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more than one appeal

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:38 pm
by wait is killing me
Hi there,

I'm hoping Etienne or someone else expereinced in appeals can help me.

I have appealed for more than one grammer school, I am waiting to hear result of one appeal(2nd choice) and still yet to sit another appeal.(1st choice)

If 2nd choice appeal is successful and they need a reply before i sit the 1st choice appeal, can I accept a place at the school of the 2nd choice and then if 2nd appeal is successful( which is our 1st choice) can I then decline the previously accepted at the school of 2nd choice.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:30 pm
by surreymum
I'm no expert, but I am sure you can do what you propose

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 1:12 pm
by wait is killing me
thankyou for your reply. I think I will ring up admissions today and double check.

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:29 pm
by capers123
The two appeals are not linked so you can accept one, and the other will still go ahead with no connection to the previous result.

It does raise a question. When it comes to the balancing stage, the panels decide that they can only allow (say) 5 appeals before the prejudice towards the existing pupils outweighs those appealing.

Now if you're successful in both appeals, then another child who might have won the appeal will not get the place; it's not done like a waiting list, so if you drop out then that 'place' disappears.

I'm not meaning to criticise here at all, as you're absolutely within your rights to have two appeals. It's just an oddity of the system, and no worse than a child winning an appeal but then going to private school, or getting a place by being at the top of a waiting list for another. At least there would be no parent who actually knew that they'd just lost out on a place.

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:00 pm
by Bougalou
Capers. How do you decide how many will be allowed before prejudice to the school would be greater? That must be very difficult to determine. I was under the impression that each case was decided on its own merits and so if 10 cases were deemed as being of sufficient need, then all places would be allocated. I didn't realise that you decided upon the number of available places first.
Bouga

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:09 pm
by Etienne
bougalou wrote:I was under the impression that each case was decided on its own merits
You're right as far as you go, Bouga, but:
Panel members then have to consider whether the school could cope with that number of (potentially) successful appeals. If they decide the school could not cope, they put all the cases in what they judge to be order of merit, and starting with the strongest they work their way down the list asking the question: where does the greater prejudice lie? If they think the prejudice to the child would be greater than the prejudice to the school, then a place is offered. (Each time they admit an extra pupil, of course, the prejudice to the school has become greater, and they will be conscious of this as they move on to take their decision on the next case.)
[Q&As, C2b]

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:20 pm
by capers123
Etienne wrote:
bougalou wrote:I was under the impression that each case was decided on its own merits
You're right as far as you go, Bouga, but:
Panel members then have to consider whether the school could cope with that number of (potentially) successful appeals. If they decide the school could not cope, they put all the cases in what they judge to be order of merit, and starting with the strongest they work their way down the list asking the question: where does the greater prejudice lie? If they think the prejudice to the child would be greater than the prejudice to the school, then a place is offered. (Each time they admit an extra pupil, of course, the prejudice to the school has become greater, and they will be conscious of this as they move on to take their decision on the next case.)
[Q&As, C2b]
And sadly for the child who was the highest priority not allowed, the appeals are a one off event. We don't/can't go back a few weeks afterwards and re-examine the prejudice vs appellant and re-examine our decisions in the light of successful appeals that didn't end up taking the place.

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:14 pm
by sallyj
It's quite a dilemma this one......
We're appealing three schools-all three of the choices we didn't get !
The appeals are staggered,with our first choice probably being last unfortunately.
If we win either of the other two,do we accept & still continue with the third ? Is this drastically unfair ? The odds are rather stacked against us winning any due to sheer over subscription,& the thought of facing one appeal panel let alone three is very daunting.
We will persevere,as our offered(though now declined)school is dire.
Nothing ventured,nothing gained !
Good luck to all,
Sallyj

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 5:57 pm
by Etienne
I'll repeat here what I wrote in a PM (not yet picked up!) to wikm the other day.

I see no reason why you shouldn't accept any offer arising from the first appeal. After all, it's not your fault that the lower preference school appeal has been arranged first.

Personally I'd write the word "provisionally" next to "I accept"!

Look at it this way, sallyj - by the time you get to your third appeal you might be a nervous wreck - or you could be a polished performer .... :)

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:23 pm
by sallyj
Words of wisdom as always-thanks Etienne :)
By the time we get to appeal number three I will almost certainly be a jibbering wreck,& will sabotage any chances we ever had !
We will be incredibly grateful for any offer from the earlier two appeals.
Paperwork for appeal number one has been submitted,& we have an appeal date of April 22nd !
Our paperwork for appeals two & three must be in by Tuesday. We will be submitting further supporting medical evidence slightly later,as we've had to wait for an appt with a paediatrition. Just our luck that the one we knew & trusted retired just as we needed them !