Non qualification appeal

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Julie2014
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:17 pm

Non qualification appeal

Post by Julie2014 »

Hello

When a grammar school is undersubscribed, at appeal are the children deemed suitable for grammar then ranked according to the schools over subscription criteria and then allocated places or differently?
Thanks
Julie
Julie2014
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:17 pm

Re: Non qualification appeal

Post by Julie2014 »

Just to clarify - the school had 3 spaces for 'unqualified' appeals, but far more than this appealed - are those 3 spaces allocated according to schools other criteria and then any remaining cases considered for exceeding the PAN ?
Or are they all considered equally?
Thanks
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Non qualification appeal

Post by Alex »

If there are more people appealing than there are places available the Independent Appeals Panel will have to decide whether the admission of additional children would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources. For each child they deem to be of the required academic standard they must weigh up the reasons for the child wanting that place against the school's case for prejudice. If there are more children whose cases outweigh the school's case for prejudice than they feel the school could admit then at that stage they would compare cases and only admit those with the strongest cases up to the number they feel the school could manage.

The school's oversubscription criteria are not a consideration for the appeals panel at this stage, though I do know that some feel there is a "natural justice" element in that if a child is deemed qualified and would definitely have got a place had they been qualified at the time of allocation then they would consider that to be a strong "reason" to take into account.
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Non qualification appeal

Post by Alex »

I managed to cross post with you, but I think your question is answered?
Julie2014
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:17 pm

Re: Non qualification appeal

Post by Julie2014 »

Yes, thankyou
But the natural justice certainly didn't apply to us - we live next door to the school and would have been guaranteed a place had she passed, she was deemed grammar suitable at appeal but not offered a place
Grounds for mal-administration?
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Non qualification appeal

Post by Alex »

I am so sorry but I am afraid not - I meant that it is only one of the reasons a panel may possibly take into account but there were clearly other reasons they found more important when considering the cases before them.
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Non qualification appeal

Post by Alex »

As a very long shot you could try contacting the school and asking them, whether, as they have "lost" one of the children they were expecting from the appeals, they would consider asking the Local Authority if they may admit your daughter over PAN from the waiting list. Schools have a discretion to admit over PAN for mid-year admissions but would have to go through the local authority in the admissions round.
salsa
Posts: 2686
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:59 am

Re: Non qualification appeal

Post by salsa »

Alex wrote:As a very long shot you could try contacting the school and asking them, whether, as they have "lost" one of the children they were expecting from the appeals, they would consider asking the Local Authority if they may admit your daughter over PAN from the waiting list. Schools have a discretion to admit over PAN for mid-year admissions but would have to go through the local authority in the admissions round.
Hi Alex, I don't understand this last bit about the discretion to admit over PAN. Most GS are academies. Can they just decide they will take one more over PAN? Would this child be the first one on the waiting list? What if Julie2014 is say 10th on the waiting list?

Julie, do you know your waiting list position? You must be close as you live so near the school?
Julie2014
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:17 pm

Re: Non qualification appeal

Post by Julie2014 »

She is first on the waiting list

Haven't heard about schools admitting over PAN before, it is an academy - if anyone has any further info on this it would be appreciated
Thanks
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Non qualification appeal

Post by Alex »

It is only mid-year that the schools have discretion to admit over PAN. This is why it would have to go through the LA in the admissions round.

".....Admissions authorities may also admit above their PAN in-year" ( SAC 2012, 1.4)

It is a rather risky thing to do as if someone else then comes along and is refused a place, the school would have to defend prejudice having already admitted above PAN of its own volition, and so I think most are wary of doing so, but it has certainly happened in this part of the world. Schools, if they can manage it, regularly admit more than their PAN in agreement with the Local Authority in the admissions round when there are shortages of places as has happened over the last few years with entry into the reception class. My children's Grammar school is admitting an extra class this year as a bulge class.
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