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First Appeal Declined

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 2:19 pm
by Bundie1975
I'll try to be brief....my son passed his 11+ with flying colours - not even borderline we put 4 Grammar Schools on our SCAF form and got awarded a seriously inadequate Technology School. We have viewed and subsequently declined said school and appealed for the first 2 (and closest) Grammar Schools - incidently the 3rd choice accepted children further away from us but don't accept and I quote "our parish"!!! :evil: To cut a VERY long story short had our 1st appeal on Tuesday - had a gut feeling it didn't go well and the ht was arrogant beyond comprehension. We have been declined which I am furious about clearly! It would appear that living in a rural area and giving your child a lovely environment to grow up in, means that NOT ONE grammar school covers where we live (outskirts of Canterbury). Incidently he has been at primary school in Canterbury for 6 years!!
Having read through other forums I find myself exasperated that people are appealing to Grammar Schools when they didn't pass and they may
well be taking a place that I feel my son deserves (and I do understand that there are some extenuating circumstances).
Does anyone have any constructive advice as to how to try and proceed with Appeal Number 2 (whenever we get the date through) save selling our little country cottage and buying a Lego Block house in town?!? :cry:

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 2:42 pm
by tiredmum
My initial advice would be to spend some time reading the posts and stickys on this part of the forum. They were invaluable to me with my over-subscription appeal. I presume the schools you are appealing to are full according to their PAN?

Have you put your name on the waiting lists?

Its very important to give evidence to the panel as to why the school you are appealing to is most suitable to your child - maybe its specialisms, ease of transport -

When is the next appeal and have you already submit your letter and evidence? :)

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 2:48 pm
by Snowdrops
Hello Bundie and welcome to the forum :D

tired mum gives good advice, read all you can on the appeals thread, making sure you include the Q&A section here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus ... nswers.php then come back and more help/advice will be given once you know which direction you want to take your appeal.

2nd time lucky *fingers crossed* :D

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 2:51 pm
by frustrated
Hi Bundie1975

I can understand your anger and disappointment with the bad news that you received but those whose children didn't pass are still entitled to appeal, and if they win their appeal, it is because the panel are satisfied that they are of grammar school ability, and if it is an oversubscription issue too, that they have satisfactory reasons (there may be social issues or a strong need due to health or social reasons for instance) However, it is a very bitter pill to swallow when there are children who have passed their kent test and still don't secure a grammar school place even after appeal, so I can understand how you are feeling - my heart goes out to you. :?

Do you know why they turned you down yet? They need to give you exact reasons for this when you get the decision letter, and remember you could still go to the ombudsman if you think that they didn't take something that you felt was important into consideration.

You have another appeal coming up soon, so all is not lost yet, and if your son is on the waiting list for any school, there may still be a chance sometime in the future.

Have you had a look at the Appeals Q & A under the section for oversubscription appeals, this may give you some further guidance.

I don't know the reasons that you gave for wanting the particular school, but with a risk at suggesting something that you already did, I would suggest that you concentrate on whether the school has any specialisms and relate that to your son, or perhaps the school offers something else that isn't offered at the school allocated? Does the school offer further courses for study in any particular subjects that the allocated school doesn't offer? Any issues with travel, for instance would the school that you want be an easier journey than the one allocated? Is the school perhaps close to your workplace, if it is then perhaps worth mentioning. Do you have a letter of support from your son's headteacher/head of year/class teachers. If not, then it isn't too late to get one if possible.

Do also have a look through the forum and the feedback sticky in the appeals section for any ideas and suggestions, and above all good luck, I am sure that you will get there in the end. :)

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 4:16 pm
by hermanmunster
re the "Lego block" - we moved from rural patch to a very nice house in town, costs way down, kids walk to school, no hassle with after school activities.

I loved living in a village but it cost us a fortune - try the town it ain't so bad

re not being able to get in to the school - I presume that you have been rejected on distance? Do you have any info about admissions in previous years round you? How many kids have gone on allocation and how many (if any) on appeal?

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 5:13 pm
by Gman
Having lived in Medway before, I have heard the stories of rural areas losing out on grammar schools because of quirks in admissions criteria.

I know that here in Trafford a well regarded comprehensive changed its admissions boundaries a couple of years ago which resulted in children living on the same road as the school, less than 1 mile away losing out to kids 6 miles away. The school only reverted back to the original boundaries when parents took them to the ombudsman.

It would be worth asking the school and council to explain the admissions criteria and then appeal against it. if you are not successful, you then have a chance of going to the ombudsman. But you need to appeal first.

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 5:52 pm
by T12ACY
Having read through other forums I find myself exasperated that people are appealing to Grammar Schools when they didn't pass and they may
well be taking a place that I feel my son deserves (and I do understand that there are some extenuating circumstances).


Glad to hear that you accept there are some extenuating circustances, and as others have said the appeals process do not allow in DC who failed but are taken just to fill spaces. This is simply not the case. (What is to say that your DC deserves this place more than they do anyway, just because they did not perform in 3 tests but have done over years of education?)

The whole system is fraught with difficulties, OOC applicants who also have the right to apply to schools which has the effect of displacing local children (that not everyone agrees with) and allowances for younger students when they have all had the same amount of time in school (again not wanting to cast an opinion but just raising that there are other causes for disgruntled parents!).

Suppose I am just trying to point out that alot of this isn't fair :oops:

I would like to wish you the very best of luck with your forthcoming appeal and hope your DC is offered a suitable education. 8)

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 5:58 pm
by Hellybeds
Couldn't agree more. At the end of the day, we all want what is best for our children, regardless of whether they passed or not!

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 5:59 pm
by Etienne
The admission arrangements as such are not an issue for an appeal panel, provided that they were properly consulted on and determined, and do not breach the Admissions Code.

The panel does have to consider whether the admission criteria have been correctly applied, and it is required to notify the Adjudicator of any unlawful arrangements.

Complaints about admission arrangements are dealt with by the Adjudicator, but I can see that something might come to light during the course of an ombudsman investigation into the conduct of an appeal.

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 6:42 pm
by T12ACY
I should add that the Q&A and feedback 'sticky' hold all you really could ever want to know about appeal coming up and how to construct it.... :)