Errors made by the admission authority

[mjb77]

Many thanks - it's such a relief believe me. I was feeling way out of my depth

Just wanted to butt in and say good luck. You are in the right place and have found some excellent sources of advice in Etienne and Sally-Anne

[T12ACY]

Should also say that lots of other members also have excellent advice...... sorry snowdrops for missing you out there!

[Sally-Anne]

Thanks Sally Anne. I will definately do that although it's difficult to know which parts are considered relevant. Would you have any advice at all?

I started to draft a message to you, but one of my kids overtook the PC in my absence, so please forgive me if this seems terse!

I must obviously be careful not to disclose personal information, but I can say more generally:

:: I suggest that you remove much of the information relating to your 3rd child, and your personal experience (there is a lot of graphic detail as present!). Relate only information to the panel where it impacted on your daughter, e.g. "it was a difficult experience and my daughter was very distressed by ..."

:: I also think that you should leave out some of the general issues in her early years. Families have issues, and panels know that. What they are looking for is not every detail of what happened, but the impact on the child.

:: In some complex cases I often suggest a time-line, but your case flows quite naturally. I suggest that you should leave the time-line out for that reason.

:: Try to create a submission that consists of "bullet points", where each one says something important about your reasons for the appeal, rather than a longer "history" of our family.

I am so sorry if you feel that I am being harsh, but the current letter "comes from the heart", and pruning it would be wise.

If you have a close friend who could help you in this task, it might be a good idea to ask them to help you go through it?

Sally-Anne

[Etienne]

Is it possible that you could reccommend what we should leave in? I'm not sure whether I should focus totally on dd or the strain on me personally as well.

I agree with Sally-Anne. Try and get your written statement down to one side of A4 (any evidence can be additional). Use bullet points for clarity. Focus mainly on your daughter, but there could be just a little bit about your state of health (after all, if you're affected, that could in turn have an impact on your child).

It would be helpful if your GP could write a detailed letter in support, including any treatment you or your daughter have received, and - if possible - stating that in his/her professional judgement the school in question would best meet your daughter's needs.

is it worth including appointment letters to confirm we have been referred

Yes, if that's the only evidence you have of the referral - but the GP could probably mention it in his/her letter.

[mjb77]

Not at all sally-anne - it's really helpful. Thank you very much for getting back to me. I will refer back to your advice when i'm putting the written appeal together. Thanks again. mjb

Thanks Sally Anne. I will definately do that although it's difficult to know which parts are considered relevant. Would you have any advice at all?

I started to draft a message to you, but one of my kids overtook the PC in my absence, so please forgive me if this seems terse!

I must obviously be careful not to disclose personal information, but I can say more generally:

:: I suggest that you remove much of the information relating to your 3rd child, and your personal experience (there is a lot of graphic detail as present!). Relate only information to the panel where it impacted on your daughter, e.g. "it was a difficult experience and my daughter was very distressed by ..."

:: I also think that you should leave out some of the general issues in her early years. Families have issues, and panels know that. What they are looking for is not every detail of what happened, but the impact on the child.

:: In some complex cases I often suggest a time-line, but your case flows quite naturally. I suggest that you should leave the time-line out for that reason.

:: Try to create a submission that consists of "bullet points", where each one says something important about your reasons for the appeal, rather than a longer "history" of our family.

I am so sorry if you feel that I am being harsh, but the current letter "comes from the heart", and pruning it would be wise.

If you have a close friend who could help you in this task, it might be a good idea to ask them to help you go through it?

Sally-Anne

[mjb77]

Thanks Etienne. You've been so helpful. I'm speaking with the doctor re his letter tomorrow so will let him know what needs to be included. lrb

Is it possible that you could reccommend what we should leave in? I'm not sure whether I should focus totally on dd or the strain on me personally as well.

I agree with Sally-Anne. Try and get your written statement down to one side of A4 (any evidence can be additional). Use bullet points for clarity. Focus mainly on your daughter, but there could be just a little bit about your state of health (after all, if you're affected, that could in turn have an impact on your child).

It would be helpful if your GP could write a detailed letter in support, including any treatment you or your daughter have received, and - if possible - stating that in his/her professional judgement the school in question would best meet your daughter's needs.

is it worth including appointment letters to confirm we have been referred

Yes, if that's the only evidence you have of the referral - but the GP could probably mention it in his/her letter.

[mjb77]

Hi etienne/Sally-anne

I've just sent some info to the appeals box. If there's any chance you could give me some feedback on it when you have a moment i'd really appreciate it.

Many thanks
MJB

[Sally-Anne]

Etienne will undoubtedly comment as well, but I think that letter is outstanding.

It also covers a great deal of the ground in your own submission, so you can reduce that down considerably and simply refer the panel to the professional's opinion.

[mjb77]

Thanks for your reply Sally-Anne. That's great I will let her know to get it typed up. It's 10 times better than the one they originally gave me to support DS's application, that's for sure x

Etienne will undoubtedly comment as well, but I think that letter is outstanding.

It also covers a great deal of the ground in your own submission, so you can reduce that down considerably and simply refer the panel to the professional's opinion.

[Etienne]

It's interesting that this letter is so much stronger than the first. Even so, it might not have been strong enough for the medical/social criterion, as it doesn't name the school, and in any case it wasn't available when the school panel took its original decision.

From the point of view of an appeal, however, it's a wonderfully supportive letter (I agree with Sally-Anne - one of the best I've ever seen), and any reasonable panel would have to consider it very carefully.

There are one or two spelling mistakes in the letter, and one Americanism, but these may have crept in when copying?

Apart from that concern, my only suggestion would be to ask the GP if the letter could be addressed very specifically to the Appeals Panel, and to get the name of the school in there somewhere!

For example, it could be done very easily as follows:

"Dear Members of the Panel

I am writing in connection with the appeal you are hearing for the X School.

I have been the family's GP ........."