Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bucks

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tgettingit
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:57 am

Re: Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bu

Post by tgettingit »

Hi Etienne, I felt like I had your message that I should reply to, I don't see that message now. Do you need some info from I can help with, let me know please.

Some details I haven't added to initial message which I know is very confusing.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bu

Post by Etienne »

Thanks, and sorry for the confusion. I skimmed through the correspondence late last night, and started a reply - but realised more time was needed, wasn't entirely satisfied with my post, so withdrew it! :?

Will come back to you after giving the matter more thought.
Etienne
tgettingit
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:57 am

Re: Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bu

Post by tgettingit »

Thank you so very much for this.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bu

Post by Etienne »

Do you need some info from I can help with, let me know please.
Thank you, and sorry for the delay but I've been considering a number of points.
Infact, we have an email confirmation on the Feb 17th that all our documents have been accepted.
I can appreciate why you attach a lot of weight to the email dated 17/2/2021 14:07 - "... I can confirm that what you sent through is fine and has been accepted" - but I'm not entirely clear what this message refers to.

Understandably you will maintain that it refers to all your documentation.

Another possibility might be that it refers to whatever document had been mentioned most recently.
As it isn't easy to follow the email trail, I just need to get one fact clear in my mind.
Leaving aside all other arguments for the moment, at that point in time was the most recently mentioned document the one referred to on 12/2/2021 19:58 - "Please send copy gas/electricity bill dated within last three months showing usage at the property"?
A simple 'Yes' or 'No' would be really helpful - before I move on to discuss some other points about the case.

Thanks
Etienne
tgettingit
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:57 am

Re: Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bu

Post by tgettingit »

Yes
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bu

Post by Etienne »

OK. So first of all, Admissions might wish to argue that it was the electricity/gas bill that they were accepting.
They could point to their other emails where they set out what was required: 18/11/2020 14:21 and 12/2/2021 17:13.

The second problem is that, in the event of an appeal, someone might refer to the Moving up to Secondary School guide, which you were expected to read as part of the original application process.
In particular you could be asked whether at any point in time you have fulfilled all the published requirements set out in point 9:
https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/edu ... new-house/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thirdly, even if Admissions were to acknowledge any significant error on their part, there is no absolute guarantee they would be in a position to rectify it.
I suspect that the school you are interested in is an academy, which means it is its own admission authority. (Things were easier when the LA was the admission authority for most schools!) The school might choose to argue "Any mistake is not ours. Why should we agree to take an extra pupil?"
However, if this were the situation, an appeal panel could well be sympathetic and overrule the school.
Etienne
tgettingit
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:57 am

Re: Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bu

Post by tgettingit »

OK. So first of all, Admissions might wish to argue that it was the electricity/gas bill that they were accepting.
The 14th Dec email implied that address proof will not be accepted unless we send usage of electricity/gas. So further on, on 17th Feb, they said "what we sent through has been accepted". With this message, we felt like they have got everything they needed. This is 2 weeks away from Offer day. And this was the only email with "Accepted" without further ask of anything. So, this is open to interpretation/argument/misunderstanding then!
In particular you could be asked whether at any point in time you have fulfilled all the published requirements set out in point 9:

Yes to this. On march 12th, we sent the one outstanding doc of extended contract and this date is the earliest we could get contracts signed after offer day. With this document already provided, as asked on 26th Feb, mothing changed in the 2nd allocation and no replies of acceptance of our latest document in any form. So don't know what to make of it.
I suspect that the school you are interested in is an academy, which means it is its own admission authority.
School that we are after is a grammar school. So, it is the LA dealing with admissions.

Sounds like you don't see it as a potential error Etienne yeah? WE just have to try to explain in an appeal then maybe? So potentially no room for LA admitting: no clear/timely communication is an error to be mended? We believed that someone will have missed updating system of all our documents being accepted or something causing this result.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bu

Post by Etienne »

Sounds like you don't see it as a potential error Etienne yeah?
Just trying to anticipate for you the sort of questions that might arise. :|
The 14th Dec email implied that address proof will not be accepted unless we send usage of electricity/gas. So further on, on 17th Feb, they said "what we sent through has been accepted". With this message, we felt like they have got everything they needed.
I recognise the interpretation you are putting on the email dated 17/2/2021 14:07 - just gently pointing out that there is another interpretation.
It would be for an appeal panel to decide which interpretation to accept.
They might possibly take the view that your interpretation doesn't fit with the requirements published last autumn as part of the application process.
https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/edu ... new-house/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You acknowledge that you didn't meet all the published requirements in time for the 1st March allocations:
    • On march 12th, we sent the one outstanding doc of extended contract and this date is the earliest we could get contracts signed after offer day.
In the light of this, an appeal panel might well conclude that - according to the published rules - there is no way your new address could have been considered eligible for the first round of allocations.
School that we are after is a grammar school. So, it is the LA dealing with admissions.
The LA is processing the applications, but it is not the admission authority:
Not sure if we keep chasing on an email
I would enquire about the second round. Has your evidence now been accepted as meeting all the published requirements, and was it submitted in time for the second round?
I suggest you try using the contact form mentioned in the email correspondence.
....... or will this definitely end up as an appeal fight
Probably - in which case your arguments will come under scrutiny. I've tried to alert you to some of the points that a panel might wish to consider.
Etienne
tgettingit
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:57 am

Re: Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bu

Post by tgettingit »

Hi Etienne,
I really appreciate all your inputs here. I am nothing but grateful to you giving the time and advice.
Just trying to anticipate for you the sort of questions that might arise. :|

I am with you on this. I totally understand you're giving a possible perspective here which is what we need as well, else we are hung on to what we think is the right thing.
Has your evidence now been accepted as meeting
We have submitted this on time. Sent as an email reply as well as on website contact form. Still no hear or acceptance of any form. We have sent follow up emails and contact form couple of times after that, no hear.
Will keep asking for information.

Thanks so much again Etienne
scary mum
Posts: 8840
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Is potential error by admissions team also an appeal? Bu

Post by scary mum »

It appears from your post that one piece of evidence wasn't submitted until 12 March, so you wouldn't have been eligible for a place on 1st March anyway. Have you checked whether any further places were offered on April 1st? Not all schools offered more places - this is the danger of moving in the hope of a school place.
Second round allocations
scary mum
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