Appealing twice
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dissapointed mum
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:05 pm
Hello everyone
Thanks for your replies and guidance. I contacted the grammar school today, and was told the Admissions lady will contact me... Im still waiting. If no joy by Thursday, Ill be back on the phone. Im half way through my letter of appeal to the Catholic School so hopefully I will get that finished tonight, and in the post tomorrow. Im waiting to recieve some reults from the school to see how well they have faired over the past 2 years with extra children been allocated a place and compare if there has been a slide in achievement when numbers were lower. If there has been, I think I would have hit a brick wall!!
Thanks again for all the info
DM
Thanks for your replies and guidance. I contacted the grammar school today, and was told the Admissions lady will contact me... Im still waiting. If no joy by Thursday, Ill be back on the phone. Im half way through my letter of appeal to the Catholic School so hopefully I will get that finished tonight, and in the post tomorrow. Im waiting to recieve some reults from the school to see how well they have faired over the past 2 years with extra children been allocated a place and compare if there has been a slide in achievement when numbers were lower. If there has been, I think I would have hit a brick wall!!
Thanks again for all the info
DM
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dissapointed mum
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:05 pm
As I read the Code of Practice, you are entitled to appeal if refused admission.
Let me repeat the quote from earlier in this thread -
Let me repeat the quote from earlier in this thread -
Appeals following casual applications for grammar schools
3.38 Admission authorities for grammar schools are bound by the same duty as those for other maintained schools. This means that they must consider applications made at any time and if they refuse to admit the child, must offer the parent a right of appeal. See paragraph 4.1 for further appeals within the same academic year.
3.39 Some grammar schools do not offer a facility for testing applicants for admission outside the normal admissions round. In this situation, if the admission authority is not willing to accept that a casual applicant is of the required academic ability for admission, it should make arrangements for an appropriate assessment of the child’s ability to be made if their parents lodge an appeal e.g. by obtaining information from the current or previous school. Otherwise, the panel must work on the assumption that the child is of the required academic standard, and follow the two-stage process described in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.7.
Etienne
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dissapointed mum
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:05 pm
Admission at ages 12 - 15
Although the usual ages of admission are 11 and 16, suitably qualified students may be admitted when there are vacancies. Entry is by means of an assessment carried out at the school, including the results of tests administered by the school and a report from their current school. For consideration for entry to Year 10 or Year 11 applicants must have achieved at least Level 7 at Key Stage 3 in mathematics, English and science. Parents should contact the school’s Admissions Secretary in the first instance. The school will not accept applications from students previously tested by the school and who did not meet the standards required for admission.
This is the statement in the schools admissions section of their prospectus, and when I spoke to the admissions lady at the school, she said as the panel had decided not to give him a place when we appealed in year 7 then that decision stands, and he cant be retested for year 8.
She didnt actually say we cant appeal again though, so am I right in thinking from what you are saying Ettienne I can lodge an appeal again as its a different year group? The admissions lady led me to believe that once a decision is taken, then it stands throughout the years. They dont do a 12+ at this school, does that make any difference?
Thanks everybody for your help and input
DM
Although the usual ages of admission are 11 and 16, suitably qualified students may be admitted when there are vacancies. Entry is by means of an assessment carried out at the school, including the results of tests administered by the school and a report from their current school. For consideration for entry to Year 10 or Year 11 applicants must have achieved at least Level 7 at Key Stage 3 in mathematics, English and science. Parents should contact the school’s Admissions Secretary in the first instance. The school will not accept applications from students previously tested by the school and who did not meet the standards required for admission.
This is the statement in the schools admissions section of their prospectus, and when I spoke to the admissions lady at the school, she said as the panel had decided not to give him a place when we appealed in year 7 then that decision stands, and he cant be retested for year 8.
She didnt actually say we cant appeal again though, so am I right in thinking from what you are saying Ettienne I can lodge an appeal again as its a different year group? The admissions lady led me to believe that once a decision is taken, then it stands throughout the years. They dont do a 12+ at this school, does that make any difference?
Thanks everybody for your help and input
DM
late entry
That does seem unusually rigid - it amounts to the school saying "we never get it wrong..." Does it mean you couldn't even apply for sixth form entry if you didn't get in at 11+?
As I understand it, he did meet the standards required in the 11+ so don't think this would apply.The school will not accept applications from students previously tested by the school and who did not meet the standards required for admission.
