Home > Ask Our Experts > How Can We Make a Group Appeal for School Places?

How Can We Make a Group Appeal for School Places?

By: Louise Tobias BA (hons) - Updated: 12 Jun 2020 | comments*Discuss
 
Question Appeals Support Group

Q.

We have been refused places for both of our daughters at age 4 and 11, and are looking to raise appeals for both. It seems that throughout our area, there are a lot of people who have been offered places where they do not want, and vice versa.

I am hoping to get an action group together to lobby the local council, have been in contact with local MP, council office etc.

Do you know anything about group appeals? Can this be where 2 or more people want to swap places? Is this possible?

Any help or guidance on this matter would be appreciated.

(C.B, 17 March 2009)

A.

Firstly, many thanks for your question - I’m really sorry to hear that the school application process hasn’t gone smoothly for you. I’m going to try to address your concerns about the appeals service and the possibility about a group appeal and creation of a lobby group here.

In the first instance, you are right to note that a lot of people are unhappy with the schools appeal service. This year thousands of parents from all across the country have started to get ready to lodge appeals against admissions services after their children were rejected from their top-choice schools.

There has been a lot of media coverage of parental discontent.

On to your questions; you ask first about making a group appeal - unfortunately this is not possible to do on behalf of both of your daughters at the same time. The appeals process is quite tightly organised and must be carried out in the way outlined by your local education authority.

Each LEA will organise their appeals process in a slightly different way, but on the whole the process involves you writing to your LEA to explain the problem, (for instance, why your child’s provided school place is inappropriate) in the first instance- and you will have to do this twice, once for each child. After you have written a formal letter, you might be asked to appear before the independent appeals panel to discuss the application further. This is a very ordered - dare I say it, bureaucratic process - and you will not normally be allowed to swap school places with another child - there is a central method and organisation to go through.

Your action group idea is a separate issue. It depends whether your aims are long term or short term. In the short term, the most likely way you will be able to impact your child’s school place is through the aforementioned appeals process. In the longer term, however, if you are interested in changing the appeals system, then certainly lobby the local council, and your local MP might well be able to help you out. Getting together with other parents to form a pressure group could well be effective, as the indication from government officials has already shown an intent to change the school application process.

To conclude, I hope this has been a helpful outline. Best of luck and I hope your children successfully find school places that they and you are happy with.

You might also like...
Share Your Story, Join the Discussion or Seek Advice..
[Add a Comment]
Hi one of my relatives son is 16 years old who will be finishing high school in Turkey next year in 2020 June/ He would like to come and study in Uk but which school hehas to attend as in Uk at the age of 16 school is finished and kids either go to full time education in college o sixth form which I never understand this. anyway 16 years old boy can attanned the universiyt if so does he needs ielts or A lever,. if not has he needs to go to gollege for 2 years andwill take the GCSE certificate test for university. Can some one please will help me to find the solution of this issue. thank you
ayndlk - 9-Nov-19 @ 3:20 PM
We are looking for a place for our sons aged 5 and 9 in London as I have got a long term assignment in London What should be my approach to find the school ?
Tushar - 27-Aug-18 @ 12:46 PM
My only daughter has been selected to complete her Bar-at-Law from the The University of Law - Birmingham. She has completed his LLB degree from Northumbria University, Newcastle. However, my daughter now moves to Birmingham from new castle. I am interested to admit my only son in any school of Birmingham like your school in year 10. Now, my son is completing his year 9 in Bangladesh.
Polash - 3-May-18 @ 7:44 AM
I have two children. We moved in leiceter. 12/07/2017.next day i apply school admision for my childern. My son year 2, He got school place. But my daughter not get school place still, she stay in home. I talk to school admision team they said the letterfriday come in or next week come in .my daughter every day check the letter box but not come the letter. She was very fed up and up set .sometime she was crying .i'm very sad. Please help me.
mano - 22-Sep-17 @ 8:33 PM
I have a daughter British citizen she will be returning to UK . Currently in a French School in Zimbabwe. She will be writing her O'levels GCsE exams . I am currently looking for a French school she can attend from Lower 6 her in Birmingham near my home.Can you help
Pat - 29-Nov-16 @ 5:31 PM
@David- You haven''t said why there is an issue in finding your daughter a place and what the school admissions has said in response. It can take time to find a school place mid-term, however local education authorities 'must' find a free school place for all children who are ‘of compulsory school age’. I can only suggest that you keep ringing school admissions. I have included a link to the Government Ombudsman here which may help if the LEA doesn't respond soon.
GetTheRightSchool - 22-May-15 @ 10:55 AM
I have recently moved from Shropshire to Birmingham my daughter had a school in Shropshire we've been here now nearly 3 weeks I can't find a primary school for her I've filled forms in at local schools and I've also been phoning school admissions and appeals my daughter is 11 years old date of birth 28/09/2003 it looks like secondary is the next time she's going to be in school and thats months away yet,it asked school admissions if there would any help to send her back to school in Shropshire I'm running out of options can you help my needs a school and She's losing out in education needs at very important time in her school life. Thanks David.
David - 18-May-15 @ 4:06 PM
Hi My daughter has been refused a place in both of schools i applied for in first round. My fault it was that I didnt read the guide proply and havent submitted SIF form. After that i made late application to 6 schools. Again she was refused all of them. The reason: to many children. I really want her to be at catholic school. The school she has been offered is terrible. Most of children hardly speaks english, ofset report is bad, behavior is bad and 95% are religion of islamic. I dont have anything against islamic religion but we are catholic so you can imagain this is not very ideal for us. It will make so difficult for us and my daughter to prepare her to comunion etc. i really dont know if we appeal to catholic school i have choosen ( we also registered in their parish) or any other whar arguments could I use? Late SIF form or religion? Can i even mention religion? Have I even have a chance if I appeal? Please help. This situation gives me lack of sleep at night. Thank you. Patricia
Lillydex - 3-Jun-14 @ 9:24 PM
I am planning to move back to the UK in 2015 and my son should begin Year 6 in september 2015 (date of birth is6.7.2005). However I would like him to begin Year 5 so that he can adapt to a new country and improve his English before he has to sit the 11+ exams. Would this be possible and do schools have flexible admissions policies?
ayla - 8-Mar-14 @ 6:32 PM
Ihave a friend who in lives in Saudi Arabia and has a holiday house in the UK in London. She is looking to send her 12 year old son to a local public school (he has autism). Will he require a student visa? If so, what what does she need to do in order for her son to start school in the UK. They are Saudi nationals. If this is possible, then they will reside in the UK Thanks.
Rubz - 8-Feb-13 @ 6:27 PM
We are looking for a place for our 4 yr old son for the academic year 2013-14 in a school in the region of Toronto. We are moving from London, UK in summer. Can you please guide? we need the list of public schools and the process of application. Regards Anita
Anita - 20-Dec-12 @ 11:01 AM
Share Your Story, Join the Discussion or Seek Advice...
Title:
(never shown)
Firstname:
(never shown)
Surname:
(never shown)
Email:
(never shown)
Nickname:
(shown)
Comment:
Validate:
Enter word:
Topics
Latest Comments