I have been refused a place at my preferred school, what can I do?

If you have applied for a place at a community or voluntary controlled school, the Local Authority (LA) must tell you in writing and give you the right to appeal. The Admission Officer can be contacted on 526605.

If you have applied for a place at a voluntary-aided (church) school, the admissions authority (governing body of the school) must tell you in writing and give you the right to appeal.

How do I appeal against a school placement refusal ?

Primary and Secondary - You must make your appeal in writing by completing one of our appeal forms. Details will be given in your letter on who to ring for an appeal form with a date that it needs to be returned. You must return your form within the timescales indicated on your letter which tells you that you have not been offered a place at your preferred school.

If you do not send your appeal into the Local Authority within this time you may lose your right of appeal, unless there is a good reason.

What do I need to include in my appeal against a school placement refusal?

Think about the reasons for not giving your child a place, then:

Explain why you are not satisfied with the decision.
Say why you think your child should have a place in the school.
If you feel that the Governors or the Education Services have not followed the right process, tell them about this.
If there has been a significant change in your circumstances since you originally applied. It is always helpful to provide any evidence to support this.

What happens after I have sent in my appeal against a school placement refusal?

The governors or the LA will consider your reasons for appeal and they will decide whether there are exceptional circumstances which they were not originally made aware of, or if a mistake has been made.

If this was the case, they would then look again at whether it was appropriate to admit your child to the school.

If there is no change then they will organise with the Borough's Law & Democracy Services to arrange an appeal hearing.

Who do I contact if I have any questions about the convening of the appeal hearing against a school placement refusal?

The Borough's Democratic Services on 524990.

Who will hear my appeal against a school placement refusal?

The appeal panel consists of at least three members, who must be independent of the admissions authority and have taken no part in making the original decision on a place for your child.

Will I be able to attend the appeal against a school placement refusal hearing?

Yes, it is in your interests for you to attend to give your case to the appeal panel. If you want to you can take a friend with you or someone who can speak on your behalf.

If you are not able to attend, the panel will hear your case on the evidence that you have submitted with your appeal form or letter.

Who will be at a hearing against a school placement refusal?

At least 3 appeal panel members.
The clerk to the hearing - who will give legal advice to the panel and ensure that the correct procedure is followed.
The person presenting the case for the governing body or the LA and anyone they decide to take with them e.g. the Headteacher of the school concerned.

What happens after the appeal against a school placement refusal?

The panel will make a decision about your appeal, and probably others, usually the same day (depending on the number of appeals).

The clerk to the hearing will write to you to let you know the outcome within one or two days. A more detailed report will be sent to you later which will explain how the panel came to their decision.

If I am unsuccessful with my appeal against a school placement refusal, can I appeal again?

Not in the same academic year unless there has been a significant change in your circumstances. These could be such things as moving house or medical reasons which have arisen since the time of the original application.

Can I put my childs name on a waiting list?

Yes, the LA will put your childs name on a waiting list for Community Schools. You will need to contact the VA School direct to see if they are holding a waiting list. You can get more information about this by contacting the Admissions Officer on 01642 526605. If during the the time your child's name is on the waiting list a school place becomes available the Admission Officer will contact you.

Is there any other course of action if my appeal against a school placement refusal fails?

You could make a complaint to the following:

The Local Government Ombudsman if you think the admissions authority or the appeal panel has mismanaged your admission application or appeal.

The Local Government Ombudsman can only look at administration issues such as too long a delay or incorrect procedures being followed.

The Local Government Ombudsman is situated at:

Beverley House
17 Shipton Road
York YO30 5FZ

Tel: 01904 380200 or you can submit it online at www.lgo.org.uk

The Secretary of State who cannot review the decisions of individual appeal panels but can look at:

Whether the admissions authority has set up the appeal panel correctly.
Whether the admissions authority has acted reasonably in the appeal process.

If the authority failed to set up the appeal panel properly, he or she could order that another panel be set up.

Can I get more detailed information about appeals against a school placement refusal?

Yes, there is a booklet on our website. Or by ringing: (01642) 526605 and we can post one out.

Or emailing: schooladmissions@stockton.gov.uk

You may find it useful to contact the Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) - An independent national advice centre for parents of children in state schools. They offer information and advice on state education, including on admission appeals. They can be contacted by texting: APPEAL to 68808 or through their website www.ace-ed.org.uk