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The Secondary School Admission Appeals Process Explained
For many children and parents in the UK, the transition from primary school to secondary school education is an exciting time.
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You don’t need a Lawyer to make a school admissions appeal, but getting legal advice from someone who specialises in Education Law will obviously have its benefits.
The school admissions appeal process is designed to be parent-friendly, but as this will probably be your first appeal, give yourself the best chance of winning with the help of our Education Lawyers who have years of experience in advising and representing parents.
Our specialist Education Lawyers can work with you to ensure that your appeal is as strong as possible so that you and your child will be more likely to get the outcome you want. Get in touch today for legal advice on the School Admissions Appeals process.
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While thousands of parents go through the school admissions appeal process every year, many of these appeals fail. This is partly because lots of parents don’t know all the ins and outs of the process, the factors that will be taken into account, the arguments most likely to support an appeal, or what they should say on the day of the hearing.
And how could you, if this is the first time you’ve ever made an appeal to the Independent Appeal Panel (IAP)?
You can read some advice on what to do if your child didn’t get a place at their preferred school. While this talks you through the process step by step, it’s important to remember that this advice is only on the general appeals process and isn’t personalised to you and your child.
Some appeals are more complicated than others and this will differ from case to case.
4.5 out of 5 based off 2587 reviewsWhen you contact one of our Education Lawyers for help, we will always tailor our legal advice to your personal situation and submit evidence that is specific to your child and the school. This is really important as an appeal will not succeed based on general information alone.
Here are some other benefits of using an Education Lawyer for a school admissions appeal:
There are several steps to making an appeal and the hearing involves 2 stages which might be on different days depending on how popular the school is. Our Education Lawyers have followed this process time and time again, so we know exactly what needs to be submitted and what is expected in each hearing.
Not only will you need to submit the appeals form, but you’ll also have to send more evidence before the hearing which is likely to include written arguments against the school’s case, and it’s a good idea to prepare questions for the IAP. As you’ll only have one shot at the appeals process per academic year, we can make sure evidence is as strong and specific as possible, and the questions you ask will help your case.
The hearing should be arranged within 40 school days, and should take place before the end of the academic year. That doesn’t give you much time to research and prepare when you may also be working and have other life commitments. This is our job, so we will dedicate the time to making sure the appeal you submit is as strong as possible.
We often see that parents focus on how good the school is, but you really need to explain why your child needs to go there. The IAP also want to see an understanding of the School Admissions Code and its requirements, which an Education Lawyer will have extensive knowledge of. We can help you get a concise and appropriate set of reasons for appealing together, and we’ll be on your side throughout.
The appeals process is time-consuming and can be emotionally draining for parents. We understand how difficult it can be and our main aim is always to take as much stress off you as possible and work in your child’s best interests for their education needs.
Some parents will just contact us for initial legal advice and others will ask their Education Lawyer to complete the appeals process from start to finish.
Either way, we are happy to offer our expertise to help you through this stressful time. We understand that your child’s school is vital to their learning and development and we will work hard to make sure they get into their preferred choice.
For many children and parents in the UK, the transition from primary school to secondary school education is an exciting time.
If your child has been excluded from a mainstream or academy school, there are several steps you can take.
It's no secret that school exclusions are on the rise across England and Wales. From allegations of bad behaviour to informal exclusions, schools are finding different ways of excluding students including some that they don't necessarily want to keep.
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