The appeal hearing

We’ll send a letter inviting you to the hearing at least 10 school days before the date of the appeal.

Provisions have now been made within the School Admission Appeals Code to enable meetings to be held remotely.

You should attend the hearing if you can so that the panel can ask you questions. You can also put your questions to the school or to the Admissions Authority.

If you decide not to attend, the panel will consider your appeal and make a decision without you. If you cannot attend at the time we have arranged, get in touch to rearrange as soon as you can. There will be details of how to do this in your letter.

You can allow a representative or friend to attend alongside you and, if you need an interpreter, you can ask for one when you appeal.

Hearings usually last for around 20 minutes to half an hour and we try to keep them as informal as possible. However, there are certain procedure that we have to follow in line with the School Admissions Appeals Code.  We’ll send you the full details along with your hearing time.

Who is at the hearing?

• you and your representative – if you want one;
• your interpreter - if you need one;
• the appeals panel;
• a clerk to make a record of what happens;
• a presenting officer from the ‘admissions authority’ that made the original decision; and possibly a representative of the school.

The decision is based on:

• your appeals form;
• any evidence you submit;
• an appeals statement for the admissions authority that made the original decision; and
• any evidence submitted by the presenting officer.