The appeals process should be set out in the admission letter
from your local authority. The letter will also specify a deadline
by which the appeal must be made.
If the deadline is already looming then do not panic, you only
need to send in the school appeal form stating that you wish to
make an appeal at this point. You are able to submit your actual
case after the deadline.
After you send your school appeal form, your admissions
authority will contact you and let you know the date of the
hearing. You should be given at least 10 days notice so that you
have time to prepare your case.
The panel at the hearing will only consider cold, hard facts
when deciding whether to uphold your appeal or not, they will not
be swayed by emotional arguments. So in the time before the hearing
consider all the grounds on why your child should be offered a
place at the preferred school. Remember you will need to back these
grounds up with documentation.
Grounds on which you can appeal and how to support
them
Compatibility: Inspect the
school's prospectus or Ofsted report and find evidence that
highlights why that school is more compatible to your child than
the one they were offered, e.g. your child excels at a musical
instrument or at a sport, and that school specialises in that
field. Show grades/awards to support this.
Social conditions: For example. if
your child was bullied at their previous school and they have been
allocated the same school as the bully. Provide statements from
teachers or photographic evidence of any injuries inflicted.
Medical Conditions: For example,
your child suffers from a medical condition so they must go to
school nearer to home or your work, or that the school offers the
best (or only) facilities to cater for the condition. You will need
to get a statement from a doctor or medical consultant to support
this.
Admissions criteria: One of the
strongest grounds for appeal is if you can show that the admission
authority's decision did not follow the admission criteria. The
School Admissions Code has introduced mandatory rules to ensure
that admission criteria are clear, fair and objective. Carefully
check to see if the criteria for rejecting your child were
lawful.
Other grounds may include: The
school is within walking distance whereas the allocated school will
be difficult to get to and from each day; you follow the ethos of
the school; all your child's friends go to the school.
The hearing
School appeal hearings are heard by an independent panel made up
of three to five members of the public.
They will first hear the reasons why your child was rejected
from their first choice school from the admission authority. If
they decide that the admission authority was correct then they will
listen to your appeal.
State your grounds for the appeal - why the school is right for
your child and what special circumstances there are that justify
your child being awarded a place. Submit all your supporting
evidence and documentation.
Remember to present your appeal politely and calmly. If you
appear rude and disruptive this will obviously not reflect well on
your child! Do not act too emotional; stay focused and keep to the
facts.
Bear in mind that there will be other parents appealing for the
same place but if you keep your appeal precise and back up
everything you say with facts, you will stand a good chance.
The panel's decision is binding and can only be overturned by
the courts. If you are not happy with the way the appeal process
was carried out by the admission authority and panel, then contact
your Local Government Ombudsman. They cannot overturn the decision
but can recommend a new appeal.
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