Likely Dates for Oversubscription Appeals in April-June 2014

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Three Monkeys
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 10:31 pm

Likely Dates for Oversubscription Appeals in April-June 2014

Post by Three Monkeys »

I see from the Kent County Council '2014 Transfer to Secondary School' Booklet that should one's child fail to be offered a place at their preferred choice of school, then an appeal should be lodged by April 2nd 2014. The leaflet then states that admission appeals will be heard from April to June 2014. Because of our location and the problem of over-subscription, it is very possible that my child will not be offered a place at one their preferred grammar schools, and that I may need to try my luck with an appeal. My worry is that during the coming months i will have to travel abroad for work on occasions and I may be out of the country when an appeal date is arranged. If one is unable to attend on a designated appeal date, is it possible to have this date rearranged?

Also, can anyone confirm whether or not these appeals are always held during term time, or is there a chance that they will be scheduled for the two week Easter holiday during April? Is it safe to book a 2 week family holiday for the Easter holidays, or are we safer to plan to remain at home during this period just in case of being summoned to an appeal hearing.

I know all this is a bit hypothetical at the moment, but it seems sensible for me to try to arrange my work travel and family holiday plans to fit in with any potential appeal dates as best I can.

Thanks for any advice!
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Likely Dates for Oversubscription Appeals in April-June

Post by Etienne »

Welcome! :)
Three Monkeys wrote:I see from the Kent County Council '2014 Transfer to Secondary School' Booklet that should one's child fail to be offered a place at their preferred choice of school, then an appeal should be lodged by April 2nd 2014. The leaflet then states that admission appeals will be heard from April to June 2014.
Strictly speaking, this is an administrative rather than a legal deadline.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In other words, KCC are saying that, if you want to be included in the first and main batch of hearings, you should submit an appeal form by 2nd April, so that there is time for the arrangements to be made.

After 2nd April, the later you are in submitting your form, the greater the chance that your hearing will take place late. If you think you're more likely to be available in July, this might suit, although the timing could be tricky. (Wait too long to submit the form, and you could finish up with a hearing in September/October. Don't wait long enough, and they'll still try to squeeze you into the main batch!)

There are pros and cons with a late appeal:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... school#c22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If a late appeal doesn't suit, another possibility is to notify the administrators (when you submit your appeal) of dates when you are likely to be unavailable, assuming that you know them. Appeal forms sometimes ask about your availability, anyway.
However, there's no guarantee that a request to avoid certain dates can be accommodated.
If one is unable to attend on a designated appeal date, is it possible to have this date rearranged?
It would be up to the administrators to decide whether they have any flexibility, but it could be difficult. They will probably say that if you are unable to attend, the case will be heard in your absence, and anything you have submitted in writing will be taken into account. However, it's worth asking.

I would strongly advise you to do everything possible to avoid having your case heard in absence. Generally speaking, the success rate for such appeals tends to be much lower!
Also, can anyone confirm whether or not these appeals are always held during term time, or is there a chance that they will be scheduled for the two week Easter holiday during April? Is it safe to book a 2 week family holiday for the Easter holidays, or are we safer to plan to remain at home during this period just in case of being summoned to an appeal hearing.
Appeals are not usually arranged for the school holidays - but it would be best to double check with KCC.
Etienne
capers123
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Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Likely Dates for Oversubscription Appeals in April-June

Post by capers123 »

Firstly, I'm not in Kent! I have heard primary admissions appeals in the summer holidays, but that was due to parents moving into the area and being desparate for a school place come September - both the LEA and parents were happy for it to go ahead.

I've also heard appeals for grammar / secondary admissions during holidays, and likewise they were urgent at the parents request. For non-LEA appeals (acadamies and the like who are their own admission authorities), finding someone from the school to present thier side during a school holiday can be difficult (let alone appeal panel members).

All the main appeals I hear are in school term. Which reminds me of one notable appeal, during a two week block for one school, where a grandparent turned up to present. The parents had gone on holiday with the child during term time; parents did not have jobs that meant they had to take holidays when allocated, and apparently didn't have financial restraints on taking holidays in peak time. I suspect all the panel members raised eye-brows at this point, but we're not there to judge the parents - just the evidence submitted.

There was not a lot of documentation submitted, but worse than that, grandparent knew almost nothing about the academic ability or how the child had been otherwise doing at school, if they had any specific learning difficulties, how they were on the day of the test. She did go out and 'phone mum on the beach, but that didn't really help much. The parents had also turned down the opportunity of a late appeal.

If it's unavoidable that you can't attend so send someone else, make sure they're well briefed and have all the information you would have had. That said, you don't even have to send someone else - we can just work on the submitted paperwork and have allowed appeals on that basis, but being there in person is always better - just so you have seen justice done.
Capers
Three Monkeys
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 10:31 pm

Re: Likely Dates for Oversubscription Appeals in April-June

Post by Three Monkeys »

Many thanks to both of you for your replies; all your comments and advice are very clear and informative.

If an appeal was necessary, then I would certainly make sure I would be present in person to present the case, even if it meant cutting short a work trip and having to reschedule a flight. Its not about thinking myself a great orator who can sway an appeal panel, its about showing respect for the system, belief in the suitability of the school for which one is appealing, and support for a child who has done their bit by working hard and conscientiously throughout their time at primary school and achieving excellent and deserved success in their Kent Test exam.
anotherworriedmum
Posts: 289
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:04 pm

Re: Likely Dates for Oversubscription Appeals in April-June

Post by anotherworriedmum »

Hi, I had an appeal in Kent a couple of years ago. The date was in early May but was not suitable for us for significant personal reasons. We had the email address of the clerk, which came with the letter and I was able to rearrange the date. In our case they had arranged the appeals over two weeks and the first week was very booked up but there was availability in the later week, so we were able to be slotted in there. It meant that we had to go to a different location at a different time to the rest of the appeals but it did us no harm, in fact we won the appeal!

The clerk to the appeal was very accommodating and I got the impression that they are used to rearranging appointments. You could add a note on your appeal form "parent/s out of the country for a business meeting between x and y" so perhaps they could avoid the date in the first place.
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