School admissions and admissions appeals
All academies and schools must ensure their admissions arrangements are Code compliant. Given the complexities and vagaries of the Admissions Code and the Admission Appeals code, you may need expert advice to help you.
Getting it wrong can lead to a challenge from the Schools Adjudicator, the local authority or parental complaints to the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and in the worst cases, having to admit significantly more pupils than you had planned.
Our experience and expertise means we provide you with immediate and expert advice on any issue relating to admissions or appeals quickly and effectively.
Our expert admissions lawyers have extensive experience of advising schools on admissions arrangements and supporting them with appeals. Whether you need to change your admission arrangements, respond to the Schools Adjudicator, challenge the local authority on admission requests for looked after children or under the Fair Access Protocol, or simply want support managing appeals on the day, we’re here to help you.
What we do...
- Admissions compliance - advising on changes to admissions arrangements to ensure compliance with the Code.
- Supporting you through admission appeals - focusing on all aspects of admission appeals including advice and support, drafting your prejudice statement and acting as presenting officer or clerking appeals.
- Advising schools on Fair Access Protocol and in-year admissions - including local authority requests relating to looked after children.
- Supporting schools when faced with parental complaints to the EFA.
- Supporting schools faced with objections to admission arrangements - following the involvement of the Schools Adjudicator.
- Bespoke training - training panel clerks and appeal panel members.
- Providing advice on collaboration - to support joint admission appeal arrangements.
Featured experience
Presenting officer
Acting as presenting officer at admission appeals for multiple primary and secondary academies.
Changes to admissions
Advising academies and schools on changes to admissions arrangements to ensure they are code compliant.
Fair Access Protocol
Successfully challenging a local authority’s approach to placements under the Fair Access Protocol.
Collaborative approach to admission appeals
Working with five academies to assist them in establishing a collaborative approach to admission appeals and move away from local authority services. We put in place a framework within which appeals could operate as well as assistance in selecting clerks and training panel members.
Related expertise
Key contacts
Richard Freeth
Partner
Philip Wood
Senior Associate
Testimonials
"While the team have detailed knowledge of the education sector, they consistently take a pragmatic approach that supports the clients understanding and ensures decisions are meaningful. They understand the requirements to such an extent that options, and recommendations, are clear and timely."
"They are effective, efficient and user-friendly."
"Excellent service, all legal support has been excellent quality."
"The Browne Jacobson team is very competent, responsive and knowledgeable and always ready to step in with a solution."
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