School Admission Appeals Timetable 2023/2024

In year or immediate entry appeals (outside of the normal round of entry)

Appeals must be lodged within 20 school days of being notified that the application was unsuccessful.

Appeals resulting from in year or immediate entry admission applications outside of the normal round of entry will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.

September 2024 entry 

Appeals resulting from year of entry (Reception) or transfer applications for admission in September 2024 will be heard within 40 school days and according to the following timetable:

Late Applications

For the purposes of an appeal against a decision to refuse admission, an application is a ‘late’ application if:

• it is for the admission of a child to a ‘relevant age group’;
• it is submitted before the first day of the school term of the admission year;
• and the decision relating to the application is not made on or before the national offer date.

The ‘relevant age group’ is the age group at which pupils are or will normally be admitted to the school e.g. reception or year 7 (Section 142 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998).

Appeals arising from late applications must be lodged within 20 school days of being notified that the application was unsuccessful.

In these circumstances appeals will be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals, where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged. 

Late Appeals

 Appeals lodged after the relevant time set out above will be heard within 40 school days of the appeal being lodged. 

For all appeals 

Appellants will be sent notification of their appeal hearing at least 10 clear school days in advance of the hearing.

Appellants will be sent a copy of the school’s case at least 7 clear working days in advance of the hearing.

All papers relating to an appeal will usually be sent to Appeal Panel members at least 5 clear working days prior to the date of the appeal hearing. 

When submitting their appeal appellants should include any documentation on which they wish to rely on with their appeal. 

If an appellant wishes to submit further evidence which was not included with their initial appeal form they must make sure that it is received at least three clear working days prior to the Appeal Hearing date.  Any additional evidence or information received after this date might not be considered at the appeal hearing. The Appeal Panel must decide whether any material not submitted by the specified deadline is to be considered, taking into account its significance and the effect of a possible need to adjourn the hearing.

 Decision letters following an appeal will be sent within 5 school days of the appeal hearing wherever possible.