If you have not been offered a place at your preferred school(s) you have the right of appeal against the decision not to allocate your child a place. Accepting the place you have been offered does not affect your right of appeal.
There is advice available for parent/carers regarding the appeals process from the Department for Education. You can view this here Guidance for appeals.
A new School Admission Appeals Code was implemented on 1 October 2022. You can view this here School Admission Appeals Code 2022.
The new Appeals Code allows appeal hearings to be held remotely by video conference. The Council conducts appeals using Microsoft Teams.
To take part in the meeting, you will need access to a computer, tablet or mobile phone.
If you require any alternative arrangements please contact the team to discuss further.
Full and clear instructions will be provided with the appeal invite.
Please note: You must make an application and be refused a place at each school you stated as a preference before you can make an appeal for that school.
School Appeals
September 2023 Entry
Appeals resulting from transfer applications for admission to Year 7 for September 2023 will be heard in accordance with the following timetable:
|
Offer |
Appeals lodged by |
Appeals to be heard by |
|
1 March 2023 |
28 March 2023 |
Appeals lodged as part of the main admissions round will be determined before the start of the September term wherever possible |
Appeals lodged after these dates as part of the main admissions round will be determined before the start of the September term wherever possible.
Parents may only lodge one appeal per school in an academic year unless there are any exceptional changes to their circumstances, such as a permanent change of address.
Wolverhampton Local Authority have a duty to provide a school place for your child. However, this may not necessarily be at your preferred school.
Additional supporting information
If a Parent/Carer wishes to submit further evidence which was not included with their initial appeal, they should ensure this is received at least 5 school days in advance of the appeal.
What happens when I appeal?
Parents/Carers will be sent notification of their appeal hearing at least 10 school days in advance of the hearing. Parents/Carers will be sent a copy of the School's case at least 7 calendar days in advance of the hearing.
An independent panel will hear your appeal. You will be invited to attend the appeal hearing via video link (further information about this can be found below). An interpreter can be made available at the appeal on request for those for whom English is not their first language.
To participate in the meeting, you will need access to a computer, tablet or mobile phone with a camera and speakers along with a valid email address. You do not need to have any additional software installed on your device to access the meeting.
We will email you a meeting link at least two days before it is due to take place. Guidance on accessing a Microsoft Teams meeting can be found in the Downloads section of this page. A test meeting will be sent to you the day before the appeal to ensure that you can connect successfully.
If you do not have access to the required technology or resources to access the Teams meeting from home; a room can be made available for you at the Civic Offices, please contact the School Appeals Team (schoolappeals@wolverhampton.gov.uk) if you would like to attend the video conference from the Civic Offices.
It is very important that the meeting remains confidential and that only those invited to attend are present and all recording devices are turned off for the duration of the appeal.
The procedure to be followed during an appeal hearing
On the day of the hearing, a Facilitator will greet you in the virtual meeting and ensure there are no technical difficulties ahead of the appeal starting. When you are ready to start the appeal, the Facilitator will invite the other attendees of the hearing to join. The Facilitator will leave the hearing when all attendees are present.
At the hearing there will be 3 Panel Members who are the decision makers and independent of Schools Admissions and the Local Authority. There will be a Presenting Officer for the School/Admissions Authority who will present the case for the School. There will be a Clerk who supports the Panel with issues around law and process and takes notes of the hearing. The Clerk has no decision making power.
The Chair will confirm the procedure for the hearing which is as follows:
- The Presenting Officer will be invited to present the School’s case.
- Parents/Carers may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Presenting Officer.
- The Panel may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Presenting Officer.
- Parents/Carers will be invited to present their case.
- The Presenting Officer may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Parents/Carers.
- The Panel may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Parents/Carers.
- The Presenting Officer will be invited to sum up.
- The Parents/Carers will be invited to sum up.
Once the Parents/Carers and Presenting Officer leave the hearing, the Panel will make a decision. Decision letters following an appeal will be sent within 5 school days of the decision being made wherever possible. The Panel's decision is final and binding on all parties.
