So is there actually an enormous variation within the timing of holidays amongst your local schools- e.g. is there one which operates something like a five term system, and that is the school that you will most likely find you have been allocated? 'If my DC has to go to a different school from their siblings, one of the schools might change its holiday timings and that woukd be difficult to cope with' really isn't an argument.If it agrees holidays outside the normal LA holidays that will cause issues with our other children being at a LA school not an academy
Surely I should highlight these.
It isn’t stating the school is bad it is stating it doesn’t work as well for our situation.
If it doesn’t have a sixth form.
Sixth form: year 12 in the state system is a new formal point of entry, so although schools with a sixth form can give preference to as many of its own year 11s who meet the published minimum entry requirements if it wants (e.g. minimum 50 points from best 8 GCSEs with English Language and Maths at at least a 5 and subjects to be studied at A level at least a 7 / a simple 5 subjects at grades 4 - 9, or whatever), there will be grammar school year 11s who fail to meet their own school's requirements and non-selective-and-no-sixth-form school year 11s who do more than well enough to move to a grammar school for their post-16 studies. Lots of pupils change place of study at this point in their educational career. So again, not something to make a huge thing of. It's really too far in the future.
I also agree with scary mum that very little should be made of the mocks taken - and certainly not a lot of detail of each one. If your DC took a mock exam which was 'approved' by the school (e.g. set up by the school's own PTA, with input from tbe school itself, and run in the same way, with papers verified to be offered the same standard as the real test(s)), then perhaps mention that / those.
The independent appeal panel must, and will, read everything that a parent submits. For the main round for a popular school, a single panel may be hearing 20 / 30 / 40-odd appeals and must give the same attention to each one. You have a right to expect this, and of course, your concern is what you believe is best for your DC, not for the panel, but it would be sensible to consider how to make your submission as easy to (as my father used to say, quoting Thomas Cranmer, I believe) read, mark, learn and inwardly digest as possible. 50+ pages is definitely 'on the fringe' as an appeal submission; are you sure that every item actually speaks succinctly for your DC?
Statistics: Posted by ToadMum — Wed Feb 26, 2025 6:30 pm