I imagine that this refusal to re-test would be sufficient to warrant an appeal as you can only appeal against the refusal of a place.This is the statement in the schools admissions section of their prospectus, and when I spoke to the admissions lady at the school, she said as the panel had decided not to give him a place when we appealed in year 7 then that decision stands, and he cant be retested for year 8.
This is how I see it - what do you think Etienne?
Dear DM
If I understand correcly, your son qualified last year but did not get a place because of oversubscription.
You are entitled to apply once per academic year. It is up to the school whether they accept the previous qualification, re-test, or seek a reference from the current school - if they decline to do any of these things, then (according to the Code) the assumption must be made that your son is qualified.
I suggest you write to the school as follows: "I wish to draw to your attention the procedures set out in paras. 3.38 - 3.39 of the Appeals Code of Practice, and I formally request a place in year 8 for my son in September 2008. If you are unable to offer a place, I should be grateful if you would put your refusal in writing and let me have the forms for an appeal."
Whatever reasons they give, it's the written refusal that triggers your right to an appeal.
If I understand correcly, your son qualified last year but did not get a place because of oversubscription.
You are entitled to apply once per academic year. It is up to the school whether they accept the previous qualification, re-test, or seek a reference from the current school - if they decline to do any of these things, then (according to the Code) the assumption must be made that your son is qualified.
I suggest you write to the school as follows: "I wish to draw to your attention the procedures set out in paras. 3.38 - 3.39 of the Appeals Code of Practice, and I formally request a place in year 8 for my son in September 2008. If you are unable to offer a place, I should be grateful if you would put your refusal in writing and let me have the forms for an appeal."
Whatever reasons they give, it's the written refusal that triggers your right to an appeal.
Etienne
"The school will not accept applications from students previously tested by the school and who did not meet the standards required for admission. "
This is a quote from the grammar school admissions procedure in one of your posts above. It is slightly ambiguously drafted, but the way I would choose to read it is that the school must accept an application from your son as he did meet the standard required for admission; he passed the exam last year but did not get a place due to oversubscription.
And anyhow, irrespective of whatever the school chooses to write in its booklet, or tell you over the phone, the law and codes of practice override whatever the school would LIKE their policy to say.
So please do not hesitate to carry on with your application and appeal. Etienne has quoted the relevant parts of the code three times to you, and I am 99.99% sure that her interpretation is correct, and the school is trying to avoid applications.
None if this shows that your son will get in on appeal, but you have the right to give it your best shot, every year.
Does this school have a good reputation? Are children happy there? Is the Head more helpful to parents once the child is in the school? I only ask these questions because schools are usually helpful and friendly towards potential applicants, even if they have little chance of getting in; the difficulties you are experiencing at the application stage raise my suspicions.
However, if the school is full, full, full to busting in the year group you are trying to get your son into I can understand that they will be reluctant to make it common knowledge that you can appeal and take the risk of having more children forced upon them by an independent panel. Or it might be that the admissions secretary has misunderstood the school policy for casual applications.
Good luck!!
This is a quote from the grammar school admissions procedure in one of your posts above. It is slightly ambiguously drafted, but the way I would choose to read it is that the school must accept an application from your son as he did meet the standard required for admission; he passed the exam last year but did not get a place due to oversubscription.
And anyhow, irrespective of whatever the school chooses to write in its booklet, or tell you over the phone, the law and codes of practice override whatever the school would LIKE their policy to say.
So please do not hesitate to carry on with your application and appeal. Etienne has quoted the relevant parts of the code three times to you, and I am 99.99% sure that her interpretation is correct, and the school is trying to avoid applications.
None if this shows that your son will get in on appeal, but you have the right to give it your best shot, every year.
Does this school have a good reputation? Are children happy there? Is the Head more helpful to parents once the child is in the school? I only ask these questions because schools are usually helpful and friendly towards potential applicants, even if they have little chance of getting in; the difficulties you are experiencing at the application stage raise my suspicions.
However, if the school is full, full, full to busting in the year group you are trying to get your son into I can understand that they will be reluctant to make it common knowledge that you can appeal and take the risk of having more children forced upon them by an independent panel. Or it might be that the admissions secretary has misunderstood the school policy for casual applications.
Good luck!!
