Appeal a primary school decision

If you have been refused a place at a higher preference primary school, you can make an appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel.

The Department for Education advises parents that:

• some schools receive more applications than they have places available
• the appeals process can be burdensome for all involved, so admission authorities do not take lightly the decision to refuse a place
• in most cases your child will not have been offered a place because there were other children who more closely met the school’s oversubscription criteria.

Appeals are heard by unpaid, trained, independent volunteers.

Your appeal will take place as soon as possible depending on the number of appeals and availability of the Appeal Panel members.

The admission authority for a school usually only refuses your application for a place if it has received more applications than there are places available.

You may want to appeal because:

• your child has medical, social or educational reasons for wanting the place
• you have recently moved house.

Think carefully before appealing.

Most appeals fail because primary schools are full and cannot admit additional children without harming the education of the existing children or breaching the law relating to infant class sizes.

Appeals can be stressful for parents and are expensive for schools.

It's very important you read the advice on this page and our guidance on school admission appeals before you make an appeal.

The Department for Education advises parents: “You should be aware that an appeal can prolong the period of uncertainty for parents and children, so it’s important to be realistic about your reasons for appealing and the chances of being successful.”

Read advice for parents on school admission appeals from the Department for Education.

If you were refused a higher preference school place on 16 April 2025 for September 2025 entry, and decide to appeal, you should make your appeal before midday on 20 May 2025.

Appeals submitted by midday on 20 May 2025 should be heard by the end of the summer term. Delays may occur due to panel availability and numbers of appeals received.

Appeals made after midday on 20 May 2025 will be heard from September 2025 onwards.

For in-year appeals for immediate entry, make your appeal within 20 school days of the refusal letter. The appeal will be heard as soon as possible.

When you appeal, you'll need to provide evidence supporting your reasons why you want a place for your child at the particular school.

You'll need to provide exceptional medical, social or educational reasons for your preferred school, with evidence where possible.

Read more about evidence you can use.

The Department for Education advises parents that:

• the stronger your reasons the better chance you have of your appeal being successful (for example, wanting your child to go to a particular school because it's the best in the area is not likely to convince the panel that your child should get a place at the school over another child)
• you should focus on what the school can offer that meets your child’s needs. This can include what the school can offer that other schools cannot and what the impact will be on your child not attending the school of your choice.

The Appeals Team is unable to offer a choice of hearing date.

Your appeal will be heard remotely by video conference.

The Appeals Team will send you the date and time of your remote appeal hearing at least 10 days beforehand. You will also be told the deadline date for sending any additional evidence not submitted with your appeal form.

Late evidence is unlikely to be seen by the Appeal Panel.

About a week before the hearing, you will be sent copies of the appeal papers including:

• your appeal form, and any evidence submitted by the deadline date
• the admission authority’s written case explaining why the place was refused

At the appeal hearing, you will be invited to explain your reasons for appealing for the particular school. The admission authority will explain why it did not offer you a school place. The Appeal Panel will uphold or dismiss your appeal depending on whether it decides you or the admission authority have the stronger case.

A decision letter will be sent to you no later than 5 school days after the appeal hearing. But, where there are multiple appeals for a school, the decision letters will be sent no later than 5 school days after all the appeals for the school have been heard.

Last year in appeals for September 2024 entry:

• 18% of primary school appeals (years 3 to 6) were successful
• 0% of infant class size appeals (reception to year 2) were successful

This is because the Appeal Panel decided, in most cases, that:

• in appeals for years 3 to 6, the school was full and it could not admit additional pupils without harming the education of the existing pupils
• in appeals for reception, year 1 or year 2, admission of another child would breach the law of on infant class sizes

If your appeal is unsuccessful, there is no further right of appeal.

Remember the following information:

• very few appeals succeed because the school appealed for is already full and cannot admit an additional child without harming the education of the existing children
• you are unlikely to be successful, even if you have difficulty in getting your child to school (as this is the parent’s responsibility in law)
• you are unlikely to be successful where you have been allocated another school place reasonably near to your home, even a non-preference school
• appeals for reception, year 1 and 2 cannot be upheld by the Appeal Panel under the law where there are already 30 in the class
• appeals are expensive for schools, and they prolong uncertainty for parents and may be stressful
• you will need strong medical, educational or social reasons for appealing for years 3 to 6 and strong supporting evidence
• if you submit your appeal and/or evidence late, your appeal may be delayed
• late evidence is unlikely to be seen by the Appeal Panel before it makes its decision
• do not send evidence like photographs, highlighted documents, original documents, audio or visual presentations, password-protected documents, schoolwork or certificates, complete rental agreements, research papers or reports, see evidence you can use
• it is the parent’s responsibility to make the appeal correctly and provide supporting evidence
• if you do not keep the Appeals Team updated with your contact details, you may not receive emails/letters/decisions.

Before you make an appeal, you should:

• read our guidance on school admission appeals which has important advice
• prepare your reasons for your appeal and any evidence you wish to upload

You should:

• ensure you submit your appeal and evidence within the timelines
• complete your appeal form correctly, or your appeal may be delayed

After you make your appeal, the Appeals Team will send you an acknowledgement letter with your unique appeal reference number. Refer to this number if you contact the Appeals Team.

You cannot make an appeal for all Buckinghamshire schools here. For example, some primary schools have appeals arranged by the Diocese and not by the Appeals Team. If the school you are appealing for is not listed on the appeal form, contact the school directly to find out how to make your appeal.

If you need help making your appeal online, view our school appeals portal user guide.

View important information about the appeals process in our guidance on school admission appeals.

If you have a further query you can contact the Appeals Team.

The Appeals Team aims to reply in 48 hours but a response may be delayed if you do not give us:

• your name
• your child’s name
• the school and year group you are appealing for
• your appeal reference number, if provided
• the date and time of your appeal hearing, if provided
• your correct contact details
• full details of your query

For help and advice on your appeal, contact the education appeals team.