If you have applied for a school place for your child and you have been refused, you can submit an appeal.
Appeals are arranged by the Education Appeals Team. Appeals are heard by an independent panel.
If you have not yet applied for a school place please visit the School Admissions pages to find out how to apply.
About appealsDepartment for Education advice for parents and carers on school admission appeals
Appeals timetable 2026
Date | Appeal event |
30 March 2026 | Closing date for appeals - Secondary Transfer |
April/May 2026 | Secondary Transfer appeals |
18 May 2026 | Closing date for appeals - New Reception and Junior |
June 2026 | New Reception and Transfer to Junior School appeals Secondary Transfer appeals for round two refusals |
July 2026 | New Reception and Transfer to Junior School appeals for round two refusals |
July/September 2026 | Secondary Transfer and New Reception and Transfer to Junior School appeals for refusals after round two |
Further appeals
It is not possible to appeal again during the same academic year unless the school will accept another application, which is then refused again. A new application for the same academic year will only be accepted if there has been a significant materials change in the circumstances of the school, parent/carer or child.
Where to get help
Contact the Education Appeals Team using the contact details on this page:
for advice and support with the appeal process or
to request a paper appeal form
For further advice and support please refer to Department for Education.
Appeals based on Infant Class Sizes
Sometimes an in-year application may be turned down based on the size of the class, for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. If this happens, there is a different process to appeal the decision. See our information on Infant Class Size appeals.