Yes. Every parent has the right to appeal a school admissions decision to an independent appeal panel under the School Admissions Appeals Code. The appeal panel is completely independent of the school and the local authority. You must appeal within the deadline set by the school — usually 20 school days from the date of the refusal letter. The panel must then hold a hearing within 40 school days.

The appeal panel considers two things: first, whether the admissions authority applied its policy correctly; and second, whether the prejudice to your child of not attending the school outweighs the prejudice to the school of admitting one more pupil. Strong grounds include: the school's admissions criteria were not applied correctly, you have a sibling at the school (if this is a criterion), specific educational, social, or medical needs that only this school can meet, or the school is closer to your home than the allocated school.

Yes. If your child has been permanently excluded, you can appeal to an Independent Review Panel (IRP) within 15 school days of being notified of the exclusion. The IRP can uphold the exclusion, recommend reinstatement, or direct the governing body to reconsider. Fixed-term exclusions cannot be appealed to an IRP, but you can request a review by the governing body.

For an admissions appeal: explain the specific grounds for your appeal, include any supporting evidence (medical letters, educational assessments, transport details), and clearly articulate why this particular school is necessary for your child. For an exclusion appeal: address each allegation specifically, provide your child's account, highlight any mitigating factors, and question whether permanent exclusion was a proportionate response.