Secondary school place withdrawn due to error.. Please help

[LBee7]

I would really appreciate some advice.
I?ve read threads on this site and will definitely be appealing against the decision. however, I?m interested to know if anyone was successful so far.
I?ve received an email (and the letter) from the school on the 7th March, telling me that my son's place (1st choice) which was offered on 1 March 2013 and I accepted on 2 March 2013 (through confirmation email/letter received by Local Authority and the school) has been withdrawn as a result of an error due to him being assessed under the incorrect admissions category for the school.
This is a catholic school which has its own criteria and he is in Category C.
I have phoned the LA on the same day as when I received the email. They were aware of the situation as the school had phoned them earlier. The LA told me that another school (3rd choice) also offered us a place and they will send me a letter of confirmation.
We have not given any false information on the application forms, and it seems the school has made a mistake in putting my application in the wrong category.
I went to school today to discuss this further. They agree it?s their error but the headmaster has made the decision and there is no turnaround. The school also advised me to appeal but said that doesn?t guarantee me the place. (logical)
We have not taken this news well and my son is very upset. He has spent the weekend crying over this.

Please help... I would be very grateful to hear from successful candidates who were in the same situation, or anyone else who has any advice to offer.

[clam]

This sort of thing has come up before, and I'm sure that the key thing is the length of time that elapsed between the place being offered and then withdrawn. I have an idea that it's somewhere around the 4 days mark??? But if this is an RC school with its own admissions, I'm not sure if it'd be the same.

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly.

[NewFerry]

You might try reposing on the education forum. There are lots of really helpful people on there, but basically I think clam is correct and it is all to do with whether the withdrawal is done quickly.
Very stressful for you both though.

[Blu]

Put this in Education or Secondary Education.

Horribel situation, and you may have been v disadvantaged because the LA gives you the offer that is highest up your prefernces. It may be that your second choice would also have made you an offer in the first place, but it wasn't passed in to you because the catholic school made you an offer and the second choice place would have been offered to someone else.

Very very upsetting situation..re-post, there are experts on the legality of this sort of thing on the other board. Also include details of what the categories mean - which one he is in and what he was admitted under.

[LBee7]

Thanks for the advice. I'm new to this site, so still trying to figure it out where and what to post.. :)

[NewFerry]

LBee just copy and paste your original post onto a new thread in either the education or the secondary education part of mumsnet talk - topics - education.

There are a number of posters who actually sit on school appeal panels who will give you the very best advice as they know the system so well.
Good luck, & see you in education.

[Blu]

Go here - click on the word 'here'
and start the exact same thread - you will get good advice