Our education law specialists recently represented a first year student who was expelled from a nationally renowned university following what were considered to be initiation acts within a university sports team. The university learned of the acts...
Every parent will have experienced the angst of applying for a school place for their child (although surprisingly, some parents do not realise that an application has to be made for their child to progress from the nursery at the school to the reception class) and the associated worry of whether their placement will be the one which they wanted. When you consider that the initial allocation is going to have an effect on the next seven years of key stage one and two; or five years of high school leading to GCSE examinations and qualification - it is not surprising that the admissions process can be stressful.
In reception and Infant classes the law states that there can only be 30 children per qualified teacher in a class unless there are exceptional circumstances.
You have the right to provide preferred options for your child’s school and each admission authority or independent school must publish their admissions policy in the case where a school is oversubscribed setting out what criteria has to be met and in what priority. If unsuccessful in your first choice, the second or third choices may be.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the allocation, then there is a right of appeal.
Please note we can only assist with matters relating to schools/universities in the jurisdiction of England and Wales.
Key dates for school admissions
Event | Secondary | Primary | |
Deadline to make application for school place | 31st October | 15th January | |
National offer day | 1st March | 16th April | |
Then at least 20 school days to lodge appeal | 28th March | ||
Deadline for admission authorities to publish appeal timetable | 28th February | 28th February |