For the following Wolverhampton secondary schools, you need to contact the school in the first instance, they will explain the process for appeal, and either request you to fill out the online form or give you an appeal form to appeal submit directly to City of Wolverhampton Council schoolappeals@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
- St Peter's Collegiate Academy
- The King's Church of England School
- The Royal School Wolverhampton
- Wolverhampton Girls' High School
The Wolverhampton secondary schools that are responsible for the administering their own arrangements for appeal.
The Governing Body/Board of Directors of the school is responsible for organising appeals and appeals must be lodged with the school. Parents/Carers should contact the school directly for an appeal form.
- Our Lady and St Chad Catholic Academy
- Smestow Academy
- St Edmund's Catholic Academy
- Thomas Telford University Technical College
- Wednesfield Academy
For all other Wolverhampton maintained secondary schools please appeal online.
Alternatively appeal forms can be requested via:
- Email: SchoolAppeals@wolverhampton.gov.uk
- Phone: 01902 554825
- Or you can find a copy in the Download section on the Appeal Online page
September 2023 Entry
Appeals resulting from transfer applications for admission to Reception or to Year 3 (for Christ Church CE Junior School or Uplands Junior School) for September 2023 will be heard in accordance with the following timetable:
|
|
Offer |
Appeals lodged by |
Appeals to be heard by |
|
Primary (Reception, Junior) |
17 April 2023 |
15 May 2023 |
Appeals lodged as part of the main admissions round will be determined before the start of the September term wherever possible |
Appeals lodged after these dates as part of the main admissions round will be determined before the start of the September term wherever possible.
Parents may only lodge one appeal per school in an academic year unless there are any exceptional changes to their circumstances, such as a permanent change of address.
Wolverhampton Local Authority have a duty to provide a school place for your child. However, this may not necessarily be at your preferred school.
Please note appeals for Infant Classes (Reception, Year 1 and 2) are subject to legislation that states that a class size cannot exceed 30 pupils per teacher.
Government legislation states that infant classes (5-7 year olds) must not contain more than 30 pupils. This means that the regulations limit the size of an infant class (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) with one teacher to 30 pupils. Only in very limited circumstances can admission over the limit be permitted, these reasons being:
- That the Admissions Authority has made a mistake and, if that mistake had not been made, your child would have been offered a place;
- That your child would have been offered a place if the admission arrangements had not been contrary to the mandatory provisions in the School Admissions Code; and/or
- That the Admissions Authority has acted unreasonably in not offering your child a place. In this situation, "unreasonable" means that the process followed in your child's case was irrational or perverse given the information that you provided with your application.
Infant class size appeals are rarely successful due to class size prejudice.
Additional supporting information
If a Parent/Carer wishes to submit further evidence, which was not included with their initial appeal, they should ensure this is received at least 5 school days in advance of the appeal.
What happens when I appeal?
Parents/Carers will be sent notification of their appeal hearing at least 10 school days in advance of the hearing. Parents/Carers will be sent a copy of the School's case at least 7 calendar days in advance of the hearing.
An independent panel will hear your appeal. You will be invited to attend the appeal hearing via video link (further information about this can be found below). An interpreter can be made available at the appeal on request for those for whom English is not their first language.
To participate in the meeting, you will need access to a computer, tablet or mobile phone with a camera and speakers along with a valid email address. You do not need to have any additional software installed on your device to access the meeting.
We will email you a meeting link at least two days before it is due to take place. Guidance on accessing a Microsoft Teams meeting can be found in the Downloads section of this page. A test meeting will be sent to you the day before the appeal to ensure that you can connect successfully.
If you do not have access to the required technology or resources to access the Teams meeting from home; a room can be made available for you at the Civic Offices, please contact the School Appeals Team (schoolappeals@wolverhampton.gov.uk) if you would like to attend the video conference from the Civic Offices.
It is very important that the meeting remain confidential and that only those invited to attend are present and all recording devices are turned off for the duration of the appeal.
The procedure to be followed during an appeal hearing
On the day of the hearing, a Facilitator will greet you in the virtual meeting and ensure there are no technical difficulties ahead of the appeal starting. When you are ready to start the appeal, the Facilitator will invite the other attendees of the hearing to join. The Facilitator will leave the hearing when all attendees are present.
At the hearing there will be 3 Panel Members who are the decision makers and independent of Schools Admissions and the Local Authority. There will be a Presenting Officer for the School/Admissions Authority who will present the case for the School. There will be a Clerk who supports the Panel with issues around law and process and takes notes of the hearing. The Clerk has no decision making power.
