Appeal a school decision

You have the right to appeal the refusal of a place at any of the schools that you listed on your application form.

You can appeal at any time during the school year. However, you need to make your appeal by the deadlines below so that if your appeal is successful, your child can take up their place at the start of the academic year. 

An independent panel will hear your appeal. The panel will be made up of people who have experience in education and people without personal experience of school management or education provision. The panel’s decision is final. 

How to appeal 

Only complete the online appeals form for:

• Islington community schools (schools we manage directly)
• City of London Academy Highgate Hill
• City of London Primary Academy, Islington
• William Tyndale Primary School.

Appeal now

For voluntary aided, free schools and other academies

Contact the school to make your appeal. Find contact details for Islington schools.

Schools outside Islington              

Contact the local authority where the school is located or the school itself to make an appeal.

What happens after you make your appeal 

Your appeal will be considered by an independent panel, who must consider whether: 

• admission arrangements for the school comply with the legal requirements of the School Admissions Code and part 3 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998
• admission arrangements were correctly and impartially applied  
• the decision to refuse admission was unreasonable given the circumstances of the case.

The panel must then decide whether the admission of additional children would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources. 

The appeal panel's decision will not be influenced by you accepting a place at another school. 

Class size 

Reception, year one and year two classes must not contain more than 30 pupils with a single school teacher. 

Where a child has been refused a place because of a concern that the class would be too large, an appeal panel can only offer them a place if it is satisfied that either:

• the child would have been offered a place if the admission arrangements had been properly implemented
• the child would have been offered a place if the arrangements had not been contrary to mandatory provisions in the School Admissions Code and the School Standards and Framework Act (SSFA) 1998
• the decision to refuse admission was not one which a reasonable admission authority would have made in the circumstances of the case.

Timetables

Secondary school admissions 

Timetable for appeals for secondary transfer admission (11+) in September 2025 to Islington community schools. 

• 3 March 2025: you'll get an offer by email in the evening.
• 4 April 2025: deadline for appeal forms to be submitted.
• Appeal hearings to be held in the Summer Term (May/June 2025).

Primary school admissions 

Timetable for appeals for primary reception admission in September 2025 to community schools.

• 16 April 2025: you'll get an offer by email in the evening.
• 23 May 2025: deadline for appeal forms to be submitted.
• Appeal hearings to be held in June/July 2025.

If you have been refused a place at a voluntary aided school or academy, get an appeal form directly from the school. Each school will publish their own arrangements for appeals.

In-year admissions 

Appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being made.

More advice

If you would like independent advice about making an appeal you can contact Coram Children's Legal Centre. It offers free advice on the admissions process and a range of education issues, including bullying, exclusion, SEN and attendance. 

Coram Children's Legal Centre

Email: info@CoramCLC.org.uk

Phone: 020 7713 0089, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm