A PARENT'S GUIDE TO SCHOOL ADMISSION APPEALS.: All you need to know about the school admission appeals process

Your child is your most valuable asset and nothing is more important to you right now than making sure that they make a good start to their secondary school career.Choosing the right secondary school for your child can be a very challenging experience. This simple guide has been put together to help you prepare for and understand the process of admissions and appeal.Parents are anxious for their children to get a good start to their secondary education and unless you can afford to live in an area with 'good' schools what you are left with is an offer by your local education authority or pay for your child to be privately educated. Under the current admission arrangements you will normally be offered at place at one of your chosen schools. However, if you are not offered a place or if you are not happy with the school offered by your admission authority, you have the right to appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel. You will not be alone in this because every year approximately 60,000 parents across the country appeal against the decision of their chosen school not to offer their child a place. Of which approximately 35.5% were successful with their appeals.Only the Clerk to the Independent Appeals panel is left with the panel whilst they dileberate and make their decision. As a Clerk with over fifteen years experince I have inside knowledge of how the panel thinks and I have shared this knowledge with you. We cannot guarantee that your appeal will be successful but this honest and realistic approach will help you prepare for your appeal.