Primary school appeal help

[alldigging]

it's not for me - a neighbour has got a huge problem!

A 1.5mile problem!

Our nearest primary school is 0.4 miles away.
The next nearest is 0.5miles away.
The next ones are about 1.5miles away.

Guess which one they've put him at?
Yes one of the 1.5 miles away ones.

He's already at the nursery of the local school. It's close to where her and his dad work, where his grandparents live.

She's got an appeal date - and I'd really like to help her.

Have been to the local councillors and they reckon they can't help.

Any suggestions?


The only thing I can see in the admissions rules is:
a) in relation to whom the school is the only school (apart from any school to which the child has already been refused admission or from which the child has been permanently excluded) which—
(i) is within a reasonable distance from the child’s home,


I'd say 1.5miles isn't a reasonable distance!

[flowertot]

Catchment areas can be funny sometimes - which one is classed as his catchment school and when is he due to start? You can appeal - but in addition its worth putting him on the waiting list for his preferred school, a lot can change in a few months.

[Alison]

You see 1.5 miles doesn't sound far too me as I always had to get a bus to the local town about 5 or 6 miles away but I suppose it must be a pain when there are ones closer. I didn't fully understand your original post, do you understand why the child hasn't been accepted? Did they apply on time etc etc and do you mean that they have been excluded from a school already or are you just quoting from the rule book?

[WendyC]

This seems very late in the year to find out which school. March is more a usual time. If they have just moved into the area then that must be the one with places.

[alldigging]

The councillor has said all the kids accepted live closer than she does.
The class is oversubscribed.

The bit of rules quoted is from govt guidelines but it's written in officialese.


The 1.5 miles doesn't sound a lot but it'll mean her son will effectively lose contact with all his nursery class, his out of hours carer and not be at the same school as the kids on his street.

I think originally they'd told her they were sending her to the nearest school as the crow flies but unless he can space-fold that crow is a liar. ;-/

[alldigging]

This seems very late in the year to find out which school. March is more a usual time. If they have just moved into the area then that must be the one with places.

I'm not sure why it seems late.

Had something similar with another lady on the street - again they sent her to another school that was 1.5+ miles away. She got hers sorted out by one of the councillors - but this time another councillor has said there's no chance.

It just seems unfair.

As well as putting the child out it's going to be a lot longer for her to travel from work to pick him up (and of course drop him off) ..

[WendyC]

Admissions policies are very complicated with different priorities for different situations,eg in catchment, siblings already at school. If a church school gets even more complex. Which one is catchment school? Can put on a waiting list as suggestteedd but can be unsettling if child not sure where they are going.

[alldigging]

I would assume the nearest one is catchment school ... How do you find out?

He is due to start in sept.

I will nip round and have a Look at what paperwork she has this week.

[donnakebab]

The 1.5 miles doesn't sound a lot but it'll mean her son will effectively lose contact with all his nursery class, his out of hours carer and not be at the same school as the kids on his street.

These points should form the basis of her appeal. Emphasise the effect it will have on her son not just now but in the future, the adjustment to new school, friends, out of hours carer and so on . For example how far away from his new friends will he live, and how will his sense of community be affected.

If there are any other parents in the same situation then it might be worth trying to contact them. A few years ago our council tried to change the catchment area of the local comprehensive to accommodated a new estate. The kids in my area (including mine) faced a 40 minute walk or a 2 bus journey to get to school and back. They had to back down in the end. Not the same situation I know but if there are enough people with the same problems it can make a difference.

Good luck.

[alldigging]

Having looked on the Ofsted by postcode search the school on the list that produces the one they want to send her to is 6th!

[Two_Sheds]

1.5 miles is how far my school is from me: it's a 10 min cycle ride or a 30 min walk. Our school is also over-subscribed, and one of our teachers can't get her own kid into her own school (she's appealing too).

It's tricky: those with cars can go to whichever school they like, and they all like ours! That's what happens when you give people (parents, in this case) a choice. In my day, you just went to your nearest school and that was that.

Classes are now limited to 30 (and that's a LOT of noisy little people to control) and cutbacks mean fewer teaching assistants, so you really can't squeeze another one or two in at the back.

What I would say, is don't worry too much about him having to make new friends: it's easier for them to do so at a younger age, and it teaches them a valuable life skill (how to change & build relationships). We had several new children this year, for one reason or another, and because it's a good, nurturing school, all those children have forged new friendships and are now very settled (even the non-native ones). They even say they prefer this school to their old one: so it need not be a negative experience for your friend.

Appeal against a school place decision : Directgov - Parents

[alldigging]

It'll have to be a 30 minute walk. She doesn't have a car and she's got another little one to drop off at childminders before going back 'wence she came' to go to work.
It's also going to mean her child's grandad will have to either get a taxi or stop going as it's too far for him to walk.

I agree the relationship building can be good for them - it's just I know how much harder play dates will be to organise if all the kids also live 1.5miles away.

[alldigging]

Still not worked out about catchment areas - have asked for that from council though.

On ofsted site this school is 6th on the list of distance from her home!!

[Andromeda]

Catchment areas can be very odd. Back when I was at secondary school I was ineligible to attend the nearest school to me because I wasn't in the catchment area - it was an excellent school as well. The school they said I had to attend was over 5 miles away (I ended up not going there ut that's another matter entirely).

[WendyC]

When your neighbour had the original paper work about applying for a school place it should have said on there which was her catchment school. If she didn't put it as one of her preferences she may have shot herself in the foot as other parents who did put it as preference will have leap frogged over her. I totally agree with Two Sheds about children learning valuable lessons when they need to made new relationships. If we mix classes at school (we're 2 form entry) the children have settled down within a week or two but the parents are still harping on about it a year later!