Appealing twice

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dissapointed mum
Posts: 116
Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:05 pm

Post by dissapointed mum »

Firstly Thank you all so much for your support and advise, its greatly appreciated.

Right, this is now where I am at. Ive just had a phone call from the admissions lady, who has said that shes had to take legal advise on this one, as she really doesnt know what the answer is. :!: She has emailed the person in question who willl she says hopefully know the answer, and will then let me know.
She quoted to me about children having being previously tested and applied to the school can not reaply if they didnt meet the requirements. (This is the statement that I posted onto this forum in one of my previous questions.) So until then, Im back into limbo land of waiting.
Will keep you all posted
DM
banksy1
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:24 pm
Location: northfleet kent

Post by banksy1 »

Hi, you must be so frustrated!!! :? Surely the head teacher should know her admissions process I find this very hard to believe. Can you not speak to the head instead of the "admissions lady" who doesn't sound very competent if she reads passages from the school prospectus! I really would go to the top on this one and wouldn't wait.
Good Luck keep us all informed. x
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Post by KB »

Just an idea......

Have you contacted the Chair of Governors at the school? They should also know what the process is & they should know what is going on if the school is having to seek legal advice.
perplexed
Posts: 490
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:18 pm
Location: kent

Post by perplexed »

Please go back to my other e-mail where I suggested what to do to avoid getting an application form and an appeals form from the school. Sorry I have been on holiday and not replied for a while.

This school does not want you to apply or appeal, but don't let that stop you.

Who is the admissions authority, is it the school or the LEA?

You need to apply to the school - copy the headteacher, and the chair of governors, and you need to appeal to the admissions authority. I would not worry about waiting to be refused a place; if the school had a place they would have offered you one by now.

If you have a pupil reference number from the LEA admissions section from when your son started school last year, use this in your appeal and application.

Don't be worried by the fact she is getting "legal advice". It should not delay you. You could get some too if you want, but get on with the application and the appeal as you really are wasting time now.
dissapointed mum
Posts: 116
Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:05 pm

Post by dissapointed mum »

Hi Perplexed,
Yes you are right. Im not wasting time any more, I have now formally applied to the school, as I phoned them on Thursday, to find out the outcome of them taking legal advise and at the close of school on Friday I still hadnt had a phone call back from them (they are trying to install a new computer programme so are busy!) I will do as you suggest though and copy in the Head and the chair of govenors too.


The school has its own admissions authority and not with the LEA.

I was chatting to another parent from our current sons school, and she informed me she is applying to the gramnmmar again for year 8 as she is fed up with our current school (her son got tied up and sellotaped to a bench for the whole of lunch break by some oledr boys and left there. - there is rather alot of bullying going on at this particular school.- Anyway, she has been informed that year 8 is the only year you can reaply to the school in, as long as you have a letter from your current school stating that your child would do well in the grammar. Talk about a mix of information. !!
I will await the reply from my formal application and take it from there.
I should hopefully hear within the tail end of next week. I will let you know the outcome.
Thankyou for thinking of me on your return from holiday, I hope you had a good relaxing one. One that I think I could do with !!!
Regards
DM
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

Hang in there DM!
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

Dear DM

I would advise you to keep a careful record of the dates of phone calls, emails and letters, and it would be best to send letters etc. by recorded delivery, so that you have proof of delivery.

If this continues much longer, I think it would be worth seeing if the DCSF will intervene (or you could inform the school in writing that, if they have not replied to you within 2 weeks, you will be referring the matter to the DCSF).
Etienne
dissapointed mum
Posts: 116
Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:05 pm

Post by dissapointed mum »

Hi Etienne,
Yes Ive kept a record of the dates of my emails and phone calls. Ive also kept copies of my letters which are dated so I can always refer back to any of these should I need to. I hadnt thought of recorded delivery for my letters, Im worrying a bit now incase they say they never recieved them. I have sent 3 of the same letter though,on the advise of perplexed (thank you very much) as I have now sent one to the chair of Govenors and admissions aswell as the head, so surly all 3 wont be able to deny getting my post!
I will bear it in mind for further correspondance though.
I will do as you suggest too, and if I have had no positive outcome by Friday at the latest, even an acknowledgement of sorts, (as its a short week this week with Bank holiday Monday) I will inform them I will be contacting the DCSF.

Thanks again.
DM
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

Hi, DM

Yes, you should be safe, having copied your letter to the head and chair of governors, but do use recorded delivery if you decide to go for the "nuclear option" (i.e. to warn them that their current policy appears to breach the Code of Practice, and that you will be referring them to the DCSF if they fail to respond).

Unless I'm missing something here, all they have to do is read the relevant paragraph in the Code - and if they don't understand the Code, it really shouldn't take them more than a day or two to get advice!
Etienne
perplexed
Posts: 490
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:18 pm
Location: kent

Post by perplexed »

Just another thought. This school is probably very worried about getting into a situation where their class sizes are pushed up, and do not want people to know about the right we have to appeal once every year.

What I am saying (but not very clearly) is that you may have more success if the way that you handle this does not make the school fearful of the "floodgates" opening and loads of people getting in higher up the school via appeal.

Also, you may find the school less desirable yourself if the class sizes did increase significantly. Where I live, one of the local grammar schools has class sizes of 33 in one year group ( with six parallel classes in a year group) due to appeal.

Good luck. Sounds as though things should move now as you have made some positive steps to circumnavigate the "blockage" !!
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