Seeking suggestions for Appealing

[motheroftwo]

Hi, My DD missed her choice of first preference that is SHS by few ranks, but has been allocated a place in Ribston Hall. However, she is on the WL for SHS. I've thought of appealing as she is very keen on getting in to SHS. She is normally good at studies, Could you suggest if I need to submit evidence such as letters from the for her extra-curricular activities (like music, dance, keyboard, etc.) please? So, mentioning all these reasons help during appealing and do I need to provide evidence for all of these kind of things? Thanks for taking time to read and your response is much appreciated. Thank you very much.

[ToadMum]

Hi, My DD missed her choice of first preference that is SHS by few ranks, but has been allocated a place in Ribston Hall. However, she is on the WL for SHS. I've thought of appealing as she is very keen on getting in to SHS. She is normally good at studies, but the pressure of scoring higher/equal as her twin brother (he got into STR which is his first choice and also qualified for all other boy's schools and co-ed schools) and some of the personal family problems affected her to some extent. Could you suggest if I need to submit evidence such as letters from the for her extra-curricular activities (like music, dance, keyboard, etc.) please? I live near Bristol and my DS will be travelling by school bus from Bristol and will have to look for trains or make other arrangements for my daughter's travel to school (to Ribston) if she doesn't get into SHS. We will be relieved as there is a bus facility from the place we live (Thornbury) to SHS. Otherwise, as mother of twins and both going to different schools, me travelling to work that is 40 miles away from my place and my husband keeps travelling to other places in UK on his work and stays with us only during weekends. So, mentioning all these reasons help during appealing and do I need to provide evidence for all of these kind of things? Thanks for taking time to read and your response is much appreciated. Thank you very much.

Hello

Not an Appeals expert, but with some experience, I would say 1) remember that you are appealing for a place at SHS, not against being allocated a place at Ribston Hall, particularly as 2) you weren't randomly allocated Ribston - you must have named it somewhere on your CAF and why on earth would you do that if it was such a problem, logistically? So even if your underlying reason is not really wanting Ribston, you have to frame things as, what there is about Stroud High School (excellent choice, btw - my mum went there ) which makes it your first preference, if you see whaI mean? So less of the, how difficult it will be having DD at a school you did after all express a preference for and more, why SHS is the perfect fit for your DD.

[motheroftwo]

For me, the first thing is travelling and then the academic statistics of the school. I know travelling to and from Gloucester/Stroud itself is a trouble, but not brave enough to send my DD by train to Gloucester and then to walk from train station to school as she is too sensitive and will be in her own world (she loves to sing and to write poems) even while walking. Also, she is reserved and initially she struggles to mingle with other kids. One of her school friends got in SHS and if she has some one in school whom she knows she feels comfortable. Not sure if these points can be highlighted and if all these points make a good reason.

[stroudydad]

Hi,
No expert either but read lots and lots of advice on here over the years. Toadmum has summed lots of it up perfectly. Assuming that you have a qualifying rank, and would have been allocated a place had sufficient been available, then you are appealing on the grounds of oversubscription. If I understand correctly the key to this is to prove that there would be no prejudice to the other students by your daughter being given a place. Therefore proving that your daughter would not affect the outcomes of others is key. So your best evidence is proof of academic ability. i.e. Proving that the education of others wouldn't be affected by your daughters presence.
Second is to prove why your daughter is the best fit for the school and vice versa, I would suggest travel and parents jobs etc. have no bearing on this. Aim for why your daughter would thrive there
Thirdly, remember you will not be the only one appealing, you also have to prove that your daughter needs the place more than the next appellant.

Hope this helps,
Mark.

[ToadMum]

For me, the first thing is travelling and then the academic statistics of the school. I know travelling to and from Gloucester/Stroud itself is a trouble, but not brave enough to send my DD by train to Gloucester and then to walk from train station to school as she is too sensitive and will be in her own world (she loves to sing and to write poems) even while walking. Also, she is reserved and initially she struggles to mingle with other kids. One of her school friends got in SHS and if she has some one in school whom she knows she feels comfortable. Not sure if these points can be highlighted and if all these points make a good reason.

