School admission appeals

How to appeal, what the deadlines are and the different processes for each year group.

See below for information on:

  • school admission appeals for reception year
  • school admission appeal key stage 2 (year 3) and onwards

School admission appeals for reception year 2024/25

Key stage 1 appeals

KS1 admission appeals will be heard and determined by an independent appeal panel.

The law states that infant classes must be limited to a maximum of 30 children, which has an impact on how an appeal is considered. An appeal for a reception place can only be upheld in very limited circumstances.

There are 3 circumstances which an appeal panel can uphold an appeal for a school; if an appeal does not satisfy any of these conditions, then it cannot be upheld.

These conditions are:

  • the child would have been offered a place if the admission arrangements had been properly implemented
  • the child would have been offered a place if the arrangements had not been contrary to mandatory provisions in the school admissions code and the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, and/or
  • the decision to refuse admission was not one which a reasonable admission authority would have made in the circumstances of the case; unreasonable in this sense means irrational - a decision which was 'perverse in the light of the admissions arrangements'

How to submit your appeal

Use the online form to request an appeal for Croydon community primary schools or any of the non-community schools or academies listed below.

This form is to appeal a decision where you have applied for a place at a school and you have been refused. You cannot appeal if you have not applied to the school. 

For more information about applying for a school in Croydon, see our page on school admissions.

Submit appeal

Deadlines for completing online appeal forms

Croydon community schools:  The deadline for lodging 2024/25 reception year appeals is 17 May 2024.

Appeals received within the deadline will be heard between 3 June and 19 July 2024, some appeals may be heard following this date, as required.

Academies listed below: The deadline for lodging 2024/25 reception year appeals for the academy/non-community schools listed below is 17 May 2024.

Appeals will be heard between 3 June and 19 July 2024. Some appeals may be heard following this date, as required.

Academies and non-community schools located in the borough of Croydon:

  • Aerodrome Primary Academy REACH2 Trust

  • Applegarth Primary - STEP Academy Trust

  • Atwood Primary Academy

  • Beulah Junior School - Pegasus Academy Trust

  • Chestnut Park Primary School

  • Chipstead Valley Primary School - PACE Academy Trust

  • Cypress Primary School - Pegasus Academy Trust

  • David Livingstone Primary - STEP Academy

  • Ecclesbourne Primary - Pegasus Academy Trust

  • Fairchildes Primary Academy

  • Forest Academy - The Synaptic Trust

  • Gonville Primary - STEP Academy Trust

  • Heathfield Primary - STEP Academy Trust

  • New Valley Primary School - PACE Academy Trust

  • Oasis Academy Byron

  • Park Hill Juniors

  • Rowdown Primary Academy

  • St Peters Primary School Academy - Folio Education Trust

  • The Crescent Primary School Academy

  • The Minster Nursery and Infant School

  • West Thornton Primary Academy - The Synaptic Trust

  • Whitehorse Manor Infants & Nursery - Pegasus Academy Trust

  • Whitehorse Manor Juniors - Pegasus Academy Trust

  • Tudor Academy - STEP Academy Trust

Academy located in the borough of Merton:

  • Beecholme Primary School - PACE Academy Trust

In-year appeals

In year appeals will be heard and determined by an appeal panel. 

These in-year admission appeals must be submitted online using the relevant appeal form. in Apply for it on the right of this webpage

The following documents are available to download:

See also the applying for a school place page for more information on school admissions.

School admission appeals are heard by an independent panel. The admissions authority will explain to the panel why a place could not be allocated for your child. You will need to state to the independent panel the reasons why your child should be given a place despite the fact that the school is up to its 30 place limit per class.

 

Key stage 2 (year 3) and onwards – in-year appeals

If you have not been offered a place for your child at your preferred school you have a right of appeal under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (as amended by the Education Act 2001).

If you wish to appeal against the decision not to offer your child a place at a Croydon community school you must complete the appeal form.

For schools that are their own admission authority (such as academies, free and voluntary aided schools), you must check their website for details of their appeal arrangements. The Croydon Independent Appeals Panel hears appeals for the academies listed above and appeals for those academies can be made online. 

In-year appeals will be heard and determined by an appeal panel. 

 

Documents related to School admission appeals