Appeals to get pupils into first choice schools are likely to fail

CHILDREN who don’t get a place at their preferred school have very little chance of successfully appealing, latest figures have revealed.

Statistics from Cardiff council show the overwhelming majority of appeals fail.

Last year, only six out of 101 appeals for a place in a preferred primary school in Cardiff succeeded. The equivalent figure for secondary school applications was nine out of 123.

The council said 90% of secondary school and 89% of primary school appeals were unsuccessful in 2017.

This year 119 appeals were lodged for primary applications which was 21 more than last year.

Of these, only two have succeeded so far and a number are awaiting results which are expected by Tuesday. Seven appeals were withdrawn.

At secondary school level, 118 appeals were lodged this year, one more than in 2017. Only four succeeded and all appeals have been completed.

Data for secondary schools do not include foundation or church schools, which includes Whitchurch High and all the Church in Wales and Catholic high schools.

There are still more secondary school places available than needed in the city, although not necessarily at parents’ preferred choices.

For September 2018 the total number of secondary school places available was 2,700 of which 2,355 have been allocated.

The remaining hearings for primary school appeals are due to take place on various dates between now and Tuesday.

Places are allocated up to the admission number for each school.

That number is the number of pupils who should be admitted to a relevant age group and is agreed in accordance with the “Measuring the Capacity of Schools in Wales Guidance” as set by Welsh Government.

A sibling in the school does not guarantee admission.

Attending a nursery attached to a primary does not guarantee a place in reception at that school.

If you are appealing for a high preference school, your child can still retain a school place offer from elsewhere.

Cardiff council recommends that parents check admission criteria for the school applied for and accept the school their child is offered, even if it is not their higher preference school.

If a child is on a waiting list their position may change as applications may be received that have a higher degree of priority under the oversubscription criteria.

There are no specific grounds which are guaranteed to be successful, but you must have compelling reasons for an appeal to succeed.

Commonly used grounds of appeal are: Medical conditions or disabilities; Special educational needs; Difficulties with transport. There is an expectation that a child of secondary school age should be able to walk up to three miles to school, via a safe walking route; Difficulties with childcare provision; Excellent standards or results – attending a school which is perceived to have lower standards or poor exam results is not likely to be considered to meet the legal test for a successful appeal; and,

Aptitude or ability. Admission arrangements for community schools do not make any provision for selection by aptitude, or for pupil banding. All schools are expected to have support in place for pupils of all abilities; therefore the appeal panel will not usually consider your child’s school report or achievements as a compelling reason, unless you feel that there is a specific educational provision only available at the requested school.