The 4 P’s

I just had a really interesting conversation with one of my clients who attended her appeal hearing today.  Luckily she was very well prepared for the hearing unlike the 8 other sets of parents in attendance!  Luckily for them she was able to give the representative from the Local Education Authority (LEA) a run for his money because she had done her homework on the school in question and was able to put out a good case.  She was PREPARED!  Unlike the representative from the LEA who clearly was not.

Prior preparation prevents poor performance!

# National Offer Day

Well, it’s almost here. #national offer day.  In just 2 days’ time you will receive notification of the secondary school place allocated to your child. Hopefully it will be the first on your list but if it’s not what can you do?

1. DON’T PANIC!! Perhaps the school you have been allocated requires a little more investigation/research. Maybe this is not a bad thing after all?

2. APPEAL! You will be given a deadline by which your appeal against the Local Education Authority must be received. Do Not Miss The Deadline! If you request an appeal and then change your mind later, just call the admissions authority and let them know. It’s better to register your appeal and retract it later than miss the deadline!

3. GET SOME HELP! The appeals process is complicated and you have to collate a great deal of information prior to your hearing. The hearing is not simply a case of turning up and stating that it’s not fair. You must have knowledge of PAN numbers, capacity and prejudice. If you think you may need help with your appeal please let me know.  I can help you with various aspects of the process, from explaining what will happen, assistance with drafting statements of appeal or even attending the hearing for you as your representative.

Our children mean everything to us.  How we help them now not only shapes their future but ours too. They are, after all the leaders of the future, the parents of the future and the workforce of the future. Our children’s education is integral to the journey they will take, to the future they will have. If we strive for the best now we will reap the benefit in years to come.

 

Collapse of a private school

A Suffolk private school collapsed last year and the scale of its debts have been revealed by its administrators. Parents wait to see if a sale of the school will produce sufficient to repay lost school fees. Some schools offer discounts for fees paid in advance. However, before taking such a step parents should satisfy themselves that a school is viable. Consider the size and scale of the school. Is it large enough to survive if children leave? Are class sizes stable or reducing? Are its facilities comparable to its competitors? Where is it in league tables? The majority of parents are attracted to excellent facilities and top grades. Does the school you are considering compete successfully in this environment? If it does not, what is it offering instead? A more niche offering is always going to attract fewer pupils. Consider carefully the school’s reputation to date and ask parents of existing pupils to comment upon the leadership and management of the school. Remember, a school may lose its reputation overnight if a catastrophic event occurs. Top management teams will run a tight ship and risk should be reduced accordingly. If the school is operated as a charity, and many are, its accounts will be filed with the Charities Commission and are open to the public. Obtain a copy. If you are unable to interpret them consider asking an accountant to comment. Finally, don’t be afraid to go with your instinct. If the school is looking shabby and class sizes are getting smaller the writing might be on the wall.

National Offer Day

Well everyone, it’s nearly that time of year again.  National Offer Day for High Schools is 1 march.  On that date you will find out if your child has been allocated a place at your 1st choice school so good luck!

Remember, if you don’t get the school you really want you can appeal.  Make sure you get your appeal application to the Local Admissions Authority before the deadline specified on the offer letter.  If you change your mind about making an appeal you can always let the Authority know before the hearing.  Better safe than sorry!

Oversubscribed Primary Schools

Birth rates have been rising over recent years and it looks as though there is no prospect of them dropping for the next few years.  Unfortunately our Primary Schools and the education they give are now suffering and this will only have a knock on effect on secondary education institutions in the future.

The BBC have reported on these worrying issues, please take a look and let me know what you think!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16941765

Acadamies – Good or bad idea

This is an incredibly difficult question and frequently asked of me. The simple fact is that until the system has had a realistic chance to prove itself it’s hard to tell!

Many parents fear Academy status and feel that they are being left behind the schools that are still under the control of the Local Education Authority. This doesn’t appear to be the case. Recent studies have shown that many secondary schools who were suffering under the old system are now flourishing. The Department for Education have said “Academies have already turned around hundreds of struggling secondary schools across the country and are improving their results at twice the national average rate.” and that “Sponsored Academy status will give the school the impetus it needs to raise standards and help pupils meet the national standards for literacy and numeracy.”

My opinion, it seems to be working for many schools but in the end only time will tell!

 

 

 

Time’s Up

The deadline for making applications for the school year beginning September 2012 was at the end of October.  Now all you can do is sit and wait.  This can be an anxious time for all parents, trust me I know!  But if you’re unsure you will be given the place you want this time is really stressful.  Maybe you are just on the edge of catchment or the criteria you qualify under is far down a long list.  Whatever the problem, it is a worrying time and the fear of your child attending a school you do not favour gives great concern to many parents.

What can you do?  Honestly, not much.  It’s a waiting game now but my advice would be to investigate your options just in case the worst happens.  Have a look at your 2nd and 3rd place schools.  Check out their latest OFSTED reports to see how they are performing, maybe it’s not at bad as you think.  Above all, try to be honest with your child without stressing them out!

Parents will be informed of the Local Education Authoritys decision on 1st March 2012.  Only 3 months away but 4 months after the deadline for applications.  Once you have received your decision letter you will have just 10 school days to make an application to appeal.  There are changes being made to the admissions framework at the moment and these hope to increase this deadline to give parents more time to study their options before appealing unnecessarliy.  However, at the moment the deadline for applications is still 10 school days so do not miss this deadline!  If you are not sure you want to appeal but you are seriously considering it, make the application.  You can always cancel it later.

School appeals are a difficult subject and the approach I find most parents go in to an appeal with is “It’s not fair!”.  Although compelling, this approach will not work and you will have to put together a detailed case against the decision of the local authority containing the proper relevant information.  This can be a very tricky and time consuming process, expert advice may be required and if it is please speak to me.  Hopefully I will be able to give you the advice you need to win your appeal and gain the school place you so desperately want.

 

New blog!

Welcome to our new blog.  We are here to help you win your school appeal.  Statistically not all appeals are successful because parents go before the appeal panel without the correct information.   Barker Gotelee can provide you with the right information, giving you  better chance of success.

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