If you apply for a place at a school for your child, and you are not offered a place you have the right to appeal.
You may wish to ask your child’s primary head teacher or a community worker to help you with this.
Once you are satisfied that you have stated your case, explaining why your child should attend the school, and attached any supporting evidence that you wish to present to the independent appeal panel, you should ensure that your appeal form is returned by the stated deadline for submitting appeals.
Appeal arrangements for voluntary-aided and foundation schools and academies
For voluntary-aided and foundation schools and academies in Lewisham, the responsibility for appeal arrangements rests with the school, and you should contact them directly for details.
Appeal arrangements for community schools
For community schools, the responsibility for appeals rests with Lewisham Council. If you want to appeal for a community school, you should request an appeal form from your child's primary school headteacher or our Admissions Team.
You can request an appeal form online by following the link on the right of this page.
An independent appeal panel will consider your appeal and the hearing will be clerked by an independent appeal clerk.
A decision by an appeal committee whether or not to offer a school place is binding on the admissions authority.
If your appeal for a Lewisham-based community school is unsuccessful, you may not appeal for the same school within one calendar year unless there has been a material change in your circumstances.
Appeals against primary school admission decisions
The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (as amended by the Education Act 2002) limits the circumstances in which an appeal panel may allow a reception or infant class appeal where the child was refused a place on ‘class size prejudice’ grounds.
The legislation requires us to limit the size of all infant classes to a maximum of 30 children. In the case of half form entry schools (i.e. those admitting 45 or 75 children) the reception class is likely to be smaller than 30; however, the independent appeal panel must take into account future prejudice in Year 1 and Year 2, when the classes are reorganised into groups of 30.
For infant class size appeals, including reception appeals, the panel can only uphold the appeal where it is satisfied either:
- that the decision to refuse admission was not one which a reasonable admission authority would make in the circumstances of the case; or
- that the child would have been offered a place if the admission arrangements had been properly implemented.
Accepting an offer
Acceptance of a place at a school does not affect your right to appeal for a place at another school. However, if you decide to appeal for any of your preferences, it is wise to secure a place for your child at an alternative school in case your appeal is unsuccessful.
This is because secondary transfer appeals are normally heard during the second half of the summer term. By this time, there will be very few alternative schools which still have vacancies.
We are always willing to discuss alternative schools with vacancies at any stage in the process.
The acceptance of a place at an alternative school does not affect your right of appeal.