Scooby Snacks 23

This weekend has been the worst weekend of my life

At 11.59 on Friday night, we had electronic access to confirmation of the primary school that my son has been offered and we didn't get any of our preferences. To top it off, we were devasted to find out it's the worst school in the area Slap bang on the middle of a chav council estate, specialising in children with learning difficulties and ASBOs, where they enjoy a "very high" turnover of staff and pupils alike (due to exclusions).

Whilst we are going to appeal, we have been told that it's highly unlikely the appeal will be upheld.

We have some savings and are now torn between using this to move out of the area or pay for him to go to private school for a year whilst we remain on the waiting list for one of our preferences.

Anyone ever successfully appealed for a change of school? Would be really interested to know how you got on.

EddScott

Is the school really that bad?

The catchment area for the school my daughter goes to contains the worst area of our town.

However, the school is very good IMO. I suspect that because the catchment area does take into the worst area of the town, more effort is put into the teaching. We've not experienced bullying and I only know of a few that have continuous behaviour problems. The only big problem we face is headlice - i don't think all the kids are quite as clean as they should be - I don't know how much of a problem this is in other schools. Its a big issue for us as my wife is a hairdresser so has to make sure she doesn't catch them.

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

Don't judge a school by it's intake.

I know of two schools in a small-ish town near to where we live. One is ultra-posh, no kids from council houses, even. The other takes from the sink estate, and has all the travellers' children, as well as problem children from other parts.

The second school is by FAR the best educational experience, from staffing levels, to facilities, to staff who freely give of their time, to external links, to out of school activities.

Talk to some parents from the school you've been given, go in and see the head etc, before forming an opinion.

Scooby Snacks 23

Have checked the Ofsted report, it grades everything as 3 or worse (3 is acceptable, according to their gradings), that's without knowing what the intake is like.

The schools that were on our top 3 were all 2's and 1's (good and exceptional respectively).

Ms Gooner 1

This happened to a friend of mine - basically - when the kids were all in Nursery we all had to apply for the Reception class. Her husband is a tw@t and didn't file the form on time - so she didn't get a reception place.
My friend later split with that **** and then it came to light about the placment - she was so upset - so she appealed.
It had to be "heard" at an appeal "hearing" and by then the reception places were full so she had to be put onto the waiting list - although she was number one on the list. Just before then end of that final term she got notified that her daughter had the place!
So sometimes it can help to appeal - however, if the school you want is in high demand and your number 20 on the "waiting" list - then you might find that your piddling in the wind.
That said, i was advised by Essex County Council that there is no such thing as a "catchment" area - yes children in the immeditate vacinity were given places first - followed by those with disabilities (i think) but you are quite within your right to choose ANY school!

j4ckos mate

we got my daughter in a school at the end of our estate, it was the normal catchment area, for us.

it was a bit scabby and the scool was full of peasants, and she was forever getting nits.


we did apply to another and was put on the waiting list and eventually she got in.

to be honest where she is now, i dont rate that much either, the headmaster told my lad off for running in the playground, and there is far too much emphasis on the asian kids that go there for my liking.
almost half the scool has asian kids in it.
(stands by to be called hitler).

also all the girls in her class are unbelieveably bitchy with each other



it was the scool my wife went to but i dont rate this one either, it should however put her into a good secondary school.

to be honest mate, they all have to be taught the same thing, and there are good and bad kids in every school.

SiPie

No offence but if that ranks as the worst weekend of your life then you've been damned lucky so far

Hope your luck continues

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

We are lucky in that the local school is ok and does quite well, however our youngest had some attention issues, I wont say he is ADHD or whatever, just a bit lazy, easilly distracted etc and they werent really helping so we moved him to a private school, we moved the middle one as well and between them is used up pretty much al our savings, we have had to miss out on stuff but even being the sceptic I am I have to say it was worth it, even against a nice state school in a decent area, he has come on leaps and bounds, in a class of 12 there is nowhere to hide, you cant blend in and you have to work, the staff know your kid, it comes across at parent evening that they spend significant time with them, the headmaster writes, hand written in copperplate handwriting at least a page of A4, again, all specific to your child.

