Start with the refusal letter
For the normal September Year 7 intake, refusals usually arrive with the coordinated allocation in March. Read the letter for the appeal form, submission address and deadline. A school or council may use a separate appeals service, so do not assume that emailing the headteacher lodges an appeal.
You must appeal separately for each school that refused a place. Keep an acknowledgement of every submission and contact the appeal administrator if one is missing.
If a school was not named on the CAF, read appealing for an unlisted school before assuming you already have a refusal to challenge.
Separate the appeal deadline from the hearing
The published timetable should distinguish:
| Stage | What it means |
|---|---|
| Lodging deadline | At least 20 school days from sending the decision letter must be allowed |
| Evidence deadline | The authority sets when supporting material must arrive |
| Hearing notice | At least 10 school days’ notice is normally required |
| Hearing | On-time appeals in the normal admission round must be heard within 40 school days of the lodging deadline |
School days exclude weekends and school holidays. Follow the dated timetable rather than counting calendar weeks from March.
Late appeals and in-year appeals have different scheduling provisions. Ask the appeal administrator which timetable applies. Late evidence may delay the hearing or may not be considered, so check how and when to send it.
Distinguish selection review from admission appeal
A selection review can take place months earlier, after the test result. It considers academic suitability through a local process; it does not necessarily allocate a school place.
In Buckinghamshire, for example, an unsuccessful prior review can affect the issues a later appeal panel considers. The panel may first examine whether that review was fair, consistent and objective. Read the local guidance before deciding how to proceed.
For an unqualified child, evidence of academic ability may be relevant alongside the reasons for admission to the particular school. For a qualified child refused because the school is full, the case concerns the refusal and the school’s capacity case. See appealing a grammar school result for these distinctions.
Keep other admission steps moving
Accept the allocated place in line with its instructions and request waiting-list entry where required. Neither action replaces an appeal submission.
Prepare relevant school reports, correspondence and evidence within the published timetable. Explain why each item matters rather than submitting a large unexplained bundle. If your child has an EHC plan, check the separate placement and appeal process.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Still wondering?
Can we appeal immediately after a disappointing 11+ result?
Check for a local selection review or result-query process at that stage. A formal admission appeal normally requires an application to the school and a refusal of a place.
Should we wait for the waiting list to move before appealing?
Do not miss the appeal deadline while waiting. You can pursue the waiting list and an admission appeal separately, while retaining the offered school place.
Does accepting another school cancel our right of appeal?
No. Accepting an offered place does not affect an appeal against refusal at another school. Follow the response instructions for the offered school and lodge each appeal separately.
Official sources
Checked 28 Sept 2026