How do I appeal a school place decision?

For parents in England whose child was refused a place at a school they applied for.

Applies to: England Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

In England you can appeal if your child is refused a place at a state school you applied for.

The refusal letter explains how to appeal.
You must get at least 20 school days to appeal from when the decision letter is sent.
You get at least 10 school days' notice of the hearing.
An independent panel of 3 or more people hears the appeal.
You usually get the decision within 5 school days.
You can only appeal once for each refused school.

Rules may be different in:

Key facts

You must be given at least 20 school days to appeal, counted from when the decision letter is sent. The exact deadline is in your letter.
The admission authority sets a separate deadline for evidence. Late evidence may not be looked at.
Appeals must be heard within 40 school days of the appeal deadline.
You get at least 10 school days' notice of the hearing.
The decision usually arrives within 5 school days of the hearing.

Read the refusal letter. It tells you who the admission authority is and how to appeal.
Send a separate appeal for each school that refused your child. You can only appeal once for each refusal.
Write down your reasons and gather evidence before the evidence deadline.
Go to the hearing. The admission authority explains why it refused the place first. Then you give your reasons.
Wait for the panel's decision, usually sent within 5 school days.

The panel has 3 or more people. It must be independent and follow the School Admission Appeals Code. Your appeal can succeed if:

the school did not follow its admission criteria properly, or the criteria break the School Admissions Code, or
your reasons for your child going to the school outweigh the school's reasons for not taking more children.

In reception, year 1 and year 2, classes are limited to 30 children per teacher. For these year groups, your appeal can only succeed if:

Why this school is right for your child.
Any medical, social or special needs, with letters from professionals.
Any mistakes you think were made in applying the criteria, such as distance worked out wrongly.
Proof of address and any sibling details if they are relevant.

Child Law Advice gives free guidance on school appeals. Citizens Advice can also help.

If you miss the deadline, contact the admission authority straight away and ask if it will still accept your appeal.
If you lose, you cannot appeal again for the same refusal. You can keep your child on the school's waiting list.
If you think the appeal was not run properly, you can complain. You cannot complain about the decision itself. For council-maintained schools, complain to the Local Government Ombudsman. For academies and free schools, use the Department for Education's academy appeal panel complaint form. You should get a decision within 9 weeks (45 working days).

This guide covers England. The other nations have their own appeal rules, so follow the instructions in your refusal letter.

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

The admission authority must give you at least 20 school days from when it sends the decision letter. Your letter gives the exact deadline.

No. You can only appeal once against each rejection, but you can appeal for each school that refused you.

For council-maintained schools, the Local Government Ombudsman. For academies and free schools, the Department for Education.

1.School admissions: appealing a school's decision (GOV.UK)www.gov.uk/schools-admissions/appealing-a-schools-decision
2.School admissions: complain about the appeals process (GOV.UK)www.gov.uk/schools-admissions/complain-about-the-appeals-process

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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