Appealing for a place
If you do not receive an offer of a place for your child from a school of your choice you have the right to appeal.
A guide to admissions and appeals for parents (.pdf, 2224Kb) has been published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The guide outlines:
- the school admissions and appeals process
- what parents can expect from the admissions system
- how to object to unlawful arrangements
- how to find further information and support.
Who do I appeal to?
The council can assist in the appeals process in certain cases.
If you are appealing for a place at:
- A Community school in Brent
You should contact the Brent School Admissions team or complete the forms below.
- A Foundation or Voluntary Aided (VA) school in Brent (or the Capital City Academy)
You should make your appeal in writing to the Chair of Governors at the school. Brent Council cannot be involved in this process.
- A Community school outside of Brent
You should make your appeal in writing to the relevant local authority.
The appeals process
Appeals processes vary according to what school year your child is applying for.
- Reception, Year 1 and 2
Complete the Key Stage 1 (KS1) school admissions appeals form.
- Year 3, 4, 5 and 6
Complete the Key Stage 2 (KS2) school admissions appeals form.
- Secondary school (Year 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11)
- All Brent secondary schools are either Foundation or Voluntary Aided. An appeal against a Foundation or Voluntary Aided school should be made in writing to the Chair of Governors at the school. Brent Council cannot be involved in this process.
Waiting lists
The school that you apply to may be oversubscribed. In this situation the school or Brent Council will offer to put your child's name on their waiting list.
Please note that:
- your place on the waiting list is determined by the school's admissions criteria
- if a place becomes available, whoever meets the criteria most closely will be offered a place
- the length of time spent on the waiting list will not give you priority over other applicants.
Further information
These external sites offer more guidance for parents on the appeals process: