Secondary School places allocated today [sad]

Wouldn't that rather weaken the family's case? (paying another pupil, I mean..)

Gillybob have you thought of the local paper ? And can you use the phrase "it is a safeguarding issue" re child hanging round waiting for a bus. Safeguarding is a bit of a buzz word in the NE . Stress the prospect of school refusal and LEA duty of care. And is there a local older child who goes to the same school and could be given pocket money to keep company with your DGD?

My family have been lucky as my DGD heard this evening that she has got her second choice. Her Mum preferred another school but my DGD liked the one she got best. She has a bus ride but not too far.

Saying she will refuse to go to school is enough to worry them, a relative hated her school so much she played truant and even if taken would run away, LEA had to fork out for private tuition. School refusal is a recognised condition.

A word of caution though. In our case the child we did that for was our youngest and not the eldest.

And even back then, criteria kept changing almost year on year.
So even if you were fortunate to get your eldest DGD in, that might in no way guarantee the others when their time came.

In our experience, our GP was super helpful, wrote a supporting letter, and the LEA did not even begin to dispute the GP letter because the LEA recognise that they themselves are not medical.

First, I am so sorry. Such a terrible problem with no understandable reason.

Would it be possible to have a Dr write a note about her anxiety and mental stress (to include in the appeal)? She is "normal" as you noted, but surely this much distress could be cause for MH concern? Getting out ahead of MH issues?

Is there a sort of compromise school somewhere that she could get into?

Could she be said to be shy or nervous Gilly? Or lacking in confidence or prone to getting very cold at a bus stop? Anything you could ask a GP to support on medical grounds?

Thank you everyone again for your kind concern and helpful advice too.

Granddaughter very upset tonight. In fact I would go so far to say she is distraught. She is saying she will not go to the allocated school, no matter what and is terrified of getting two buses there and back all on her own (I don't blame her) the trouble is there is nothing of comfort I can say to make her feel better or more hopeful.

So very sad for her. I wish the LEA could see what they are doing, ruining a lovely little girls life. Would they care? I'm not sure, they are just statistics to them after all.

In my opinion, in addition to points raised above, you would need to look at the Appeals process with a fine toothcomb. Could a legal person take a look at it, and see if there are loopholes in it you have not thought of?

I just typed a post and lost it so this will have to be brief as I'm going out.

I am so sorry to hear this gillybob and can understand how upset you must all be. It seems ridiculous that a child cannot be offered a place at the nearest school especially when it is on the doorstep. Whatever happened to catchment areas?

You may wish to go through the appeal process again - but if it comes to the worst then the LA should offer transport to the school.

Jobsworths, jobsworths, this country seems full of them

I am upset for you gilly following after the earlier appeal. I would do anything and everything to get my point across to the LEA and the gentleman you spoke to seems a likely spokesman.
When it was time for me to go to secondary school I was allocated a school that none of my classmates or friends attended, my mother made such a fuss I got to the school of choice. I think my mother went to the LEA and local member of parliament and she had the local rag on speed dial ( I'm joking, it was pre-mobile days )
Our GD has a place at an independent school because the alternative for her is unthinkable.
gilly

No advice to give but just wanted to add my good wishes to you and your family

DD and SiL may face the same problem turned on its head. He is at one of the feeder primaries for what is generally agreed to be the best school in the city and they are in the catchment area, though the school is some distance away. He is due to go up in 2018. The council have now decided to build a new secondary school a short walk away from their house, and there are a lot of very unhappy parents at the moment who are worried about a school that will be completely an unknown quantity. The existing school had agreed to sponsor and have oversee the new school and that did placate many. However, they have now pulled their sponsorship on the grounds that it would present an unacceptable financial risk to them. Several sets of parents in GS's year, and the year above, have now opted to send their children to one of the three private schools in the area, which is fine if you can afford it. So at the moment, we have a "suck it and see" situation. Most of the parents involved are hoping that the school will not be operational in time for the September 2018 intake. (There are issues with the site that the council seem to be turning a blind eye to). Selfish? Maybe, but we all want the best for our children and grandchildren, don't we? I wish you the best with any appeal, gilly.

gillybob, I am disgusted that the allocation of secondary places has done your GD such a disservice. Appeals panels do sometimes have a heart - I used to sit on one for several years and we did allow some appeals - if only for a minority. But your GD has a good case, considering that standing alone at the bus stop for that length of time could put her in danger. The Local Authority is - I think - responsible for her during this time.

If all feeder primaries were oversubscribed, then how awful, and bad luck.

If the suggestions upthread dont work, then media may become the next step.
[If I remember correctly a fairly large group of us parents involved the media before we all went to Appeal].
In our case what happened was, the ones with siblings already there, got let in, the rest still didnt.
[Our circumstances and criteria back then[15 years ago] may have been different to yours].

I'm so sorry for your GD, as if it's not scary enough going to a new school, but two buses away,that is ridiculous. I heard of a parent near me who was refused his daughter into the local primary school. It has a good name and people are desperate for their children to attend. There was some sort of clause that says that if there are empty classrooms or any kind of rooms and a waiting list to get into the school then school have to employ a teacher and open classroom for the waiting list. This parent found out there was indeed an empty classroom and all children on waiting list got a place in the school.

Grounds for getting into a school in our area as follows Ankers ;

Sibling link (brother or sister at school already)
Feeder primary (over subscribed so can't get in)
Looked after children (children in the care system)
Distance from home to school.

So nowadays, you dont get offered places at the nearest primaries in the first instance, and it is all much more random?

We too are waiting as GD1 hears after 5 o'clock today. She lives just 50yds outside the catchment area for the preferred school, but does go to the primary next door to it. Fingers crossed.

Hope you get a successful outcome if you appeal gillybob

This time though you have the fact that she will be the only one doing that journey and the waiting for the bus etc etc - make a big thing of that - and who is going to take the responsibility for her. I shall be sending good vibes when you go to any other hearing - I read all about it before and just hoped you were looking on the black side and that they would not be so obtuse. If I was living near you I would come and lobby with you - I would have been really uptight had it been my DGD. She was able to go to the school because her brother was there - same sort of rules as you are talking but so stupid - her school did have a good number of places for local children.

He said that we could quote him and his name at an appeal welshwife Not that I am hopeful about the appeals process. Been there before.

I think the bus man us the best bet! Try him again to see if he will ring them for you and tell them if his concern - I would also try the local police about the waiting.

Because they chose for the child to go to a primary school elsewhere? So the LEA think, well why not the secondary too?

You are VERY wrong Ankers my DGC could not get into a feeder school. We have already gone through the appeals process and lost.

The LEA do not give a stuff and consider that they have fulfilled their duty by offering her a school.