Consistently Over PAN - Oversubscription Appeal

[GranTourismo]

The school I am appealing for seems to have been consistently over PAN each year. I have the prospectus' for the past two years so I can see that the number on roll for year 7 last year was quite a lot higher than their PAN for that year. Do panel members know when a school does this year after year? Also, is it upto each appelant to prove their own case for oversubscription or if one appelant proves that a school can take an extra 30 pupils does this clear the way for everyone else?

[tiredmum]

The school I am appealing for seems to have been consistently over PAN each year. I have the prospectus' for the past two years so I can see that the number on roll for year 7 last year was quite a lot higher than their PAN for that year. Do panel members know when a school does this year after year? Also, is it upto each appelant to prove their own case for oversubscription or if one appelant proves that a school can take an extra 30 pupils does this clear the way for everyone else?

Im from the south but i think the same applies accross the board in that a school that yearly takes over PAN on appeal eventually are advised by the LEA to up their PAN. The school I appealed to last year was such a school and i knew the previous year they had taken over so mentioned this in my appeal - I didnt go over-board about it but just asked if th school had managed etc and was told by the school-rep that they had. So even if the panel wasnt aware(i expect they were) - i put them in the picture. As far as i know even if they have admitted they can take over PAn it is still up to each person to prove why their child should have a place.

[GranTourismo]

Thank you tiredmum. I have my own theory behind why this school has not increased its PAN. The school is VA and I personally think that the appeal process is a way to cherry pick the Christian children. A Catholic school that I worked in liked to keep the number at 80%. VA schools select their own panels and run their own appeals.

[Etienne]

The school I am appealing for seems to have been consistently over PAN each year. I have the prospectus' for the past two years so I can see that the number on roll for year 7 last year was quite a lot higher than their PAN for that year. Do panel members know when a school does this year after year?

It depends what is in the case papers. When I was hearing appeals, we were given the number on roll for each year group at the school. If this information is not given, the panel ought to be asking for it (and so can the parents).

Once the figures are available, panel members/parents can see which years are above PAN, and ask for an explanation - "When and why did this happen?".

If the school chooses to go above PAN, then the Admissions Code states:

Admission authorities must consider the overall effect on the school in continually admitting over the admission number and where they admit more than a total of 26 children above their admission number in any three year period, they must determine a higher admission number at the next opportunity.

More often than not, however, exceeding the PAN is not a matter of choice, it is for reasons outside the school's control - e.g. statemented children, Fair Access Protocol, or the decisions of an appeal panel.

Whatever the reason, it begs the question - Is there any evidence that the school was unable to cope satisfactorily with the extra pupils?

Also, is it upto each appelant to prove their own case for oversubscription or if one appelant proves that a school can take an extra 30 pupils does this clear the way for everyone else?

It is for the admission authority/school to prove that taking on an extra pupil would cause prejudice. Whether or not they succeed in doing this is determined by a single decision on the part of the appeal panel - "Yes, the authority has got a case," or "No, it hasn't".

The process is explained in C1-C2 of the Q&As.

[colb]

How can you tell if a school has taken over PAN in recent years

[Etienne]

It depends what is in the case papers. When I was hearing appeals, we were given the number on roll for each year group at the school. If this information is not given, the panel ought to be asking for it (and so can the parents).

If you want the figures earlier on, you can write and ask the relevant admission authority. It's a perfectly reasonable request, especially when preparing for an appeal.

[Booklady]

I have just received the numbers for this year from the schools I wanted. I just asked a very nice lady at the council who had her contact details on the previous years data which is on their website (link is on here somewhere).

[Etienne]

You can insist on this information by quoting the Freedom of Information Act.

However, a polite request, such as Booklady's, is usually sufficient!

[GranTourismo]

Presumably at the appeal the school will have to declare the number of places taken up this year. I know of a few who have turned down a place. If the school admits to having available places there isn't much convincing to do is there?

[crazybutsmiling]

I'd like to ask the question that if I am making an oversubscription appeal how I argue my case? My daughter passed the 11+ for SHS. The past few years they went over PAN by about 8.
Now if they hear 20 or so cases how do they decide which 8 to give these to, because technically I just have to argue they have taken extra students in the past with no ill effect!
I feel I have many good reasons why this is the school for my daughter, but not sure if I need to state them all, and if in fact they are of interest in this type of appeal.
Any advice would be much appreciated.