If your child is denied a place at your preferred school, you have the right to appeal the decision. This applies to all stages of compulsory education.
Nursery education is not compulsory, so parents and carers cannot appeal if a nursery place is refused.
For infant classes (reception, year 1 and year 2), appeals are limited by law due to the maximum class size of 30. An appeal for a reception, year 1 or year 2 place can only succeed if:
- The decision was unreasonable, or
- The admission rules were not applied correctly, and the child should have been offered a place.
The appeals process is designed to ensure that decisions are fair to everyone involved – parents, children, schools, and admission authorities.
How to appeal
If your child’s application is denied, you’ll receive a letter from the school admission authority explaining why the application was unsuccessful. This letter will also include information about an alternative school if more than one preference was listed.
You can appeal this decision, but appeals must be made within 15 working days of the date on the refusal letter.
Appeal against a school admissions decision
This form is only for community schools and other local authority maintained schools, it is not for voluntary aided schools
Voluntary aided schools
For voluntary aided schools (e.g. faith schools), parents and carers will need to write directly to the Chair of Governors at the specific school. The letter should include the reasons for requesting the appeal. The voluntary aided schools in Denbighshire are:
- Christ the Word Catholic School
- Ysgol Trefnant
- St Brigid’s School
Appealing against more than one unsuccessful application
If you are appealing against more than one unsuccessful application, then please complete a form for each appeal.
About the appeals process
Our Legal Department will arrange the appeal hearing and notify parents and carers at least 10 working days in advance. For September admissions, appeal hearings usually take place in May or June.
Who will hear the appeal?
An independent panel of three members will hear the appeal. One of them will act as Chair, managing the process and ensuring it is fair. The panel is entirely independent of the school admission authority.
Who will be at the appeal hearing?
The following will be at the appeal hearing:
- parents or carers (and a friend or representative, if desired)
- representatives from the school admission authority, who will explain why the child was not offered a place
- a Clerk, who ensures the process is fair, advises on procedures, and records the decision. The Clerk does not participate in the decision-making.
What a parent or carer receives before the hearing
At least five working days before the hearing, parents and carers will receive:
- a written statement from the school admission authority explaining why the child was not offered a place and how the admission rules were applied.
- supporting documents for the appeal, including any submitted evidence.
- contact details for the Clerk to the Appeal Panel.
How to prepare
To prepare for an appeals hearing, you can:
- write down the main points to present to the panel
- prepare any questions to ask the school admission authority
- gather any additional information or evidence to support the appeal
Attending the appeal
It is not mandatory that parents or carers attend the appeal, but it is recommended. Attending gives parents and carers the chance to explain their case in person. If attendance is not possible, the panel will consider the written information provided on the appeal form.
If the parent or carer cannot attend, contact the Clerk as soon as possible. They may be able to reschedule the appeal. If rescheduling isn’t possible, the appeal will proceed based on the available information.
Does the child have to attend?
Children do not need to attend the hearing. However, if parents feel it’s important, they should contact the Clerk to check if this is allowed.
What happens at the appeal hearing?
At the appeal:
- the Chair welcomes everyone and explains the procedure
- a representative from the school admission authority presents their case, explaining why the child wasn’t offered a place
- parents and carers will have the opportunity to ask questions
- the panel will consider whether the admission authority followed the correct procedures:
- if errors were made, the panel may direct the school to offer the child a place
- if procedures were followed correctly, the hearing will continue
- parents and carers present their case, explaining why their child should be admitted to the school
- questions can be asked by both the panel and the admission authority
- both sides will summarise their cases before the panel deliberates
When will parents be notified of a decision?
The panel will make a decision after considering all the evidence. If there are multiple appeals for the same school, decisions will only be made after all hearings are completed. Parents and carers will be notified of the outcome by phone and in writing, usually within five working days.
Unsuccessful appeals
If an appeal is unsuccessful, the child will not be offered a place at the school. We will inform parents and carers of other schools with available places. If the alternative school is far away, parents may qualify for free school transport.
After an appeal decision
The panel’s decision is final and binding on all parties. Parents and carers cannot appeal for the same school and year unless there is a significant change in circumstances. You can contact us to discuss whether a new appeal can be granted.
If the process seems unfair, parents and carers can:
- Complain to the Public Services Ombudsman, who can investigate issues like bias or unfair procedure.
- Contact the Welsh Government, which can review whether the process followed the rules but cannot overturn the decision.
In rare cases, parents and carers may pursue a Judicial Review through the courts to challenge the panel’s decision.