Appealing for a school place

If you have been refused a school place at your preferred school, you have the right to appeal against the decision. 

Guidance on the process is available in the School Admission Appeals Guide for Parents.

We recommend accepting the offered school place whilst your appeal is underway. The school place you have been offered will remain to ensure your child has a school place even if your appeal is unsuccessful.

Please bear in mind the following:

• You have been refused a place at the school because it is full and cannot admit additional children without impacting on the education of the existing children. Your reasons for your appeal, on balance, will need to outweigh that consideration in the view of the Appeals Panel.
• If the reason you wish to appeal is because you will find it difficult to get your child to school. Please note: For this reason, not many appeals are successful as this is the parent’s responsibility in law.
• Not many appeals are successful where a child has been allocated another school place reasonably near to their home (even a non-preference school). Your appeal application needs to make clear why it is important that your child attends the school you are appealing for. This can include medical, educational or social reasons, but please make sure you provide supporting evidence for your reasons.
• If you submit your appeal application and/or supporting evidence late, your appeal may be delayed. Remember that the appeals process may be stressful for both you and your child, so please help us to help you by promptly responding to any communications or requests for information. It is also important to keep us updated with your contact details.

Making your appeal

For Community and Voluntary Controlled schools, the Admissions Team will send you a refusal letter providing you with a link to an online appeal form. 

If your preferred school is a Voluntary Aided or an Academy, information on how to appeal is available from the school.

School admission appeals timetable for academic year 2025/2026

Appeals for September 2025 entry will be heard in accordance with the following timetable.

Secondary school entry into Year 7 in September 2025

• Monday, 3 March 2025 - Offer day for Secondary schools, for on-time applications received by midnight on 31 October 2024
• Monday, 31 March 2025 - Deadline by which your appeal form for a Secondary school must be received by the Appeals Clerk
• Mid May to Wednesday, 18 June 2025 - Appeals heard for on-time Secondary school applications

Primary school entry into Reception in September 2025

• Wednesday,16 April 2025 - Offer day for Primary schools, for on-time applications received by midnight on 15 January 2025
• Tuesday, 20 May 2025 - Deadline by which your appeal form for a Primary school must be received by the Appeal Clerk 
• Late June to Friday, 18 July 2025 - Appeals heard for on-time Primary school applications

Appeals lodged after these dates will be heard within 40 school days of the appeal deadlines, or within 30 school days of receipt of the appeal, whichever is the later.

You will be given at least 10 school days’ notice of the date, time and location of the appeal hearing. You may waive your right to this length of notice.

School appeals are not held during school holidays or on INSET days. 

In-year appeals

In-year appeals are held throughout the year as required. You have 20 school days to appeal from the date of the offer letter. If your appeal form is submitted after this time, the appeal will not be valid. 

Your appeal will be organised within 30 school days of receipt of the appeal form, subject to the availability of Panel Members. 

Infant class size legislation

Infant Class Size refers to Government legislation that states that no child attending a maintained school or academy in an infant class (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2), can be taught in a class of over 30 pupils, except where certain specific and exceptional circumstances apply.

Where the infant class size limit of 30 applies, the powers of the Independent Panel are limited, and an appeal is, in law, a review. Further information can be found on pages 13 to 15 (points 28 to 34) of the School Admission Appeals Guide for Parents.

For September 2024 entry, no infant class size cases were successful at appeal.

Special educational needs and disability

If you want to appeal against the provision of Special Education for your child, contact the Special Educational Needs Team for information and advice at SENDService@swindon.gov.uk.

If you have any questions about the school named in your child’s Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP), please see the Swindon Local Offer for further information.

Schools outside the Borough of Swindon

Appeals for schools outside the Borough of Swindon should be made in accordance with the published admission arrangements of the relevant local authority.

Further advice

For further information on the appeal process, email: admissionappeals@swindon.gov.uk