Guidance for parents and guardians on school admission appeals

You can apply for your child to start a school during the academic year, if you move into Buckinghamshire, or you want to move your child from one school to another.

Sometimes, your application for a school place during the academic year will be refused. This is usually because the admission authority says the school is already full and has no places, and to admit an additional child will harm the education of the existing children.

If the admission authority refuses your application for the school place, you can make an appeal. This is called an in-year or immediate entry appeal.

You should make your appeal within 20 school days of the refusal and the appeal hearing will take place as soon as possible depending on the availability of the unpaid, volunteer independent appeal panel members.

The appeal process will depend on the type of school place you are appealing for:

• reception to Year 2
• other primary school
• upper (all-ability) school
• grammar school (qualified) or grammar school (unqualified)

You should submit your appeal and evidence as explained in this guidance, particularly how to make an appeal and evidence you can use.