The Chair will confirm the procedure for the hearing which is as follows:
- The Presenting Officer will be invited to present the School’s case.
- Parents/Carers may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Presenting Officer.
- The Panel may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Presenting Officer.
- Parents/Carers will be invited to present their case.
- The Presenting Officer may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Parents/Carers.
- The Panel may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Parents/Carers.
- The Presenting Officer will be invited to sum up.
- The Parents/Carers will be invited to sum up.
Once the Parents/Carers and Presenting Officer leave the hearing, the Panel will make a decision. Decision letters following an appeal will be sent within 5 school days of the decision being made wherever possible. The Panel's decision is final and binding on all parties.
For the following Wolverhampton primary schools, the Governing Body/Board of Directors of the school is responsible for organising appeals and appeals must be lodged with the school. Parents/Carers should contact the school directly for an appeal form.
- Corpus Christi Catholic Primary Academy
- Holy Rosary Catholic Primary Academy
- Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School
- Nishkam Primary School
- SS Mary & John's Catholic Primary Academy
- SS Peter & Paul's Catholic Primary Academy
- St Anthony's Catholic Primary School
- St Luke's CE Primary School
- St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy
- St Michael's Catholic Primary Academy
- St Michael's CE Primary School
- St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
- St Paul's CE Primary School
- St Teresa's Catholic Primary Academy
- The Royal School Wolverhampton
For all other Wolverhampton maintained Primary schools, and for the following schools appeal online.
- All Saints CE Primary School
- Birds Bush Primary School
- Forest Hills Primary School
- Mesty Croft Academy
- St Benedict Biscop CE Primary School
- Stanley Road Primary School
For all other Wolverhampton maintained primary schools appeal online.
Alternatively appeal forms can be requested via:
- Email: SchoolAppeals@wolverhampton.gov.uk
- Phone: 01902 554825
- Or you can find a copy in the Download section on the Appeal Online page
Appeals for children refused a place at a preferred school resulting from an in-year transfer application will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.
Acceptance of a place at a school does not affect your right to appeal for a place at another school. However, if you decide to appeal for a place at any of your preferred schools, we recommend you secure a place for your child at an alternative school in case your appeal is unsuccessful.
Wolverhampton Local Authority have a duty to provide a school place for your child. However, this may not necessarily be at your preferred school.
You may want the same school for two or more children but you may find only one child can be offered a place. There is no guarantee that because one child has a place, a place will be given to a second child. You may then find that you are unsuccessful at appeal and are faced with your children having to attend two different schools. In such cases you may wish to look at alternative schools where there are spaces for all your children before deciding to appeal.
Wolverhampton School Admissions is always willing to discuss alternative schools with places available at any stage in the process – contact School Admissions on 01902 551122 option 1.
Parents may only lodge one appeal per school in an academic year unless there are any material changes to their circumstances, such as a permanent change of address.
For schools within another Local Authority (LA) area
You should refer to that LA's secondary/primary school admissions booklet, contact that LA or contact the school direct for information regarding their procedures and closing dates in respect of appeals.
Wolverhampton Local Authority have a duty to provide a school place for your child. However, this may not necessarily be at your preferred school.
Please note appeals for Infant Classes (Reception, Year 1 and 2) are subject to legislation that states that a class size cannot exceed 30 pupils per teacher.
Government legislation states that infant classes (5-7 year olds) must not contain more than 30 pupils. This means that the regulations limit the size of an infant class (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) with one teacher to 30 pupils. Only in very limited circumstances can admission over the limit be permitted, these reasons being:
- That the Admissions Authority has made a mistake and, if that mistake had not been made, your child would have been offered a place;
- That your child would have been offered a place if the admission arrangements had not been contrary to the mandatory provisions in the School Admissions Code; and/or
- That the Admissions Authority has acted unreasonably in not offering your child a place. In this situation, "unreasonable" means that the process followed in your child's case was irrational or perverse given the information that you provided with your application.
Infant class size appeals are rarely successful due to class size prejudice.
Additional supporting information
If a Parent/Carer wishes to submit further evidence, which was not included with their initial appeal, they should ensure this is received at least 5 school days in advance of the appeal.
