Admission appeals

If it has not been possible to offer your child a place at your preferred school, you have the right, by law, to appeal to an independent appeal panel. We understand how important making decisions about your child's education and schooling are to you. We know that deciding to appeal and going through the appeals process can be a worrying and anxious time.

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Appeal hearings for community primary schools

Hillingdon Council is the admission authority for all community primary schools in Hillingdon and is responsible for arranging and hosting the appeal hearings for these schools.


  • Bourne
  • The Breakspear
  • Cherry Lane
  • Colham Manor
  • Coteford Infant
  • Deanesfield
  • Field End Infant
  • Frithwood
  • Glebe
  • Harefield Infant
  • Harefield Junior
  • Harlyn
  • Harmondsworth
  • Heathrow
  • Highfield

  • Lady Bankes Primary School
  • Minet Infant
  • Minet Junior
  • Newnham Infant
  • Newnham Junior
  • Rabbsfarm
  • Ruislip Gardens
  • Warrender
  • Whitehall Infant
  • Whitehall Junior
  • Whiteheath Infant
  • Whiteheath Junior
  • Yeading Infant
  • Yeading Junior


Before appealing a school place

When considering whether to appeal, it is important you are aware that:

  • although the law allows you to have the opportunity to appeal against admission decisions, it does not give your child the right to a place at a particular school
  • there is no guarantee that your appeal will be successful; therefore, if you are appealing for a place at a particular school, you should make arrangements for a place at an alternative school in case your appeal is unsuccessful
  • accepting a place at another school does not affect your right to appeal for a place at the school you would prefer. 

Timetable for organising and hearing community school appeals

Please note: Own-admission authority schools (academies, foundation, voluntary aided) will publish their own appeals timetables.

Primary school appeals (Reception and Year 3)
  • Appeals for entry into primary school for September 2025 can be made from National Offer Day (Wednesday 16 April) until Wednesday 14 May.
  • Appeals submitted within this timescale will be heard before the end of the summer term 2025.
  • Appeals can be submitted after the deadline; however, there is no guarantee that the appeal hearing will still be arranged before the end of the summer term.
In-year school appeals
  • Appeals can be submitted once in any academic year.
  • Once an appeal has been lodged, appellants will be given at least 14 calendar days' written notice of an appeal hearing (although appellants can waive their right to this). 
  • If you would like to submit additional evidence prior to the appeal hearing, ensure this is submitted to us at least 5 school days prior to the appeal hearing. 
  • All appeals will be heard within the timescales stated in the School Admissions Appeals Code:
    • for applications made in the normal admissions round, appeals will be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals
    • for late applications, appeals will be heard within 40 school days from the deadline for lodging appeals where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged
    • for applications for in-year admissions, appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged
    • any appeals submitted after the appropriate deadline will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged


Flexibility will be given for panel hearings to take place either in person, by telephone, video conference or through a paper-based appeal where all parties can make representations in writing. 

Decision letters will be sent within 7 school days of the hearing, wherever possible. 


Appeals when an infant class already has 30 pupils

The law states that there must be no more than 30 pupils in an infant class (reception, year 1 and year 2). Therefore, in the case of most appeals for infant schools, an appeals panel can only allow more children into a class if they decide that either the:

  • admission arrangements did not comply with admissions law and the child would have been offered a place if the arrangements had complied
  • admission arrangements were not correctly and impartially applied and the child would have been offered a place if the arrangements had been correctly and impartially applied
  • decision to refuse admission was not one that a reasonable admission authority would have made in the circumstances of the case.

Appeals when a class has fewer than 30 pupils or a junior or secondary school place

If an appeal is heard for an infant class that has fewer than 30 pupils, or for a class in the junior or secondary phases of education, the appeal panel will allow an appeal if they decide that either the:

  • admission arrangements did not comply with admissions law and the child would have been offered a place if the arrangements had complied
  • admission arrangements were not correctly and impartially applied and the child would have been offered a place if the arrangements had been correctly and impartially applied
  • admission of additional children would not prejudice the provision of efficient education or efficient use of resources.

How to appeal

If you wish to request an appeal for a community school, ensure you have read our  School admission appeals guidance for parents (PDF) [243KB], which explains your rights regarding admission to schools. Then email our school placement and admissions team at admission@hillingdon.gov.uk to request the appeal paperwork.

If you wish to appeal for any school that isn't a community school, please contact the school directly.

If you would like to contact an admissions appeals officer about your case, please email admission@hillingdon.gov.uk.


Outcomes of appeals heard for community schools in 2023/24

This data includes appeals heard for starting reception 2024.

Appeals heard between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024

8

Appeals upheld 

 


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Page last updated: 27 Aug 2024