Can anyone help with appeal please?

People do appeal and some win their case. Find out all you can about the criteria such cases ar judged by in your area and stick to these when writing your appeal.

I have, in my time, sat on appeals panels and, though things have probably changed a lot since then as well as from one LEA to another, I can confirm that schools can't be expected to go beyond their prescribed limit and it's very hard to get past that on appeal. But do go ahead with it gillybob on the grounds that your family is being put in an impossible situation.

Thank you for your reply daphnedill. I am not a member of Mumsnet unfortunately.

Yes I can see getting three places being a major problem. I have heard from the secretary that there might be a place in year 3 but I can't see how we could be at 2 different schools at the same time. The children are (years 1, 3 and 5) if the eldest child does not get into the primary by next year it is highly unlikely she will get to the nearest comprehensive either and that would be a logistical nightmare as the feeder comp from their existing school is even further away.

As it stands the children can no longer participate in any after school clubs as it is too far to go home and back.

This happened to me a few years ago. I went to appeal and lost and had to wait a term until a place was available. Sadly, with three children it's unlikely that they'll all get places any time soon.

You might be better posting on Mumsnet, where a couple of appeals 'experts' post. Unfortunately, I expect you'll get the same answer as I've just given you, especially if any of the children are in KS1.

On a positive note, if the children are still at their previous school and it's six miles away, the local authority should pay for transport (taxi?), unless there's a nearer school with places.