Admissions Appeals

Receipt of your appeal form will be acknowledged within seven working days. A statement setting out our case for not offering your child a place at the school concerned is sent to you and the appeals panel at least one week before the appeal date.

Most appeal hearings take place during May, June and July, before children start in September. However, appeals for other year groups are heard throughout the rest of the year but must be heard within 40 school days of receipt of the appeal form.

Whatever your reason for appealing, you should provide in advance as much information in support of your appeal as you can. This might include particular personal circumstances including, for example, medical advice. Please note that the late introduction of evidence on the day of the appeal may cause a delay as all parties need to read the new evidence.

​The appeal will be heard by a panel made up of three people, which includes parents, governors of other schools, teachers, other persons with experience of education and “lay” members (people who have no experience of education). The panel hearing the appeal will introduce themselves to you immediately before the hearing starts. At the hearing the panel will have copies of both the written submission prepared by us and the information which you have provided. A panel member should not normally hear your appeal if he or she knows you directly, is a governor of your preferred school or has been involved in your case previously.

​The section that arranges appeals and sends you an invite letter is called Governance Services, which is independent from Children’s Services. Appeals are held in the Civic Hall in Leeds.

You are told the date and time of your appeal in advance. You will be sent a written statement seven days before your appeal is heard. Any information which you have provided in advance will also be sent to the panel members.

It is important that, wherever possible, you attend the hearing – it is very helpful for the panel hearing your appeal to hear why you want your child to attend a particular school. You can also bring someone to help you make your case, such as a friend, relative or other adviser. You are encouraged to attend appeal hearings although it is possible for an appeal to be heard in your absence if you do not attend.

A representative of the local authority will attend to explain the position. The headteacher of the school might attend to clarify any factual matters about the circumstances at the school.

A clerk is present at all times during the hearing. Their job is to make sure that the correct procedures are followed and that the appeal hearings are carried out fairly. They take notes of the hearing for the use of the panel only, and advise on matters of procedure. They play no part in deciding your appeal and will remain with the panel when they make their decision. At no time will either you or our representative be left alone with the panel.