school appeal?

[mum22]

my daughter is 4 and started nursery in sept (previous to this she did go to pre scholl for a year) which is all connected to one school. when i applied for a place for infants (reception) 2 children didnt get a place in the school and one was my daughter. my daughter now thinks she has been "naughty" as thats why the scool hasnt given her a place. most of the children she has grown up with and it would be so sad to uproot her to another school. my question is has anybody appealed for a school place and won/lost? tia

[spudqueen]

When my friends daughter did not get in her primary school of choice she rang the LEA who said there was a place at another primary school a couple of miles away. Though it was not their nearest school it was still convenient, and my friends daughter soon settled in and made plenty of friends. She did actually know one or two children who were already at this school which may have helped.

You must tell your daughter that she is not naughty, it is just that there aren't enough places at that school and that someone who didn't even know her had to decide who went and who didn't. Children are very resiliant and she will soon settle in and make friends at another school.

[B00]

Yes I appealed when my eldest didn't get into the primary school of our choice, despite her having gone to nursery there.

We were successful due to her having a condition called Talipes and she was wearing plaster-casts to correct her feet and he school was the nearest one to get to.

[Ice.Maiden]

Glad they came to their senses, Boo - and it shows that you were sensible to appeal.
Spudqueen's absolutely right in saying that you must never let your daughter think she's been naughty, mum22. She hasn't. Many factors are taken into consideration when schools look at applications. Obviously places go to children living in the locality/catchment areas first, because of class sizes and so on, but by all means appeal. The LEA will probably decide in your favour.

[daffy654]

I had to appeal to get my eldest daughter into the highschool of choice,the appeal was successful. I know its not the same as primary school but the principle is the same. I would start the process anyway mum22,the worst that can happen is the appeal is unsuccessful and your daughter has to go to the other school. As the others have said make sure she understands that she hasn't been naughty at all. Good luck.

[hayley2956]

My mum n dad had to appeal to get me into my secondary school as we lived out of the catchment area. I know it doesn't help you but at the time of the appeal I was in hospital having had a burst appendix! They played on this (wrongly or rightly) and were successful.

I am not wishing your daughter to have a medical condition but if there is anything you could maybe play on.... even the effect you think being away from her friends may have on her for her welfare, play it up and focus on this.

Go ahead with the appeal but be prepared not to succeed. Anything more will then be a bonus.

I wish you the best of luck

xx