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Admissions Appeals

Although you do not have the right to choose exactly which school your child should attend, you are entitled to be consulted and to appeal to an independent appeal panel if your child is not allocated a place at the school of your choice. Where you should make your appeal and when varies, depending on what type of school you are applying for, but the letter you receive about your child’s place should set out what you need to do next.

In all cases your appeal will be heard by an independent panel. They will decide initially whether the school can show that putting an extra child into the year group in question would adversely affect the education of the others or the resources of the school, for example if classrooms physically cannot take another child. If this can be shown, they will have to look at how serious the adverse effects are on the school and its pupils and balance those against how important it is for your child to attend that school. Once they have carried out this balancing exercise, they will decide whether or not to award a place, On the whole, unless your child wants to go into an infant class, it is much harder for schools and local authorities to show that they cannot take an extra child if you are seeking a place outside the normal years of entry into reception or year 7.We can help with lodging an appeal, putting your case in writing to the panel and help you decide on the best arguments to put forward in support of your appeal. We can even represent you at the hearing if you wish however this service is not covered by legal aid even if you are financially eligible.

Although you cannot appeal against a decision of an independent appeal panel just because you don’t like their decision, if you believe that the meeting was not conducted properly or the panel made a mistake in law, we can advise on the decision and whether further action can be taken. In addition if you are not given a right to appeal when you are entitled to one we can help get this and if necessary look into Judicial Review.

Click here to view our Admission Appeals Charges.

To find out more about how we can help you, please contact Maxwell Gillott Solicitors.