I really sympathise when people have these dilemas and arent able to throw a few quid at the problem like we did, it is simply not fair on kids to have to put up with chavs who dont want to learn, only to disrupt and a fair proportion not being able to speak English, not bothered what nationality, creed or religion, if they cant speak English then they are demanding a dissproportinate amount of teaching time and impacting on those that can, then we wonder why standards are falling ?

Private education isnt the be all and end all, in fact one of the best (results wise) schools in the country (Altrincham Grammar) is a state one, there are little tossers at the Secondary my elder two go to now (courtesy of the in laws) but by no means the same number as they had at the local comp, again in a nice area but it services one of the ropiest council estates in England so has its fair share of scum, one of which mine went to primary with, recently excluded at Secondary for demanding dinner money off other kids at knife point !

At least with Private, there are other benefits, generally the mummies are yummier and you should see some of the motors that turn up at our place to pick their offspring up, I rock up on my bike coming home from work and there is a F430 outside !

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

Ofsted schmofsted, talk to parents, go and see the school, talk to the head.

Ofsted is all about ticking boxes, and tbh their take on stuff changes as often as the government's does

Nimbus

BBC website has an article on this...

BBC NEWS | Education | Q&A: Admissions Day angst

SCOsazOBY

There was information about going through the appeals procedure on Lorraine Kelly GMTV this morning, look on her website for further details. You basically have to appeal positively boasting the school,e.g state that little jimmy needs to attend your chosen school because he wants to be a doctor and that school provides outstanding science classes etc etc.

I attended a failing school that was notorious for bad behaviour and we was all council estate scum. I walked away with decent grades but the one thing i have learned is no matter what school you go to as long as you are wise and have parents guiding and encouraging you to do well then you will succeed.
Its when you leave school that your education really begins, life skills!

Paul3446

Quote by TanyaTriangles:
"Ofsted schmofsted, talk to parents, go and see the school, talk to the head.

Ofsted is all about ticking boxes, and tbh their take on stuff changes as often as the government's does "


This is so true, they get a tick in the box for things like offering cucumber as a snack in the morning.

Did you know for example that Ofsted inspectors never actually sit in on a lesson? It's just all new labour b*ll****!

To the OP, I would definitely appeal, you have nothing to lose. Just make yourself a complete pain in the *rse and don't back down!

Scooby Snacks 23

Thanks for the comments - I most certainly will be apealing as I hadn't considered it properly yesterday, but it could have a knock on effect for our daughter too who is currently 1.

We'll see how it goes - appeal papers need to be in by 20th March.

Paul3446

If you get the oldest at a decent school, then younger siblings get priority there too.

Phil

Not always depends on the admisions policy of the particular School. Our School for example gives location a higher preference

How many Ofsteds have you been through? Classrom observations form an important part of the report. so with respect not sure where you read that carp

nixxon

We succesfully appealed my daughter's offer of a place at junior school. There were 24 appeals for places at our preferred school, and 2 were succesful.
Because we moved house, and counties, 18 months ago, our application was late by a month. (closing date - October, offer of places - March.)
We appealed on the basis that she should attend her local school, 1.5 miles away, rather than the (Offstead 30% ratings, pikey infested ) one she was offered, 6 miles away. It helped that her chosen school was Cof E church run, so the appeals committee was made up of Churchy types whose priority was fair-play, not quotas, targets, and other council jobsworthyness.
We won because the committee were appalled that the governors had not read our covering letter explaining our situation, and due to the missus having been epileptic, it would take nearly 2 hours to get to school by public transport, should she have another seizure and lose her licence again.
So we had a pretty strong case. If you feel you have a case, go for it. You only have to ,prove that you or your child will be disadvantaged more than the school would be by them attending there.
Do your homework and don't bull**** the appeals committee. They WILL attach jump leads to your ********* and extract the truth. I suspect many of the other appellants lost because they were less than honest.
Good luck, and if you do win an appeal, they HAVE to find space for your nipper.
Nick

j4ckos mate

we didnt get our choice absolutley devasted.
we were after kingsway in stockport and got a pikey one in wythenshawe whos headmaster hung himself because it was so bad.

cant believe it gutted for her.

we can appeal or move.

