Appeals Skinners'

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laurash
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 6:05 pm

Appeals Skinners'

Post by laurash »

Hi

Does anyone know how soon letters are sent out after the appeals process for The Skinners' School ?

Thanks
tigger2
Posts: 755
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:35 am

Re: Appeals Skinners'

Post by tigger2 »

Its just a guess but as I found out today that they have got over 60 appeals....far more than I was told in late March... :shock: :shock: that if the appeals end in the middle of next week it will probably be better to assume first week of June for letters...60....thats a lot of letters to send out :(
Tigger
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laurash
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 6:05 pm

Re: Appeals Skinners'

Post by laurash »

Thanks Tigger. You seem very knowledgeable! I am assuming therefore that those appeal places will take precedence over waiting list applicants..............................................
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Appeals Skinners'

Post by Etienne »

Letters ought to go out within five working days of the decisions at the end of the appeals - but could take longer when the number of cases to be dealt with is so large.

Successful appellants must be given a place (the waiting list doesn't come into it).
Etienne
laurash
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 6:05 pm

Re: Appeals Skinners'

Post by laurash »

Thanks Etienne. What I don't understand is why there are any waiting lists allocations after June. If the appeals are heard in June then it seem obvious that there won't be any places offered from the waiting list after the end of the appeals and yet a boy I know got a place at Skinners in July last year.So Skinners MUST keep aside a certain number of places for successful appeals (within their PAN).
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Appeals Skinners'

Post by Etienne »

It would be unlawful for a school to reserve places for successful appeals.

Someone might get a place from the waiting list if the number of successful appeals is low, and there is then some 'movement' (i.e. parents who have been offered a place decide not to take it up, thereby bringing the numbers back below PAN).
Etienne
kentsussexborder
Posts: 247
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:01 pm

Re: Appeals Skinners'

Post by kentsussexborder »

From what I can recall from last year's appeals (Sept 2010 intake) Skinners' took 6 boys on appeal and then one further child after a referral to the ombudsman (this was in July around the time of the induction day). DS in the current year 7 at Skinners' has 30 in his class, one form has 31 and he says the other two have around 30 as well, which means that the school took over PAN last year. I believe they started the academic year with 121 boys rather than the PAN of 115. You would be able to find out exact figures from the school by requesting it under the FOI Act.

As Etienne says it is unlawful to withhold places for successful appeal candidates and schools such as Skinners' (and Judd) are under such scrutiny that it would be unlikely they would attempt to do so, or succeed if they did do so.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Appeals Skinners'

Post by Etienne »

then one further child after a referral to the ombudsman
That's interesting - I'm aware of another complaint with regard to Skinners' appeals last year, and it was one that the ombudsman was willing to pursue (but parents dropped their complaint when they eventually got a higher preference).
Etienne
kentsussexborder
Posts: 247
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:01 pm

Re: Appeals Skinners'

Post by kentsussexborder »

I can't comment further on an open forum on the appeal referred to the ombudsman as this would 'out' me rather more than I would like (if I've not done so already!). However as far as providing an excellent education for my DS and very good pastoral care I can't fault the school.
tigger2
Posts: 755
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:35 am

Re: Appeals Skinners'

Post by tigger2 »

I heard of two complaints last year .As I live very near Tonbridge I was interested before I realised I would have to appeal. I rang the Ombudsmen because I could find no more than two older cases (2007?) online. I was told that the more recent ones had been settled 'locally' so details were not available to be published.

After these older cases were looked at by the ombudsman there were recommendations to Judd and Skinners about panels for appeal hearings...I think they were sharing the same panels and there seemed to be some concern about just how independent they were...am I right in thinking that they were advised to have separate panels or was it that their panels were linked to the governors in some way? Cannot remember and cannot find the information anywhere tonight but I would be interested to hear from anyone that does !:roll:

Tigger
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