School admission appeals

If you are not allocated a place at a school you named as a preferred school on your application form, you have the right to appeal against this decision.

Read the admission appeals booklet below which provides information around the appeals process in Bracknell Forest before completing the appeal form. You can also find national guidance for parents on school appeals on GOV.UK

Appeals timetable

Transfer appeals

School appeals for applications for Reception and Year 7 are heard during the summer term. Appeals for the same school are heard and considered together, and you will be notified of the date and time for your appeal at least 10 working days before the appeal. 

The timetable and deadlines for submitting a transfer appeal for the beginning of the academic year 2023 are set out below: 

Appeals lodged after the above deadlines will be heard within 40 school days of receipt but may not be heard before September 2023.

In-year appeals

School appeals for applications within a school year are heard throughout the year, within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged (excluding school holidays, weekends and bank holidays). 

To give you an idea of when your appeal might be heard, below are scheduled dates for upcoming in-year appeals this term:

• Wednesday 11 October 2023 (deadline 13 September 2023)
• Wednesday 1 November 2023 (deadline 3 October 2023)
• Tuesday 21 November 2023 (deadline 2 November 2023)
• Wednesday 13 December 2023 (deadline 27 November 2023)

Infant class size appeals

Government regulations limit class sizes to 30 pupils per class teacher in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. There are very limited grounds on which appeals to these year groups can be allowed. To allow an infant class size appeal, the panel must find that:

• the infant class size limit (30 pupils per class teacher) would not be breached if your child were admitted to the school
• the admissions arrangements were not correctly and impartially applied in your case
• the decision to refuse your child a place at the school was unreasonable

Consider which of the above apply to your case before submitting an infant class size appeal.

How to make an appeal

You can submit an appeal by completing our school admission appeal online form.

Appeals are heard as hybrid video meetings. Details of how to access your appeal will be sent to you at least 10 days before the meeting.

Make a school admission appeal

If you wish to include any copies of supporting documentation with your appeal, you can upload the documents online.

If you have any queries about the appeals process more generally, contact us.

Appeal statistics

View our school admission appeal statistics.

School admission appeals panel

School admission appeal panels determine appeals lodged by parents where their child is not offered a place at their preferred school.

Each appeal panel is made up of 2 categories of people:

• people who have not worked in a school except as a governor or volunteer
• people who are experienced in education, such as teachers, teaching assistants or parents of registered pupils

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer member or apply for appointment to the educational appeals panel, read our information page.

More information

If you have any queries regarding school admission appeals or would like more information, contact us by:

• email: appeals@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
• phone: 01344 352000