Seriously, unless Gloucestershire appeals panels have very different members in general from those over our way, I would urge you not to say anything at all about how your DD can't possibly catch a train on her own, find her way (presumably with a fair number of other girls wearing to same school uniform to follow?) from station to school, etc. The fact is, you did name that school on your DD's CAF and if the only way she can get there is by train, then the assumption would be that you knew this and were happy with her doing it. Unless either, the school has (without sufficient notice) moved location since October 31st, or there was other, more suitable transport available at that time, which has since been permanently withdrawn? If either of those applies, then a panel might be more sympathetic.

You really do have to concentrate on why SHS is the place she should be.

[motheroftwo]

Thank you very much StroudyDad and ToadMum for your valuable inputs. My DD's Current primary school head teacher and class teacher have assured us that they'll give the supporting reference letter about her academic ability. I've been trying to gather the points why SHS is a better school for my DD. Would the letters from tutors for her extra-curricular activities help? Also, would there be any consideration about the exam pressure in the presence of sibling writing the same test and also the family problems might be the reasons for her under-performance? I cannot provide any evidence for this extenuating circumstances, but she did mentioned to me once that she was unable to concentrate. Not sure if it is worth mentioning. Thanks..

[pixiequeen]

Motheroftwo, have you had a look at the appeals section of this forum? I have no personal experience but from what I have read on there, you need to concentrate on why your DD specifically needs to go to SHS, and on academic evidence to show she should have scored higher than she did. I think things like feeling under pressure from competing with a twin are worth mentioning but you can't base your appeal on it.

The impression I get is that the panel are not interested in extra curricular activities and are not allowed to consider letters from dance teachers etc. I think the only exception might be if you could prove that SHS had a very strong music department (for example) and that your daughter was already playing an instrument at such a high level that SHS was the only school that could meet her needs.

The school does not have a strong dance department, in fact I think Ribston's is better so don't mention that!

Depending on how much she missed out by, maybe she will get a place from the waiting list anyway?

Pixiequeen

[ToadMum]

Motheroftwo, have you had a look at the appeals section of this forum? I have no personal experience but from what I have read on there, you need to concentrate on why your DD specifically needs to go to SHS, and on academic evidence to show she should have scored higher than she did. I think things like feeling under pressure from competing with a twin are worth mentioning but you can't base your appeal on it.

The impression I get is that the panel are not interested in extra curricular activities and are not allowed to consider letters from dance teachers etc. I think the only exception might be if you could prove that SHS had a very strong music department (for example) and that your daughter was already playing an instrument at such a high level that SHS was the only school that could meet her needs.

The school does not have a strong dance department, in fact I think Ribston's is better so don't mention that!

Depending on how much she missed out by, maybe she will get a place from the waiting list anyway?

Pixiequeen

Appeals panels will read and consider any document submitted. They will decide how much weight to give to any particular one. The problem with references to extracurricular activities, though, is generally that they are just that.

[cazien]

For me, the first thing is travelling and then the academic statistics of the school. I know travelling to and from Gloucester/Stroud itself is a trouble, but not brave enough to send my DD by train to Gloucester and then to walk from train station to school as she is too sensitive and will be in her own world (she loves to sing and to write poems) even while walking. Also, she is reserved and initially she struggles to mingle with other kids. One of her school friends got in SHS and if she has some one in school whom she knows she feels comfortable. Not sure if these points can be highlighted and if all these points make a good reason.

I would be concerned about travelling by train to Gloucester then walking to Ribston Hall . The walk alone will probably take her 40 minutes (each way) so you will be adding at least 1.15 mins to her travel time. Fitting in with train timetables, her journey from leaving home to returning home will be in the region of 6.00-18.00

[RedVelvet]

Assuming you've rung Stroud to see where she is on the waiting list? There's always a bit of movement.