Secondary school appeals

[Curlymama1]

Good Afternoon

It's my first time posting on here just wanting some advise or wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation? My son didn't get offered his first choice high school and we are really upset about it. All the other children in his year about from two (as they are going to a grammar school) have got a place. we are just slightly out of the catchment area and it is over subscribed. Our main reasons for him wanting to go to the school is it is the nearest to us and two minutes from our family business so we can take him and get there quickly in case of any emergency and his friends will all be there which has been a huge support for him since been diagnosed in 2019. The school he has been offered is in the oppostite direction to my youngests primary and work so he would have to get a bus. He really struggles emotionally and socially even more so since his diagnosis and i just don't think he would deal with having to catch a bus to a school on his own, not knowing anyone aswell as trying to manage his diabetes on his own as at the moment he has teacher support. Lockdown hasn't helped as he seems to be so dependent on me a lot of the time. Has anyone won a school appeal based mainly on type 1?

Sorry for rambling on and thanks for reading.

 

[OCat]

Some schools have special appeals for health reasons - we were offered this by the local authority (for asthma, probably more common than diabetes so I think your chances are higher) but didn’t need to in the end as he got offered another place that was suitable. Always worth appealing sounds like you have really good grounds. If that fails a lot can happen between now and September with waiting lists, and in-year transfers are much more common than I’d have thought. Good luck

 

[ert]

As it is down to you being out of the catchment area and the school is oversubscribed, the reality is that there will be no places left to offer you even if you appeal. Of course, still, appeal, but I would suggest contacting the school that you have been offered a place for and ask if there are other T1DM students attending and what support they could offer your son. Catching a bus will give him a sense of independence once it's just routine.

 

[Curlymama1]

Some schools have special appeals for health reasons - we were offered this by the local authority (for asthma, probably more common than diabetes so I think your chances are higher) but didn’t need to in the end as he got offered another place that was suitable. Always worth appealing sounds like you have really good grounds. If that fails a lot can happen between now and September with waiting lists, and in-year transfers are much more common than I’d have thought. Good luck

Thank you for replying we will just go ahead with the appeal and keep our fingers crossed. We have the supporting letters from his diabetes nurse and his current school so hoping that may help. We will also ask for him to be kept on the waiting list.

 

[Curlymama1]

As it is down to you being out of the catchment area and the school is oversubscribed, the reality is that there will be no places left to offer you even if you appeal. Of course, still, appeal, but I would suggest contacting the school that you have been offered a place for and ask if there are other T1DM students attending and what support they could offer your son. Catching a bus will give him a sense of independence once it's just routine.

Thank you i know it's a hard situation we are in. Children in our area have been accepted before seems we have been unlucky. He is just so emotional and stressed about it all and adamant he doesn't want to go to the other school. We will just go ahead with the appeal and see what happens. I am looking into home schooling him if he doesn't get a place.

 

[KK123]

Hi @Curlymama1, I would say it is definitely worth a try. My understanding (and I do have some experience in these matters) is that all schools have to keep some places back in case of appeals, otherwise there would be no point in an appeals system. If you can, try to get some tangible, written support from your son's GP or Consultant or diabetes team. There's nothing worse than seeing your child upset (I have three) but be a little careful that you don't make his stress worse by speaking too negatively about any school he may end up in. My 3 went to completely different schools, and as three completely different kids each school suited them perfectly. x