Second IAP after successful first IAP

[tobyprice]

Has anyone on the forum (or moderators) any experience of people going for a second IAP for a different school, particularly after a successful first IAP which has gone to a waiting list / oversubscription appeal? Apologies if covered elsewhere.

I know we have to go through the whole process again and could lose on either FCO or academic case, but has anyone tried successfully to utilise the first IAP result as part of their second IAP case?

Although this is what the process says should happen, it seems dubious at best that one should have to demonstrate to two different independent panels that the same SRP process was not proven FCO or that the academic decision was incorrect. If your case is not proven at trial, I thought you could only appeal if there is fresh evidence. Otherwise the 'not proven' judgement stands.

Although the process itself is not a legal one, as I understand it, the application of a fair system could be argued to be part of adherence to the Admissions Appeals Policy, which is law.

[Etienne]

I suspect there's no easy answer!

I know we have to go through the whole process again and could lose on either FCO or academic case, but has anyone tried successfully to utilise the first IAP result as part of their second IAP case?

If anyone has tried, I doubt whether they would find out whether evidence of a previous FCO/qualification decision was of any help at a subsequent appeal.

I don't think it would ever be given as a specific reason for allowing a second appeal - and I can't see a second IAP ever revealing more than that they had "noted" the evidence.

It might help sway a particular panel, if introduced very diplomatically.

On the other hand, I can imagine another panel might not take kindly to the implication that, because a previous IAP had arrived at a certain decision, they ought to do the same (when they are independent and entitled to take their own decisions).

[tobyprice]

Thanks, Etienne. It is the process, not the panel that is at fault as usual. Something for the ombudsman later methinks. I recognise your good advice about diplomacy.

There appears no sense in having the decision of one panel judged by multiple independent panels. It could work the other way of course where parents can appeal against that panel decision many times until one is successful, which seems a poor use of everyone's time and also not in keeping with the spirit of the appeals process.

[niknaks]

Hi Toby Price,

We too put our daughter up for 2 x Appeals (after failing at review) and when successful with the first appeal wondered whether we should even bother with the second as it wasn't our preferred school but was our other catchment school and trying to get as much chance as possible went for both our catchment Grammars. As it turns out we were unable to attend the second appeal but I contacted the appeals department and asked them to go ahead with the appeal without us but also asked them to submit our letter stating our successful appeal to the other school due to them agreeing the review had not been carried out in a fair an consistent way.

Two days later and we received a letter advising us that this appeal was also successful and so we are now in the second stage of the Appeal for both schools. Our appeal was because we thought our daughter should have got through the review process and she did not (she is academic and I had an operation a few weeks before the tests). The Appeal admitted that the review had not been carried out fairly and so we became successful at appeal. Following on from that both schools are oversubscribed so we now have to attend further meetings/Stage two of appeals) so whilst they have agreed they were wrong, we still have not got a grammar school place!

I would recommend you submit the letter and reiterate the points of your first appeal. It would depend on your circumstances/and the reasons for being successful in the first one but for us they couldn't really say yes to one and no to another.
Good luck!

[tobyprice]

Unbelievable but well done! Hope you're successful in both and get to choose the best one for Your daughter.

My next worry is what happens if/when we are successful at one but not the other? Do we have to accept the first and forego our waiting list position on the second (assuming that is the preferred school)? I suspect that is what County will want as they are maintaining the waiting lists, but I would certainly argue that DC has qualified for both so should be allowed to remain on a waiting list while potentially attending the other school.

But that is a long way away!

[Sally-Anne]

Do we have to accept the first and forego our waiting list position on the second (assuming that is the preferred school)?

You can remain on the waiting list for your preferred school. Waiting lists run until (off the top of my head) the end of the autumn term, but you need to check the Admissions Policy. It may differ from school to school.

In practice, spaces only come up very rarely before Christmas. It has been known for there to be a no-show in the first week, but other than that, parents tend to wait longer than just one term before deciding that they may have made a mistake.

[tobyprice]

Tanks. It does seem to indicate that the qualified place only last until 12 months after the test. Is that true in practice, or do most schools at least wait until the be
Being of the second term?