School admissions appeals

Primary and secondary information

Primary

Can I appeal if my child is refused a place?
If you are refused a place at one or more of your preferred primary schools, the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 gives you the right to appeal against the decision. There is no right of appeal for applications to nursery schools or nursery classes. The law states that infant class sizes cannot be above 30 pupils, so appeals panels can only allow an additional pupil into reception in exceptional circumstances, ie if they decide that:

• your child would have been offered a place if the admission arrangements had been properly implemented;
• the admission policy for the school was not compliant with the government’s School Admissions Code and this meant that your child was not offered a place; and/or 
• the decision to refuse admission was not one which a reasonable admission authority would have made in the circumstances of the case.

You can pick up the appeal form for Hammersmith & Fulham community schools by visiting us (contact details on rear cover) or direct from the school. We must receive your appeal form by 13 April 2012 at the latest. Failure to appeal by this date may result in your appeal not being heard. For any voluntary aided school, free school or academy appeal you will need to contact the school direct to find out its own appeal arrangements.

If you decide to appeal, it is vital that you still accept an offer of a place at another school, as there is no guarantee the appeal will succeed. Accepting this place will not prejudice the outcome of your appeal.

Primary schools appeals timetable
*Applies to Addison, Avonmore, Bentworth, Brackenbury, The Phoenix Canberra schools federation, Flora Gardens, Fulham, Greenside, Kenmont, Langford, Lena Gardens, Melcombe, Miles Coverdale, New Kings, Normand Croft, Old Oak, Queens Manor, Sir John Lillie, Sulivan, Wendell Park, and Wormholt Park schools only**

• Deadline to lodge appeals: 18 May 2012 
• Deadline for additional evidence to be submitted: 1 June 2012 
• Deadline for admission authority statements: 10 June 2012 
• Deadline for clerk to send appeal papers: 17 June 2012*
• Deadline for on-time appeals to be heard: 20 July 2012*

*The date of appeal hearings for the above schools will vary, according to the school. The timetable has been set to ensure that appellants receive notification of the date of the appeal hearing 10 clear school days before it takes place, and that all parties are sent all papers five clear school days before the hearing. We will be able to advise parents on the exact date of any hearing after the deadline for appeals; we anticipate all hearings taking place in late June.

See the Starting School booklet for more detail, including the admissions criteria for our community schools, voluntary aided schools and academy. For further information or advice call the admissions team on 020 8753 3643 or 2627 or 3628 or 3664.

Secondary

Under the terms of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, you have the right to appeal to an independent panel for a place at a school where you have been refused a place for your child. If this school is a voluntary aided school, free school or academy, you must contact that school for details of how to appeal. For community schools, contact the admissions section at the local authority. Any places won on appeal are in addition to the published admissions number for the school. 

It is important that you that you visit the individual school websites to see the specific admissions criteria for any voluntary aided school, free school or academy for which you are considering applying.

Secondary schools appeals timetable
**Applies to on-time appeals for Hurlingham and Chelsea, Fulham Cross and Henry Compton, and Phoenix High Schools only**

• Deadline to lodge appeals: 27 April 2012
• Deadline for additional evidence to be submitted: 15 May 2012
• Deadline for admission authority Statements: 20 May 2012
• Deadline for clerk to send appeal papers: 3 June 2012*
• Deadline for on-time appeals to be heard: 27 June 2012*

*The date of appeal hearings for the above schools will be set according to the number of appeals received. The timetable has been set to ensure that appellants receive notification of the date of the appeal hearing 10 clear school days before it takes place, and that all parties are sent all papers five clear school days before the hearing. We will be able to advise parents on the exact date of any hearing after the deadline for appeals.

• More details about community schools admissions criteria