Making Your Appeal
To make an appeal (Community and Voluntary Controlled
schools only) we have provided an
electronic School appeals form to allow you to submit on line
or alternatively contact the authority on 0300 123
5012. You must also state the 'grounds'
on which your appeal is based. This means your appeal statement
should set out your reasons for seeking a place at your preferred
school. With infant class appeals the grounds are limited to:
- The child would have been offered a place if the admission
procedures had been properly implemented.
- The child would have been offered a place if the arrangements
had not been contrary to mandatory provisions in the School
Admissions Code and the School Standards and Framework Act
1998.
- The decision not to offer a place at the school was not one a
reasonable local authority would make in the circumstances of
the case.
You should consider when preparing your appeal whether to
include copies of any supporting documentation. These are some
examples of documentation that might support or corroborate
statements in your appeal:
- letters or statements from doctors, other health professionals
or social workers stating why your child must attend this
particular school;
- in circumstances where a change of address is relevant to your
appeal, letters or statements from a solicitor (or others)
confirming a change of address.
All supporting documentation must be provided at least 5
working days before the appeal. If you submit additional
information during the appeal, the presenting officer from the
Local Authority may seek an adjournment from the panel. In certain
instances this might require the hearing continuing on another
day.
You should return your completed appeal form, together with any
documentation to the School Admissions Service.
The School Admissions Service will acknowledge receipt of
your form and will send your documentation to Democratic
Services who will make the necessary arrangements. A copy of your
appeal documentation will also be provided to the presenting
officer, who, together with the school, will prepare a written
response to your appeal, which will be sent to you no later than
seven days before the hearing.
For appeals against decisions on applications to voluntary
aided, foundation, academy and free schools, you must
contact the school to request an appeal form, which must then
be returned to the school.
