Outline of the two-stage appeal process for year groups 3 to 11
If you are appealing for a place for your child in year groups 3 to 11 (or year groups reception, 1 or 2 where there are not 30 pupils in a class), your appeal will follow the 2-stage process.
The presenting officer will present the case of the admitting authority, explaining why a place could not be offered for your child at your preferred school.
You and the panel may question the presenting officer on what has been said.
The panel will, separately from any other party except the clerk, consider whether the admission arrangements comply with the School Admissions Code the School Standards & Framework Act 1998, whether arrangements were correctly and impartially applied and whether additional children would ‘prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources.’
If the panel decides that the arrangements did not comply or were not correctly applied in your case, or that the year group is not full, the hearing will not go on any longer.
If yours is the only appeal for the school, your child will be admitted and the hearing will conclude at Stage 1.
Where there are multiple appeals for the same school and some but not all of the applicants could be admitted, the hearing would move to stage 2 to consider which children should be admitted.
You will be invited to present your case independently of any other parents who are appealing and explain why you are appealing against the admitting authority’s decision.
You should mention all the reasons why you feel the school you are appealing for is the best option for your child, and what extenuating factors justify your child getting a place even though the panel has agreed that there was a good reason for turning you down.
You should include all relevant information and where possible provide supporting written evidence with your written application. Remember everything you say is confidential and it is important that the panel fully understands your reasons for appealing!
The panel and presenting officer may question you about what you have said.
All parents will be interviewed individually before any final decisions on admission are made.