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Top 10 Tips on what to do if National Offer Day for secondary school places lets you down

Top 10 Tips on what to do if National Offer Day for secondary school places lets you down

As any parent knows, finding secondary school places for your children can be a difficult and sometimes even traumatic experience. However, after all the research, form-filling and then months and months of waiting, every year thousands of parents in England are told that their children have not been accepted by their first choice of secondary school. 

Unfortunately, the issue of school admission never gets easier and the panic that parents go through when their child does not get their first choice of school does not get easier to bear. If you're not one of the lucky ones who got their first choice of school for your child, here's our list of top 10 things to do if you think you might want to make an appeal:

 

1. First, don’t panic and don't despair. Although it may seem like all is lost, it isn't. You still have the right to appeal. And if you need help, Match Solicitors is here to help you.

 

2. It is a good idea to accept the school that you have been offered so that your child has somewhere to go bearing in mind that this is likely to be a school you did not put down on your choice list. Accepting it will not prejudice your right to appeal.

 

3. Make sure you've done sufficient research on your first-choice school, familiarising yourself with its specific over-subscription criteria.

 

4. Make sure that your child’s name is on the waiting list of your first choice school.

 

5. Think carefully about the grounds of appeal. Are your reasons for appeal as strong as they could be? Be sure to emphasise your most persuasive argument first.

 

6. Be sure to gather as much relevant evidence as possible to support your appeal.

 

7. Any medical and/or social reasons that have arisen since your original application was made must have official supporting evidence, such as a letter from a doctor etc.

 

8. Keep in mind any time restrictions relating to your appeal — it would be a shame to miss out because of something as simple as poor time-keeping.

 

9. Check out the Department for Education website, specifically the School Admission and the School Admission Appeals Codes. The more research you do, the better prepared you will be.

 

10. Preparation is vital for any appeal. You should take all the time you have to figure out exactly what to say to the panel and prepare your paperwork as best you can.

 

As, only around a fifth of all appeals are ultimately successful, many parents choose to seek legal assistance to ensure their preparation is the best it can be.

Match Solicitors have had considerable success in helping parents fight to get their child a place at the school of their choice. If you're considering launching an appeal, give us a call us today to discuss your case in confidence.



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