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School Admission Appeals

Contact our specialist education law solicitors today to see how we can help you.  Speak to one of our team on 01633 240743 or click the ‘Contact us’ button to send us an email and one of our lawyers will call you back at a time to suit you.

How can we help?

Our school admissions solicitors appreciate that you will want the very best for your child. We understand that it can be extremely disappointing for your child not to be offered a place at your preferred school of choice.

Our education law team understands that the process can be stressful and time consuming. Watkins & Gunn appreciates that you will want the very best for your child and a preferred choice of school will be in the best interests of your child. Our education law experts can therefore look to support your appeal in order to obtain a place at your preferred choice of school.

Can I appeal my school admission case?

If your child has not obtained a place at your preferred school, you can appeal. An appeal will need to be made swiftly as parents are usually given 20 school days from the date of rejection to send their written appeal. The rejection letter will explain why your child was not offered a place at the school and explain that you will be able to challenge the decision through an appeal.

Our education law solicitors can help you to draft the written grounds of appeal to support your case. We will review whether the correct processes were followed and set down robust grounds of appeal. A school will typically argue that any additional students will “prejudice” the efficient education or use of resources. Our admission lawyers will ask for information or documentation to uncover whether the prejudice does in fact exist.

Our specialist education law experts will listen to you to ensure that all possible points are put across in support of your case. We understand that there may be numerous reasons that can be put forward to support your case that you may not have considered.

There are several different reasons which could support your school admissions appeal and we will look at all possible grounds to give you the best possible chance of success. Our education lawyers will consider what information, documentation and evidence that you need to support your school admissions appeal.

What happens at a school admissions appeal hearing?

After you have submitted your written appeal, a hearing with an independent panel will be arranged to hear your case. This will be your opportunity to present your case, ask any questions and also you may need to answer any questions the panel have of you.

There are two stages to these hearings, so it is important to be prepared and know what arguments should be presented at what stage. Our education law solicitors are experienced advocates and have attended numerous hearings. We will therefore provide you with our knowledge and expertise of attending these hearings and can of course help you during the hearing.

Our school admissions appeal solicitors appreciate that parents may not have attended these types of hearings before. Attending a hearing in front of a panel can be extremely stressful, so our dedicated education lawyers can attend hearings with you to provide representations and support. It is important to know what to say during these hearings as Panels appreciate compliance with the order of the hearing and also will expect concise and relevant submissions.

What can I do if my appeal is unsuccessful?

If you have progressed an appeal yourself which was unsuccessful, there are a number of options following the outcome letter including:

  • Complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsmen (LGSCO)
  • Complaint to Education Skills and Funding Agency (ESFA)
  • Judicial Review

Our expert education law specialists are experienced practitioners who can provide you with impartial advice and help to draft a robust complaint. Watkins & Gunn are experienced in the world of judicial review and are dedicated to helping students and parents – see more here.

Why instruct our school admissions appeal solicitors?

The process of preparing an appeal and attending a hearing in front of a panel can be extremely stressful and intimidating. The panel members are usually highly experienced and well versed with admissions law, so it is essential that you are in receipt of expert advice.

Our education law solicitors are experienced in handling school admissions appeals from start to end, so we give you the reassurance and experience you need to bring a robust appeal.

Seeking help from our specialist education law team will mean that all potential grounds are covered to assist you in making a successful appeal.

We offer the following services:

  • Advice and written submissions
  • Representation at the hearing

Our education law solicitors can robustly set out your case from the beginning in writing and follow up with strong representations at the hearing.

Our education law specialists will listen to you and put forward your points in a concise and logical matter whilst also referring to the application legislation. We take away the legal jargon in providing you expert advice whilst also ensuring that the panel are aware of your legal position and relevant law.

Please contact us on 01633 240743 or by e-mail educationlaw@watkinsandgunn.co.uk to discuss how our education solicitors can help you.

We offer an initial free consultation during which we will explain (a) how we can help and (b) provide an estimate of costs.