Appeals

How to appeal a school place decision

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School place appeals

How to appeal a school place decision

School Admissions Code and the School Admissions Appeal Code.

The purpose of these codes is to ensure that the admission appeal panel is independent and that appeals are conducted in a fair, transparent and lawful way.

You are legally entitled to appeal against the admission authority’s decision to refuse a place at your preferred school(s). Accepting a place at an alternative school does not affect your child’s place on the reserve list for your preferred school(s), or your right of appeal.

Your appeal will be heard by an independent school admission appeals panel. The panel's decision is binding on all parties: the school, the admission authority and you.

Timeline for Admissions Appeals for the Academic Year 2025/2026

Infant class size legislation does not allow a place to be offered where there would be more than 30 children in an infant class. This refers to Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes.

In an infant class size appeal, a panel may only uphold the appeal where:
  • The admission of additional children would not breach the infant class size limit
  • The admission arrangements did not comply with admissions law or were not correctly and impartially applied and the child would have been offered a place if the arrangements had complied or had been correctly and impartially applied
  • The decision to refuse admission was not one which a reasonable admission authority would have made in the circumstances of the case.
To begin the appeals process, you will need to complete the appeal form and return it by email to schoolappeals@northumberland.gov.uk.  Alternatively, you can return the form by post:

School Admission Appeals 
Democratic Services
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF

When you complete the appeal form, please give as much information as you can about why you wish to appeal, and provide as much evidence as possible to support your case.
 
If you would like to appeal you can access the school appeal form.

Please note, an appeal form should only be completed if your child has been refused a place at school.  Please read the school appeals guidance before completing the form.
Email: schoolappeals@northumberland.gov.uk
Telephone:  01670 622 611  or  01670 622 616 
 

Become an Independent School Appeal Panel Member

We are looking to recruit volunteers from all walks of life, and as diverse as our County, to become Independent Panel members who hear school appeals.

School appeals are heard in County Hall, Morpeth throughout the year. In the busy summer season of appeals – May to July – panels sit almost every day and so we are looking for volunteers who can offer a few days a year, or perhaps many days a year, during the week, always in term time.

Appeal days usually take place between 9am and 5pm, and you would need to be available for the full day. Mileage is reimbursed and lunch is also provided.
 

The Role

When parents apply for school places (Northumberland gets around 1500 applications each year), a small percentage of them are not offered the school they most want. They can go onto a waiting list for places, and regulations also give them a right to appeal to an independent panel. This panel carefully balance the arguments between why the school cannot admit more children, and why the parent feels that is the right place for their child to go. Only the High Court can overturn the decision of the panel, so it’s an important role and a process we are always keen to improve.

Appeals are held with the panel of 3 or 5 sitting in person in County Hall, Morpeth. Parents and school representatives have the opportunity to attend in person.
 

The training

Full training is provided, and new panel members would sit alongside more experienced panel members as they learn and grow in confidence in the role.

Each panel has a clerk, whose role is to oversee each hearing. They ensure a fair and equitable process is followed as well as advise the panel on legislation should this be required.

Panels must be made up of someone with an education background, and someone without, so we really do welcome interest whatever your background. However, Panel members cannot be employees of the Council.
 

What's next?

if you are a good listener, able to see both points of view, and be part of making the right decision then please contact us to find out more. We are happy to talk more about the role, answer all of your questions, and arrange for you to observe a panel in action so you can see what is involved.

If you would like more information on the role, please contact Rebecca at SchoolAppeals@Northumberland.gov.uk If you would like to apply, please fill out our school appeals panel member application form.

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