After a non-selective result
Bexley’s current guidance expects results in early October 2026, with the exact date still to be confirmed. A review is a headteacher-led process. Speak to the primary headteacher about the result and the grounds for considering review; share the result yourself if the school is outside Bexley.
Headteacher review
Considers a non-selective test decision. Bexley says the opportunity for headteachers to request review comes after results and after the secondary application deadline.
School admission appeal
Follows a refused place at a school you applied to. The independent panel considers that refusal under the admission appeal rules.
Keep a Bexley grammar preference on the CAF if you are considering review. Include realistic alternatives as well. Bexley says review decisions change only in exceptional circumstances. The Selection Test guidance explains the process; a review should not be treated as another routine test sitting.
If the child was selective but missed a place
Selective status and a school offer are different. The top 180 scorers have a high-priority category; other selective children are ranked under the named school’s admissions rules. Read the exact policy rather than assuming that another family’s score or journey distance predicts the outcome.
A refusal for oversubscription calls for a different case from non-qualification. Check the category, any distance calculation or other disputed fact, and the school’s explanation of why it could not offer. The Bexley score guide explains the result terminology.
After a school-place refusal
Bexley directs admission appeals to the relevant school. Its 2027 secondary appeal timetable gives the dates below; read the school’s appeal pack for the submission route and evidence requirements.
- Application deadline31 October 2026
- Keep the CAF separate from reviewDo not wait for a review outcome before applying for secondary schools.
- Offer day1 March 2027
- Read the named school’s refusalKeep the offered place while considering an appeal.
- On-time appeal13 April 2027
- By 4 pmBexley’s published lodging deadline. A separate cutoff may apply to additional evidence.
The review page describes the test-review decision as final. That does not remove the separate right to appeal a school-place refusal. Under the DfE’s selective-appeal guidance, a previous local review may mean the appeal panel first considers whether the review was fair, consistent and objective. Do not assume it will simply repeat the review.
Documents for a Bexley appeal
- The test and review records: keep the result, any headteacher review submission and the outcome.
- The refusal and policy: use the admission arrangements for 2027 entry and identify the rule relevant to your child.
- Evidence matched to the case: academic information where qualification is at issue, or records supporting an alleged admissions error and reasons for attending.
- The school’s appeal pack: record the form, administrator, lodging deadline, evidence deadline and hearing arrangements.
The four schools have distinct contact routes: Beths Grammar, Bexley Grammar, Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar and Townley Grammar. The Bexley appeal directory links to official information.
For the hearing, prepare a short explanation of your main points and refer to numbered documents. Keep waiting-list requests separate. Accepting another place does not prevent an appeal; the hearing checklist explains how to prepare.
Common questions
A few things parents ask
Can a parent request a Bexley headteacher review directly?
Bexley gives headteachers the opportunity to request review. Discuss the result and any grounds for review with the headteacher. If the primary school is outside Bexley, make sure it has your child’s result.
Should I still name a grammar school while considering review?
Yes. Bexley explicitly tells families considering review to include a grammar preference on the secondary application. A review does not replace the CAF or extend its deadline.
Does the final review decision prevent a school admission appeal?
The finality of the test-review decision is different from the right to appeal a later refused school place. A prior local review can affect what an admission appeal panel considers first.
Where do I send a Bexley grammar school appeal?
To the relevant school through its stated process. Bexley says its secondary schools are academies and appeal requests should go to the school rather than the council. Its published 2027 deadline is 4 pm on 13 April; check the school’s instructions.
Official sources
Reviewed 28 Sept 2026