EddScott

I know I worried about the catchment area for our daughters school but it was never to the point of outright upset that she goes to where she goes.

We never thought about her school really. Certainly not panicing about it at 1 year old. Didn't even occur to us to think about it until she was 5 I guess.

That must be horrible. Fortunately shes very bright and reads quite alot (but then I do so shes picked it up from me) and the wifes head is reasonably well screwed on ( )

j4ckos mate

Sal is dead bright, but that place wil just churn out airport bog cleaners,
shes not going there

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Hatton Bomb and Roberts went to Kingsway.....

Oh, and me

Miniman

iTrader: (2)

Within Surrey, the Education Authority establishes the placement process (I believe all Education Authoritys do, so yours could be different to other places). However primary schools, in Surrey, are allowed to set their own criteria if they want to. My childrens school does set their own, but it only differed slightly from Surrey's placement process.

According to Surrey an appeal can only be made on the basis of a procedural aspect, ie you cannot appeal about the choice of school your child is assigned to, you can only appeal only if something went wrong in the paperwork. I know because we almost got into this as our Surrey web application had not been recieved by the school the day before the applications closed! We paniced and filled out a paper form on the schools reception desk that morning and gave it to the school secretary on the last day applications were accepted. I don't know if the school recieved the web applications later, but we weren't taking that risk.

lln5252

Well my daughter goes to a Catholic primary school on the next estate, although she isn't catholic. They accepted her no problem (2 years ago), but my youngest daughter starts school in September. She didn't get first choice, being my older daughter's school and was allocated one, albeit a good one, quite a few miles away.

Everyone was saying that I shouldn't worry, because they usually keep siblings together, but obviously not. So even though she's in the catchment area and has a sister in the school, she's still not accepted. I'm a single mum, don't drive, and certainly can't fly, so what do you think the chances are with an appeal?

j4ckos mate

i would think you will be ok,

play merrry hell. impress onthem should your daughter walk home alone.

Scooby Snacks 23

UPDATE

Fabulous news - having put in our appeal papers via special delivery yesterday morning, we received a letter this morning offering our son a place at our first preference school!!! Apparently we were top of the waiting list

Best news ever this - couldn't be happier.

For anyone else that is on a waiting list for a better school, good luck and hang in there!!!

j4ckos mate

my appeal has gone in and been recieved
we are 41st out of 95 on the list.
the one we want is great
but just look at this ****hole
- Ofsted

i have got to say im absolutley ****ting myself chaps

Nurse Gladys

Really really pleased for you - I can't believe it is so wrong to want the best for your kids.

We have just played the waiting game for secondary school, and are lucky to get exactly what we wanted.

I should think a large bottle of wine is in order tonight!! And your savings are still intact!!

Well done.

Nurse Gladys

Hang in there - and really think of ANYTHING you can to sway your case - are there any examples of sucessful appeals / ideas on the internet?

That Ofsted report is a nightmare...........

Good luck.

j4ckos mate

got loads of stuff mate,
i feel totally cheated by the system, never been on the dole, always paid the school dinner money even when we know they have been wrong, always gone to all the fetes, homework in on time, absolutley everything and so far its coming to nothing,
feel let done by a tin pot country system.
no wonder people are leaving in droves.

Nurse Gladys

Just a thought but have you contacted the head of the current school your child is at, or requested the help of the Governors?

I think it is so wrong that you want the best for your children, pay your taxes and then get totally shafted by the 'system'.

I bet if you bought a caravan & found a nice layby to live in you'd get EXACTLY what you want.

I wish I could offer some helpful advice, but make sure you fight it every step of the way - your offspring deserve it.