Appeal Letter - mentioning the allocated school?

[SL]

Hi there,

My daughter passed the eleven plus in Kent but has not been offered a grammar school place due to over-subscription. The school she has been allocated has a very poor record and struggles to fill its PAN. I have read all the advice here about focussing on the reasons for the school you are appealing for and not mentioning how bad the allocated school is, but when it actually gets down to writing the letter, I am finding it really difficult not to mention the allocated school as there are some real issues e.g. it does not have a sixth form so daughter could not continue her education there; there is only one language teacher (French) so she would have no opportunity to learn other languages or carry on with Spanish; journey would involve an additional bus ride, etc.

I am worried that my case is weaker if I do not mention all of the issues with the allocated school.

So my question is, should I refer to these things in my letter or should my letter just focus on why the school I am appealing for is the right one for her? For exaample, should I say "the journey to the grammar school would take X minutes and involve a single bus ride" OR should I also add "whereas the journey to the allocated school would take X minutes and involve an additional bus ride."

Or should I just include in my letter what school she has been allocated and assume the panel will know all about it?

If I don't mention the allocated school in the letter, should I bring it up at the hearing - or wait to be asked about it?

Appreciate any advice you can give me. Thanks!

[hermanmunster]

I think the things to do with the teaching ie languages and sixth form you just have to turn them round to show why the GS you want is the best place:

ie continuity in being able to stay on at 6th form
start working at 6th form level prior to being in year 12.
opportunity to learn range of languages, continue spanish (make sure they do this there first.... )

I am sure that if you egg up the GS the panel will get the hint.

[Marylou]

If you have solid, fact-based reasons why School X is more suitable for your child than School Y, and have some way of backing up your claims, then provided the focus is very much on School X then I don't think there is anything wrong in explaining why one school is more suitable than another. School Y could well have specialisms or facilities that are good but do not match your own child's particular needs in the way that those of School X do, and you are not denigrating School Y by saying so. You are not suggesting the allocated school is bad, you are simply showing why the school you are appealing for is the best one for your child because it offers things that your child needs, which the other school does not. This also shows that you have looked carefully at the options available and have not simply rejected the school offered because of its reputation. The transport issue is also worth mentioning, as this has no relationship to quality judgements about a school.

[Redsnapper]

I was wondering about this as well... I've decided on bullet points outlining the reasons why we need the GS and then I've praised the allocated school but said it's not appropriate for 3 bullet point reasons.
All the reasons are true and aren't derogatory about the school. I think you have to make it clear why it's not suitable, but in a nice way.