Schools admission appeals

Appeal for a school place

If you have not been offered a place for your child at your preferred school, you have a right of appeal against this decision.

You can appeal for a school  only if you have formally applied and been refused a place.

You are advised to accept a place at any school offered to you as this will not affect your appeal and will guarantee your child has a school place if your appeal is unsuccessful.

We use an independent service to administer school appeals for all council maintained community primary schools and voluntary aided primary and secondary schools.

Council maintained primary and voluntary aided schools  

Community primary schools
  • Avondale Park
  • Ashburnham
  • Barlby
  • Bevington
  • Bousfield
  • Colville
  • Fox
  • Marlborough
  • Oxford Gardens
  • Park Walk
  • Thomas Jones
Voluntary aided schools
  • Christ Church CE
  • Holy Trinity CE
  • Oratory Catholic
  • Our Lady of Victories Catholic
  • St Barnabas & St Philip’s CE
  • St Charles Catholic
  • St Clement and St James CE
  • St Cuthbert with St Matthias
  • St Francis of Assisi Catholic
  • St Mary Abbotts CE
  • St Mary’s Catholic
  • St Thomas’ CE
  • Servite Catholic
Secondary voluntary aided school
  • All Saints Catholic
  • St Thomas More Language College

Appeal hearings

All appeal hearings are held online. You will be given full instructions of how to access the system.

If you have been refused a place at an academy, there may have different clerking arrangements in place.

We advise you to contact the school in the first instance. You'll find contact details on each school’s website.

Academies in Kensington and Chelsea

Primary academies
Secondary academies

How the appeals process works

The school admission appeals guidance document explains how the appeals process works and will help you to appeal against an authority's decision not to offer your child a place at your preferred school.

Visit Education Appeal to view the guidance

It is intended to help you understand:

  • the appeal process and the different types of appeal
  • what will happen at an appeal hearing
  • how the appeal panel will make its decision on your appeal

If your child has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), you cannot use this appeal process.

You will need to contact the SEN Team:

Phone 020 7361 3311.

Schools appeals timetable

The dates in the timetable for appeals for reception and secondary transfer are given as guidance only.

They are subject to change, but any change will be notified directly to you.

See the  school appeals timetable

Appeal forms  

Contact details

For general enquiries contact the Admissions and Access Team:

To contact the appeals organisation email [email protected].

Last updated: 11 May 2026