Experience you can trust
EducationAppeals is one of the largest Independent School Admission and Exclusion Appeals Service organisations for schools and academies in the country. We have been around for 39 years managing just under 10% of all admission appeals in the country.
Working with 6 London Local Authorities, 16 Multi Academy Trust and just over a hundred Single Academy Trusts. We manage around half the appeals in London and over a third of all appeals in the Kent. We also hear appeals in Buckinghamshire, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bradford, Coventry, Essex, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Lancashire, Medway, Norfolk, Slough, Suffolk and Thurrock.
Many of our schools have worked with us for 30 plus years.
All of our clerks are active members of the National Associaton of School Appeal Clerks.
Providing a professional service for 39 years.
Admission Appeals
We offer a wrap around service from receiving the online appeal form to sending out the decision letter at a value for money cost.
In 2024/2025, our panels considered just under 4000 appeals which is 10% of all appeals heard in the country.
Whether you are a Local Authority, Multi Academy Trust or a single school, contact us to arrange an online meeting to discuss your needs.
Exclusion Appeals
Increasingly Local Authorities no longer offer an Independent Review Service to schools in its area. Our panels are trained bi-annually to ensure that they offer a truly independent judgement backed up by a 16 plus page detailed letter explaining how and why the panel made their decision.
Whether you are a Local Authority, Multi Academy Trust or a single school, contact us to arrange an online meeting to discuss your needs.
We regret we are unable to offer a “one off” IRP service without a contract. A new client contract can be arranged within a day.
Where we currently hear appeals
Barnet, Bexley, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bradford, Brent, Bromley, Buckinghamshire Coventry, Croydon, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Havering, Hertfordshire, Hounslow, Isle of Wight, Islington, Lambeth, Lancashire, Luton, Kensington & Chelsea, Kent, Medway, Merton, Norfolk, Redbridge, Slough, Southwark, Suffolk, Sutton, Thurrock, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth and Westminster.
What our schools say about us
As an experienced headteacher of 20+ years I have had the responsibility of ensuring my schools conduct their admission procedures very carefully. I have been privileged to run very successful schools and have therefore had to deal with many appeals every academic year.
My schools have benefitted greatly from not only very professional and fair appeals panels but expert guidance in ensuring our admission process is straightforward, easily interpreted and legal.
The team at EducationalAppeals led are both expert and vastly experienced. They have offered support and guidance whenever requested and I could not recommend them more highly. A safe and trustworthy organisation whose advice has been crucial in dealing with a stressful process for all oversubscribed schools and parents every year.
SC Executive Headteacher, South East London Schools
In 2024, our large Multi Academy Trust partnered with EducationAppeals and found Stephen Payne and his team to be highly professional and effective. The support provided before, during and after admission appeals has been outstanding.
Communication, planning and training ahead of the hearings were all well-organised, with strong and timely interactions between the academy and appellants. Stage 1 hearings were efficiently chaired and clear, ensuring that academies were well-prepared for Stage 2.
Education Appeals maintains a concise and structured approach and we are pleased to be collaborating with them.
EJ Deputy Director Governance, MAT based in London and Kent.
I have worked with Education Appeals since I arrived at the school in 2013. I can safely say they have saved us an enormous amount of work by shouldering the burden of the appeals process and managing parental expectation, leaving the school in an uncompromised space to make its case. They are fair and realistic with parents.
“The added benefit is that Stephen Payne is hugely knowledgeable about all matters pertaining to the Admissions and Appeals Codes and maintains an up to date understanding of what schools should or should not do. We find his advice and annual training session very useful indeed.”
EW Headmaster, Kent Grammar School.
I have worked with EducationAppeals for many years now and have never seen a dip in the quality of the service they provide: they are quick and responsive – no small matter – and their panels, whether for admissions or exclusions, are always expert and on top of the detail. The panels well chaired too, guaranteeing a full and fair hearing for all parties. The subject matter of these hearings is difficult enough – so it’s good to have the headache of how they are arranged and run removed.
PS Executive Headteacher, West London MAT
For nearly three decades, the professionalism, expert knowledge and support given by the team at EducationAppeals has been invaluable and always reliable. I would highly recommend Education Appeals to any school leader.
RW Executive Headteacher, East London Academy
Appeal Information for parents
Admission Appeals
Before completing an admission appeal form, parents are advised to read the Admission Appeal advice booklet by clicking on the image above.
Permanent Exclusion Appeals
Before completing a request for an Independent Panel to Review a Permanent Exclusion, parents are advised to read the Exclusion Review advice booklet by clicking on the image above.
Data Protection and Privacy Policy
We take your information and privacy seriously. You can read about our Data Protection and Protectionby clicking on the image above.
How will my appeal be heard
All appeals are heard online from the comfort of your own home or workplace. No longer do you have to take hours off work to attend a hearing. We use ZOOM as our video platform which is renown for its stability, security and ease of use. We give parents an simple link to the hearing in the invitation letter and send a reminder in an email a day or so before the hearing. Appeals take around 20 minutes and are kept as informal as possible.
About a week before the hearing, appellants will receive the written case for the school which will be summarised by the Presenting Officer at the beginning of the hearing. The panel and you may ask questions. Then its your turn to present your case and you are welcome to tell the panel anything you feel is relevant. The panel and the Presenting Officer will then ask questions. Finally, both sides sum up.
The result of the appeal hearing is usually emailed to parents on the next working day and a decision letter with their reasons will follow in 5 school days. During the busy summer period, this may be extended to 15 school days.
Become a panel member
Appeals panels are tribunals, independent of Local Authorities and own Admission Authorities. Panels consist of three trained people hearing appeals on a voluntary basis. Their decisions are final and legally binding on all parties. All appeals are online.
The work of a panel member is interesting and a way of contributing something back to the community. While being a panel member is a voluntary position you will get expenses to defray your costs.
Who Can Become a Panel Member?
Members of the panel come from a range of backgrounds and no special qualifications are required. Applications are invited from anyone who considers that they are eligible and interested in the provision of education. The annual selection process usually takes place in the autumn of each year but we welcome applications at any time of the year. We particularly welcome applications from School Governors to sit in exclusion review panels for non-connected schools.
Due to appeals being held online, access to a computer and e mail is essential.
What qualifications and training do I need?
Those successful after the selection process will be invited to complete an online course.
Appointed panel members will need to attend a one day training course to help you understand your role and the law. You will then shadow two hearings. You are also expected to attend an annual training session which is usually held in February.
You cannot sit on an appeals panel for any school that you are or have been involved in the past. This is to ensure that the panel acts and is seen to act, fairly and impartially at all times.
What qualities do I need?
You must be able to approach each appeal with independence and impartiality. You must be a good listener and be seen to be listening by asking relevant questions and interested in hearing both sides of the argument.
You should be able to separate relevant and irrelevant facts and come to a reasoned decision. Good old fashioned common sense is also a useful tool!
How much of my time would I have to give?
Panels sit all year round during working hours and during school terms. From September to March, a panel usually meets twice a week. From April to July this increases to up to 8 panels meeting every day! Usually a full day is set aside to hear a number of appeals and each appeal generally takes around 20 - 30 minutes.
Occasionally, in the summer appeals may be heard over a number of days, for example where there are a lot of appeals for a very popular school; however our admin staff will always advise this when checking your availability. For the summer period, we tend to "book" our panel members a few months in advance.
