Admissions arrangements appeal

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gina
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:12 am

Admissions arrangements appeal

Post by gina »

Whilst browsing your forum this week, it has come to my attention that an application I made to a school's waiting list may have been incorrectly administered two years ago. The application was for entry in September 2007 and my child is still on the continued interest list for the school - is there anything I can now do about this?
Marylou
Posts: 2164
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Post by Marylou »

If you have evidence of this it might be worth referring the case to the office of the Local Government Ombudsman: http://www.lgo.org.uk. This office deals with complaints against councils particularly where an injustice has been caused as a result of procedures not being followed properly, incorrect advice being given or promises being broken.

In addition, if you can prove that your child was indeed unfairly denied a place at the school you could mention it at any future appeal for the school.

I'm sure someone with more experience of appeals etc. will be along soon to help! :)
Marylou
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

school's waiting list may have been incorrectly administered two years ago.
Have you contacted the admission authority to see what they have to say about this? It is not enough that they may have made a mistake - it has to be established whether you were denied a place to which you would otherwise have been entitled.
Etienne
gina
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:12 am

Post by gina »

Hi Marylou and Etienne

I haven't yet contacted the school - I wanted to get my facts right before doing so. It does look like places were allocated from the waiting list ( I've gathered this from your forum). According to the oversubscription criteria, my child should have had priority over these children - since they were in a lower ranking category. Would I be able to appeal two years on?
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

Dear Gina

Yes, there is no statutory time limit for appealing (even though people sometimes think there is!).

If you have been denied a place in error, I think a decent admission authority would accept responsibility and offer you a place now, even though it means exceeding the admission number.

Otherwise, you go to appeal.

If the appeal is not conducted properly, your case can then be considered by the ombudsman.
Etienne
Marylou
Posts: 2164
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Post by Marylou »

Good luck, Gina - please come back and let us know how you get on! :)
Marylou
gina
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:12 am

Post by gina »

Thanks Etienne and Marylou - I will come back to you.
gina
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:12 am

Post by gina »

Waiting lists
3.19 Each admission authority must maintain a waiting list for at least one term in the academic year of admission, for every oversubscribed school, and it must include the fact it will do this in their school’s published admission arrangements, making clear that children will be ranked in the same order as the published oversubscription criteria. Waiting lists must be clear, fair and objective and must not give priority to children based on the date either their application was received or their name was added to the list. For example, if a child moves to an area outside the normal admissions round and has higher priority against the published oversubscription criteria, they must be ranked above those with lower priority already on the list, subject to the requirements of paragraph
The paragraph above is important in our case. May I ask if the part highlighted below also applied for September 2007 entry?
making clear that children will be ranked in the same order as the published oversubscription criteria.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

Dear gina

Waiting lists were optional in 2007, but if they were maintained, they had to be in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.

The wording at that time was:
Waiting lists
7.29 Many admission authorities maintain waiting lists, although they are not
obliged to do so. Some admission authorities maintain a waiting list until a month
or so after the admission date, to fill places that may become available at the
beginning of the school year. As long as being on a waiting list does not raise
undue expectations about the likelihood of being offered a place in due course, it
can be helpful to parents to know where they stand if places should subsequently
become available at the school. Where a waiting list is used, the school’s published
admission policy should make clear that these children will be ranked in the same
order as the published oversubscription criteria. Waiting list arrangements should
be clear, fair and objective, and must not give priority based simply on the date the
application was added to the list. If new applicants have a higher priority under
the oversubscription criteria, they should be ranked higher than those who have
been on the list for some time. Where school places become vacant before any
admission appeals are heard, admission authorities should fill these vacancies from
any waiting list. Placing a child’s name on a waiting list does not affect the parent’s
right of appeal against an unsuccessful application.
Etienne
gina
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:12 am

Post by gina »

Thanks
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