School Admission Appeal Solicitors

Like any formal process, school admission procedures can work well for you or be a source of contention, frustration or disappointment. We are here to help if you have not been able to secure the school place of your choice. Get in touch today. We offer a fixed fee initial consultation with our team to discuss your needs and see how we can help.

We only act on behalf of children, students and their parents. We do not act on behalf of schools, colleges or universities.

Please note that we are only able to take on cases on a privately paying basis. If you are unable to privately fund your case or you are looking for general guidance on what actions you can take to protect you or your child’s education rights, you can contact Citizens Advice.

In many situations, primary school admissions and secondary school admissions can be a source of extreme stress and can potentially derail a well-planned academic future. You will have worked hard to ensure your child attends the best school for them, the school of your choice, and therefore you deserve a successful outcome to your application for a school place.

If you have not secured the school place of our choice, you can arrange a fixed fee initial consultation with one of our specialist expert education solicitors. We can also represent you at a school admission appeal hearing.

School Admission Appeal

It is vital that you are able to address the key issues, to maximise your chances of a successful school admission appeal. If time is a factor, legal representation from expert education solicitors is essential. There is only short period of time to appeal a school appeal decision, so do not delay taking action.

Although the education admission authority must give you at least 20 school days to make your school admission appeal, this time will quickly pass by and as careful thought needs to be given to the structure and content of a school admission appeal, it is likely to be sensible to take expert legal advice promptly.

When you are informed of the decision to refuse your child a place at the School of your choice, you will be advised the reason for the refusal and given information about your right of appeal, including the deadline for the school admission appeal and where your appeal must be sent. Your appeal must be in writing and thus care and thought should be given to the content of your appeal.

Once the admission appeal has been submitted parents will be given at least 10 school days notice of the hearing of the appeal. Once the appeal has been heard, a decision letter will be sent to parents, usually within five school days.

How we can help

At IBB Law, our expert education law specialists can assist with all elements of the academic schools admissions appeal process. This includes, but not limited to:

• Advising on your legal options and guidance
• Advising on time frames
• Drafting Grounds of Appeal Documentation
• Reviewing your documents and assisting with supporting documentation
• Providing formal representation at the appeal hearing

Unfortunately, while all families are allowed to express a preference for their child, there is no hard-and-fast guarantee that allows that preference to be honoured.

We provide expert and tailored guidance for your school admission appeal, giving you the best chance of securing for your child the place they need for their education and future.

We offer a fixed fee initial consultation with our team to discuss your needs and see how we can help. If we can help you with a school admission appeal, we will advise you at the conclusion of the initial consultation meeting of the likely work involved, the timescale and the likely cost. We aim to provide certainty over the costs involved.

We specialise in helping children, students and their parents. We do not act on behalf of schools, colleges or universities in respect of school admission appeals.

We will give you step by step guidance to help you through the school admission appeal process.

Initial Fixed Fee Consultation

If you want to know more about how we can help with school admission appeals, please contact our education law senior administrator, Rachael, on 01895 207230 or email  educationteam@ibblaw.co.uk    Rachael will arrange an initial consultation, at a fixed fee, with one of our expert education solicitors, who spend 100% of their day working for children, students and their parents on a range of education disputes.

How our education law specialists can help with school admissions appeals

Infant Class Appeals

Infant class appeals are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Schools are legally required not to exceed 30 children in a class.  However, there are exceptions to this rule, but to overcome the default position of no more than 30 children, requires well thought out legal argument.

In-Year Admissions

Moving between schools mid-year is common and admissible in a number of situations. If an admissions request is refused due to the school being full, parents are able to exercise their right of appeal.

Secondary School Appeals

Transfer procedures open up a range of options when it comes to formulating arguments and undertaking formal appeals. This will involve addressing the issue of potential prejudice and factor in resource allocation.  Submissions require careful crafting to maximise your prospects of dealing with the secondary school appeals process.

SSEN Adjacent Appeals

If a child is subject to a Statement of Special Education Needs (SSEN) or an Educational Health and Care plan (EHCP) and is not allocated a place, you have the potential to appeal to a First Tier Tribunal instead of an school admissions appeal panel. Securing specialised, legal advice for this process is highly recommended.

Common questions about school admissions appeals

What can you do if your child does not get into their choice of school?

If your child does not secure the school place of your choice, it is important to take the following steps.

• Do not panic. There is a formal process available to address your specific issue. Bringing extra stress into the situation will only be counterproductive. We can take you through the school admission appeal process, step by step.
• Take time to clarify your issue with the admission authority and ask to be provided with all relevant documentation, ie information upon which their decision was based.
• Look into the options available to support you with your case.

If issues do arise during admissions, families are able to make appeals to a relevant Independent Appeal Panel (IAP) for your area.

Read our blog ‘What to do if you are unhappy with your child’s school offer’.

We can answer your school admission appeal questions. Get in touch with us today to speak to our expert education solicitors.

• How to appeal school admissions?;
• What to say at a school admission appeal?;
• Can you appeal a school admission decision?:
• How to write a school admission appeal letter?;
• How to win a school admission appeal?;
• How to appeal school admissions?:
• How to write a successful school admission appeal?:
• What is the schools admissions appeal process?
• When can you appeal a school place?:
• What happens after a school admission appeal?:

Get clear legal advice and support for school admissions appeals

If you want to know more about how we can help with school admissions appeals, for specific guidance relevant to your situation and to arrange an initial fixed fee education law consultation, as well as representation at the appeal hearing, please contact our education law senior administrator, Rachael, on 01895 207230 or email  educationteam@ibblaw.co.uk  Contact our team of experts education solicitors.