What happens when I appeal?
Parents/Carers will be sent notification of their appeal hearing at least 10 school days in advance of the hearing. Parents/Carers will be sent a copy of the School's case at least 7 calendar days in advance of the hearing.
An independent panel will hear your appeal. You will be invited to attend the appeal hearing via video link (further information about this can be found below). An interpreter can be made available at the appeal on request for those for whom English is not their first language.
To participate in the meeting, you will need access to a computer, tablet or mobile phone with a camera and speakers along with a valid email address. You do not need to have any additional software installed on your device to access the meeting.
We will email you a meeting link at least two days before it is due to take place. Guidance on accessing a Microsoft Teams meeting can be found in the Downloads section of this page. A test meeting will be sent to you the day before the appeal to ensure that you can connect successfully.
If you do not have access to the required technology or resources to access the Teams meeting from home; a room can be made available for you at the Civic Offices, please contact the School Appeals Team (schoolappeals@wolverhampton.gov.uk) if you would like to attend the video conference from the Civic Offices.
It is very important that the meeting remain confidential and that only those invited to attend are present and all recording devices are turned off for the duration of the appeal.
The procedure to be followed during an appeal hearing
On the day of the hearing, a Facilitator will greet you in the virtual meeting and ensure there are no technical difficulties ahead of the appeal starting. When you are ready to start the appeal, the Facilitator will invite the other attendees of the hearing to join. The Facilitator will leave the hearing when all attendees are present.
At the hearing there will be 3 Panel Members who are the decision makers and independent of Schools Admissions and the Local Authority. There will be a Presenting Officer for the School/Admissions Authority who will present the case for the School. There will be a Clerk who supports the Panel with issues around law and process and takes notes of the hearing. The Clerk has no decision making power.
The Chair will confirm the procedure for the hearing which is as follows:
- The Presenting Officer will be invited to present the School’s case.
- Parents/Carers may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Presenting Officer.
- The Panel may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Presenting Officer.
- Parents/Carers will be invited to present their case.
- The Presenting Officer may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Parents/Carers.
- The Panel may ask any questions relating to the case put forward by the Parents/Carers.
- The Presenting Officer will be invited to sum up.
- The Parents/Carers will be invited to sum up.
Once the Parents/Carers and Presenting Officer leave the hearing, the Panel will make a decision. Decision letters following an appeal will be sent within 5 school days of the decision being made wherever possible. The Panel's decision is final and binding on all parties.
For the following Wolverhampton primary schools, the Governing Body/Board of Directors of the school is responsible for organising appeals and appeals must be lodged with the school. Parents/Carers should contact the school directly for an appeal form.
- Corpus Christi Catholic Primary Academy
- Holy Rosary Catholic Primary Academy
- Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School
- Nishkam Primary School
- SS Mary & John's Catholic Primary Academy
- SS Peter & Paul's Catholic Primary Academy
- St Anthony's Catholic Primary School
- St Luke's CE Primary School
- St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy
- St Michael's Catholic Primary Academy
- St Michael's CE Primary School
- St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
- St Paul's CE Primary School
- St Teresa's Catholic Primary Academy
- The Royal School Wolverhampton
For the following Wolverhampton secondary schools, the Governing Body/Board of Directors of the school is responsible for organising appeals and appeals must be lodged with the school. Parents/Carers should contact the school directly for an appeal form.
- Our Lady and St Chad Catholic Academy
- Smestow Academy
- St Edmund's Catholic Academy
- St Peter's Collegiate Academy
- The King's Church of England School
- The Royal School Wolverhampton
- Thomas Telford University Technical College
- Wednesfield Academy
- Wolverhampton Girls' High School
For all other Wolverhampton maintained Primary, Secondary schools and for the following schools appeal online.
- All Saints CE Primary School
- Birds Bush Primary School
- Forest Hills Primary School
- Mesty Croft Academy
- St Benedict Biscop CE Primary School
- Stanley Road Primary School
Alternatively appeal forms can be requested via:
- Email: SchoolAppeals@wolverhampton.gov.uk
- Phone: 01902 554825
- Or you can find a copy in the Download section on the Appeal Online page
Contact Us
Email: SchoolAppeals@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Phone: 01902 554825