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• Supply of a fully-trained appeal panel and clerk at appeal hearing.

• Production of appeals related paperwork.

• Initial letter and final letter before appeal.

• Complete service on day of appeal.

• Decision letters and final paperwork produced by a clerk.

• Secure file storage of appeals paperwork.

• Provision of specialist legal advice to the panel, charged at a pro rata rate.

• Booking of venue.

• Provision of presenting officer and liaison with the school.

• Preparation of a school’s statement.

• A comprehensive service in accordance with the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (SSFA), Education Regulations and School Admission Appeals Code.

• Under the SSFA, admission authorities have a duty formally to appoint panel members to hear their appeals, advertise for panel members every three years, arrange training for members, and indemnify against any reasonable costs. The Appeals Service has already carried out most of these duties on the schools’ behalf. Using the County Council’s service fulfils this requirement whilst preventing unnecessary expense for what may be occasional appeals.

• The Appeals Service has a large pool of experienced panel members and clerks.

• Presenting officers have extensive experience.

• Statements will be consistent with local authority approach and coordinated scheme.

There will a charge per hearing, depending on the services required, plus a charge per additional appellant after the first, based on average hourly rates.

The hearing charge excludes venue costs, panel member subsistence, panel member travel expenses based on a mileage rate, and clerk’s costs, based on an hourly rate, which will be an additional charge, if required.

Contact us to find out more about our services.

Parents are entitled to make representation to the Local Government Ombudsman, or judicially review the decision of the panel.

Likewise, admission authorities can request judicial review of the decision. Panel Members and clerks receive annual training in accordance with the School Admission Appeals Code.

Customer feedback is used to improve and  develop this service, in line with the Quality Assurance Framework for Services for Schools.

Mechanisms for collecting the views of customers include the annual satisfaction survey and complaints, compliments and comments.