In year appeals

You can appeal if your in year application to change schools during the school year is unsuccessful.

When we write to you with the outcome of your application, if you've been unsuccessful you can login and appeal the decision.

Privacy notice – Please read before submitting your information >

Please don't send us information where third parties can be identified (e.g. other children's names or photographs).

If you need to include information about other people, you will need to send us written consent from the individuals or families involved.

When you send us your information as part of a school admissions appeal, you are sending your information to Hertfordshire County Council (as the Data controller).

This information is gathered and will be processed for the purpose of processing school admissions appeals, exclusion reviews and home to school transport appeals. Hertfordshire County Council will use this information to ensure all contacts (including calls, emails, and online contacts) are managed effectively to log, record and administer the statutory school appeals service and to give the best customer service possible.

Hertfordshire County Council is obliged to collect and process this data under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, Admissions code 2014 and Appeals code 2012.

The information you give us will be held by the Appeals team of Hertfordshire County Council.

It will be shared with schools and independent appeal panel members.

We will also share information with third parties if we are legally obliged to do so, for example if it necessary to safeguard or protect a child.

We may also share information with the police or other agencies if it is necessary for the following purposes:

a) the prevention or detection of crime

b) the apprehension or prosecution of offenders

c) the assessment or collection of any tax or duty or any imposition of a similar nature

The information that you supply to us will be kept on file for 25 years. For more information, including how to remove your data, visit our website privacy policy.

To appeal, you’ll need the Child ID and Reference Number. You’ll find these in your application response.

The school appeals system is unavailable from 1–1.30am daily. If you have issues creating an appeal, contact the team at school.appeals@hertfordshire.gov.uk or 01992 588548.

In year admission appeals will be heard within 6 weeks of the appeal being lodged. This can mean that your appeal is not heard until the next term.

Appellants (the person who made the appeal) will be sent notification of their appeal hearing at least 10 school days in advance of the hearing (unless you've been requested to agree shorter timescales).

Appellants will be sent a copy of the school's case 7 working days in advance of the hearing.

Schools that manage their own appeals

Contact the school direct if you wish to appeal for one of the following.

Primary

Secondary

Dame Alice Owen's
John F Kennedy Catholic
St Joan of Arc Catholic
The Grange Academy (formerly The Bushey Academy)

Yr 10 – Studio - UTC

Submitting additional supporting information

If you appeal and you want to submit further evidence, which was not included with your initial appeal, you need to ensure this is received at least 7 working days in advance of your appeal (not including the day of postage or the hearing).

Remember, any confidential medical or social evidence you submit when you apply for a school place will not be provided to an appeal panel. If you wish to rely on this in support of your appeal, you'll need to submit this documentation to the Appeals team (school.appeals@hertfordshire.gov.uk).

Only a short document, such as a doctor’s letter which wasn't previously available, will be accepted up to 4 working days before the hearing.

Any additional evidence or information received after this deadline will not be circulated and may not be considered at the hearing.

Admission appeals

Appeal panels decide whether to accept or reject your appeal, based on the evidence presented to them before and during the hearing.

Admission appeals – what you need to know

If you're unhappy following an appeal

If you feel your appeal wasn't properly or fairly conducted, you can:

complain directly to our manager by emailing school.appeals@hertfordshire.gov.uk or
complain about the appeals process via GOV.UK

It is more helpful for any investigation if you wait until you have received your second decision letter (with reasons) before lodging a complaint.

See previous years' appeals statistics