Appeal date delay til after term starts - can I do anything?

[perrinelli]

We're moving house in August to a new area and have already exchanged. Dd1 needs a year 1 place from September. We've been offered our 3rd choice school which is by no means a disaster but it is not a local one. It also is only an infant school so that means another change in a couple of years.

I filled out the form to appeal for the 2nd choice (small village school, don't think it will be infant class size appeal whereas 1st choice one would be so didn't bother).
I phoned the admissions appeal people today and they confirmed they'd received it but said there was pretty much no chance of getting an appeal date before the end of term, so then it would be September, probably late September. They said they provide a date within 40 school days. with the summer holidays this is going to turn into over 2 months for us.

I'm really disappointed about this as it pretty much defeats the object. In the event we did win an appeal she would have to go to the 3rd Choice School for a bit then change which is not ideal. Dd is quite shy and doesn't find change easy.
I am prepared that our chances at appeal might be quite slim but I at least want to chance to have it looked at before term starts. Is there anything I can do? I thought I'd call them back on Monday and ask again. Surely there must be dates lined up for other appeals for the same school over the next couple of weeks that I could be tapped into the end of?

[RandomMess]

I have no idea but have you got her on the waiting list for the other 2 schools? I thought most appeals had been heard by now?

[perrinelli]

Yes we're on the waiting lists but not very hopeful of movement.
Someone is moving from our 1st choice but since one class already has 31 that doesn't free up a place for us apparently.i fear that these schools would probably know by now if any one else from the current reception yr was moving and not returning for year 1.

It's an in year admission appeal so not part of the usual schedule and timings.

[3boys3dogshelp]

How far are you moving? Is there any chance of your daughter staying where she is until the appeal is heard? I really feel for you op, it sounds like a rubbish situation for her.

[perrinelli]

Too far - would take 1.5hrs each way. In any case I think it's a good natural break to leave over the summer and she understands she's going to a new school for the new term.
If only the appeal was early September perhaps I could keep her at home for a week or two, would that work?

Just wondering though if we can't get an appeal heard in time whether its in her interests just to run with the 3rd choice.

[2468Motorway]

I would keep her at home if you can. She will be the new girl where ever she goes so 2 weeks or even 4 won't make a big difference. The class will have settled after the holidays and ready to welcome a new face. Only problem could be that you may loose your 3rd choice offer which would be bad.

[prh47bridge]

You can ask but it is unlikely you will get the appeal date brought forward. Some LAs hold appeals during the summer holidays. Sadly it sounds like yours isn't one of them.

[perrinelli]

Doesn't sound very hopeful at all really.

Just feel it's unfair. We applied for a place for September, got turned down and have a legal right of appeal. But if that appeal can't happen til after the time the place was requested for, it's not really giving us a chance.

[admission]

I am afraid that the LA is correct, they have 40 school days to arrange the appeal, which takes you well into September. The issue is that as soon as the schools close for the summer holiday it is difficult to get information for the appeal document that the presenting officer has to argue that the school is full.
In my LA I am already getting dates for appeals for the end of September, so unless there is an appeal for the same school that you need then I suspect there is little that can be done.

[admission]

Sorry I have given you incorrect information there. As an in-year application the appeal must be held within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged. The 40 days figure refers to the appeals in the normal round of appeals for reception places.

[perrinelli]

Ok thankyou that's helpful. I was quoted the 40 school days so will go back and remind them it's on year.
The head of the school in question obviously isn't very involved with appeals but did say he knew they were happening late in the term. So, I'm thinking tomorrow I will phone back and do a bit of begging and (1) ask them to check if there are any dates for the school in question over the next 2 wks that I could be tagged onto (2) beg for an early date in September, or at least remind them it should be 30 days not 40 which would help a bit. Any other tips for when I call up? I know it's a long shot.

[perrinelli]

Just a quick update really, and a specific question.

We've got a date about 1 week after term starts. Not ideal but could have been even later. I'm not going to keep dd at home for the week I don't think because I'm not sure our chances are brilliant, but ill probably only buy minimum uniform.

Now my question - I thought it wasn't going to be an ICS appeal but now I'm not sure. I wanted to check if other people see my logic and think we have a chance.
By the way I haven't got all the documents through yet which I guess might answer this anyway? Bear with me, it's a bit complicated!!

The situation is that the PAN is 15. They structure the school with a dedicated R class then mixed yr 1/2, yr 3/4 and yr 5/6.
BUT the hm told me on my tour this years reception (next years yr 1) has 19 because of people winning appeals. He does not want to go over 30 (my mn education suggests to me he could if all 4 are excepted children?) so next year is planning to split the year 1s between a mixed year r/1 class and yr 1/2. My logic is its not ICS because they're already making arrangements to accommodate the extras over 15, why not have 20 instead of 19? Btw I'm really not sure what the school's plan is for when the cohort of 19 move up. I know the hm was going to bid for funding for more classroom space.
What do you guys think? Do you think it would be ICS appeal or not? I have no idea if he's planning to split the yr 1s equally therefore having 2 classes of 17/18 each or if he'll only keep 4 down in reception and have the yr1/2 class as 30.

[prh47bridge]

In my view this is still an ICS appeal. He can go over 30 in his mixed Y1/2 class next year as the children admitted on appeal are excepted all the way through infants. The fact he is choosing to accommodate them differently doesn't change the fact this is ICS. If they were intending long term to raise PAN to 20 and have two mixed classes it would be another matter but it sounds like this is a temporary arrangement to deal with a problem caused by successful appeals.

[perrinelli]

Oh dear that's not good. At least I'm going into it with a realistic idea of the slim chances we have. And we are fortunate in that the school we've been offered is really good, it's just not the local school and only infants.
On the one hand I wonder if it's encouraging so many got in on appeal but on the other hand, maybe this was because it wasn't ICS for reception if they normally have a stand alone reception class of 15. But then aren't they supposed to take into account how the school will be affected as the group moves up!?

[prh47bridge]

No, it would still be ICS for reception because of the mixed Y1/Y2 class. Presumably there was some kind of mistake in the admissions process that affected a number of children.