School Appeals Service

Key Benefits

• A cost effective and efficient service – no need to spend time and money advertising for, recruiting and training panel members and clerks.
• A first point of call for anxious parents who want to appeal – we deal with their queries about the appeal process, as well as arranging for their case to be heard.
• Demonstrate how committed your school is to treating all families in a fair and open manner by having a process that is truly independent of the school.

Service Details

Option one

We will:

• recruit, train and supply independent appeal panel members
• supply a trained clerk
• produce the decision letter resulting from the hearing
• pay for panel members’ expense claims and clerk hours and expenses.

If you buy option one, your school will still be responsible for dealing with the items listed in option two.

Option two

In addition to the items listed in option one, we will:

• be the first point of contact for parents who want to appeal
• provide all the appeals paperwork, including an appeal form, guidance notes and template letters – which must all comply with statutory guidance
• deal with all queries about the appeal process
• send out appeal forms, log those submitted and send acknowledgement letters
• give parents access to our online appeals service
• liaise with panel members/clerks and parents over the arrangements for the appeal hearing, including booking the venue and refreshments and sending out notification letters
• send out case papers to all parties within statutory deadlines
• cover the cost of hiring a neutral venue for the hearing.

Your academy will be responsible for:

• covering additional costs associated with, for example, interpreters and couriers
• producing your own statement of case and supplying it to the appeals service in time for it to be sent out by the legal deadline
• sending a representative to the hearing who will present the school’s case and answer any reasonable questions about your school’s case.