By Elliot Wright, 5th March 2010
School admissions season is now in full swing as hundreds of
thousands of children and parents up and down the country learn of
their education fate.
While many children get accepted to their first choice schools,
thousands of others face bitter disappointment.
Early reports suggest that in some areas in the UK nearly half
of 10-11 year olds have been rejected from their preferred
secondary school.
However, for those that have been rejected there may still be
hope through the school admissions appeal process. Every local
authority has one, and every child who didn't get into their first
choice establishment has the right to appeal.
In some areas in the UK nearly half of
10-11 year olds have been rejected from their preferred secondary
school.
The appeals process should be set out in the admission
letter from your local authority. The letter will also specify a
deadline by which the appeal must be made.
If the deadline is already looming then do not panic, you only
need to send in the school appeal form stating that you wish to
make an appeal at this point. You are able to submit your actual
case after the deadline.
After you send your school appeal form, your admissions
authority will contact you and let you know the date of the
hearing. You should be given at least 10 days notice so that you
have time to prepare your case.
The panel at the hearing will only consider cold, hard facts
when deciding whether to uphold your appeal or not, they will not
be swayed by emotional arguments. So in the time before the hearing
consider all the grounds on why your child should be offered a
place at the preferred school. Remember you will need to back these
grounds up with documentation.
Grounds on which you can appeal and how to support
them
Compatibility: Inspect the school's prospectus
or Ofsted report and find evidence that highlights why that school
is more compatible to your child than the one they were offered,
e.g. your child excels at a musical instrument or at a sport, and
that school specialises in that field. Show grades/awards to
support this.
Social conditions: For example, if your child
was bullied at their previous school and they have been allocated
the same school as the bully. Provide statements from teachers or
photographic evidence of any injuries inflicted.
Medical Conditions: For example, your child
suffers from a medical condition so they must go to school nearer
to home or your work, or that the school offers the best (or only)
facilities to cater for the condition. You will need to get a
statement from a doctor or medical consultant to support this.
Admissions criteria: One of the strongest
grounds for appeal is if you can show that the admission
authority's decision did not follow the admission criteria. The
School Admissions Code has introduced mandatory rules to ensure
that admission criteria are clear, fair and objective. Carefully
check to see if the criteria for rejecting your child were
lawful.
Other grounds may include: The school is within
walking distance whereas the allocated school will be difficult to
get to and from each day; you follow the ethos of the school; all
your child's friends go to the school.
The hearing
School appeal hearings are heard by an independent panel made up
of three to five members of the public.
They will first hear the reasons why your child was rejected
from their first choice school from the admission authority. If
they decide that the admission authority was correct then they will
listen to your appeal.
State your grounds for the appeal - why the school is right for
your child and what special circumstances there are that justify
your child being awarded a place. Submit all your supporting
evidence and documentation.
Remember to present your appeal politely and calmly. If you
appear rude and disruptive this will obviously not reflect well on
your child! Do not act too emotional; stay focused and keep to the
facts.
Bear in mind that there will be other parents appealing for the
same place but if you keep your appeal precise and back up
everything you say with facts, you will stand a good chance of
being successful.
The panel's decision is binding and can only be overturned by
the courts. If you are not happy with the way the appeal process
was carried out by the admission authority and panel, then contact
your Local Government Ombudsman. They cannot overturn the decision
but can recommend a new appeal.