published its Ofsted report and gained 3/5 'Outstanding' and 2/5 'Good' ratings. I am coming round to the fact that a) We are lucky to have at least one great school in the area and b), I guess there is life after a grammar school rejection!

[ourmaminhavana]

Congratulations to all those who passed and got where they wanted and sincere commiserations to those who didn't. I'm sure they'll be plenty of help for appeals here and, I certainly don't want to sound condescending, but everything is very raw at the moment and won't always feel this bad. As MumLincs has already found, there can be good alternatives and there are lots of heartening posts of children flourishing at non grammar schools, despite initial reservations.