Due to Trafford’s labyrinthine secondary school admissions policy, March 1st is a highly anticipated date each year. However, for every group of parents heaving a sigh of relief that their child has been accepted into their school of choice, there are always some disappointed and left feeling let down by the system.
We have blogged previously on the injustices of Trafford’s entrance exam system. We could add to this that if your child doesn’t sit or pass entrance exams, and if you don’t subscribe to a particular religion, your choices are further constrained. Finding a good mixed, secular comprehensive school in Trafford with available places is pretty tricky. Passing the entrance exams is no guarantee of securing a place. One of our Better Tuition students passed five entrance exams and has been offered his seventh choice of (non-grammar) school.
Enough said about the injustices of the system: what can be done if you have not been offered the school you want? Firstly, you could consider an appeal.
In preparing your appeal you should first examine the Department for Education’s School Admission Code*, together with the School Admissions Appeal Code. You should also ask for the school’s own code of conduct relating to admissions. If the school has contravened any of these codes, you have good grounds for an appeal.
Secondly, you can make a case for extenuating circumstances. In this case you will have to argue that only this school can meet your child’s needs.
Lastly, if your child’s chosen school is oversubscribed, you can challenge the school’s concerns with regard to overcrowding. You should approach the school to ask the number of classes planned for the new year 7 in September, together with the expected number of students in each class, based on the latest available information (in case they are aware that some prospective students may be withdrawing).
If statistics from previous years are a reliable guide, the chances of winning an appeal are around 38% – certainly worth a try, in our view. Do, however, bear in mind that it comes down to your individual circumstances and the particular school you have applied for. You can get excellent, FREE advice and resources on school admissions appeals from the Advisory Centre for Education.
However, it may be worth considering whether the school you have been offered can adequately meet your child’s needs. Have you visited the school and spoken with the staff? Consider that many schools suffer from an unrealistic word-of-mouth reputation that bears little resemblance to the truth. In other words, investigate further and you may discover that your child will receive a top-notch education at their allocated school.
The team of experts at Better Tuition have lots of advice to offer, so if you have any more queries about school admissions, or would like to book some tuition or a FREE assessment, call Urmston and Stretford’s leading tutors in maths, English, science and entrance exam preparation on 0161 748 3912.
Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
