If your child is not allocated a place at the school you prefer you have the right to appeal. The letter you receive telling you that the admission has been refused will contain some information on how to appeal.
How do I make an appeal?
If you wish to appeal against an admission decision and appeal for a place at a community, voluntary aided, trust or foundation school or academy please complete the appropriate appeal form for the school and return it to the address stated on the appeal form. However, please be aware that some foundation, trust and voluntary aided schools and academies may have different arrangements for making an appeal.
To request a form please get in touch with the Contact Centre on tel: 0300 500 80 80 or 01623 434993 for Mincom users.
There are 2 appeal forms. Please check which school year the appeal is for:-
• In year transfer [PDF] - This is to be used if you are appealing for a school place before 23 July 2013.
• Intake year 13/14 [PDF] - This appeal form must be completed if you are appealing for a school place on or after 4 September 2013.
You will be sent an appeal form and the relevant guidance notes. Please complete the appeal form in black ink and return it as soon as possible.
You are advised to read the guidance notes carefully before making a decision whether to proceed with an appeal. Please note that there are guidance notes for Key Stage 1 appeals (reception, year 1 and reception) [PDF] and there are separate guidance notes for all other year groups guidance [PDF]. If you need any advice about your appeal or filling in the form, please contact Democratic Services on tel: 0115 9773141 / 9772483 / 9773887.
For appeals during the 2013/14 admissions round, you should return your completed form by 14 May 2013 for a Primary School (Reception) and Infant to Junior transfer and 16 April 2013 for a Secondary School (Year 7).
For other appeals, such as transfers and in-year admissions, please return your form within 4 weeks of the date of your refusal letter. These appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.
Appeals Timetable – 2013/14 Admissions Round
Secondary
Offer Date: 1 March 2013
Deadline for lodging appeals: 16 April 2013 (appeals received after this deadline will be heard within 40 school days of the deadline where possible or within 30 school days from the date of receipt)
Deadline for hearing on-time appeals: 19 June 2013
Primary
Offer Date: 12 April 2013
Deadline for lodging appeals: 14 May 2013 (appeals received after this deadline will be heard within 40 school days where possible or within 30 school days of the date of receipt)
Deadline for hearing on-time appeals: 16 July 2013
Appealing for more than one school
You may appeal for more than one school, although this will mean you will have to attend one or more appeal hearings on different days.
How much notice of the appeal hearing date will I have?
Letters notifying parents of appeal dates and times are sent out in line with statutory guidance. These letters will be sent at least 10 school days in advance of the hearing (unless you have agreed to a shorter period than this). If you lodge appeals for more than one school, you will get a separate date for each appeal, which could be some weeks apart.
What happens after I return my appeal form?
Appeals are received from many parents/guardians throughout the County. Appeals are processed as quickly as possible.
If you do not attend your appeal hearing at the notified time and it is not reasonably practical to offer another hearing date, your appeal will be dealt with using the information available, including the information submitted in your appeal form.
If you wish to submit any further information other than that which you included with your appeal form, we ask that this is sent to us 10 days prior to your hearing. This is to enable this additional information to be included in the final pack of papers for your hearing, giving the Panel and the authority the opportunity to consider the information in advance of the hearing. Please note that if significant information is received after this deadline we may have to adjourn your hearing to a later date.
Decision letters are sent within five school days of the hearing wherever possible.
What if I have a disability?
Do please let us know if you have any disabilities and need assistance. We will try and meet these as far as is possible.
How do I appeal to an academy, voluntary aided/foundation school?
The majority of these appeals are handled independently of the Local Authority and you should contact the Chair of the Governing Body or the head teacher of the school concerned. For other types of schools you will need to know which local authority maintains the school.
For further information please contact Nottinghamshire County Council on tel: 0300 500 80 80, or 01623 434993 for minicom users.
Useful information
Advisory Centre for Education (ACE)
The Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) is an independent national education advice centre which provides information on the education system.
Website www.ace-ed.org.uk
Department for Education (DfE)
The Department’s website is www.education.gov.uk
