Admission Appeals
How do I make an appeal for a place at this School?
If you wish to appeal against a decision to refuse a place for your child at this school you can appeal online or in writing. Information on how to appeal can be found by clicking here. Please ensure that you read the guidance notes published online before submitting your appeal.
Please note that as The Holmesdale School is part of Swale Academies Trust, appeals forms must be submitted to the school. The Holmesdale School uses an externally appointed Independent Appeals Panel.
Due to the restrictions brought in because of Covid-19 we may be unable to arrange hearings in person. The government brought in regulations in April 2020 to allow appeals to be heard remotely through virtual telephone hearings. The normal timescales for hearing appeals were also suspended. These regulations have recently been extended. If national Covid-19 restrictions ease enough to allow face-to-face hearings to resume, details will be posted on the school website and we will let those affected know.
For appeals during the 2024/25 admissions round (to start in September 2025), you should return your completed form to The Holmesdale School by 31st March 2025
Appeals Timetable – 2024/25 Admissions Round
- Offer Date: 3rd March 2025
- Deadline for lodging appeals: 31st March 2025
- Appeals will be heard as soon as practicably possible and ideally before the start of the new school year
Please Note: If your application was made after 31st October 2024 (closing date for receipt of applications for secondary school places), appeals will be heard as soon as practicably possible and ideally before the start of the new school year.
Appeals relating to late applications for a place
If your application was made after 31st October 2024 (closing date for receipt of applications for secondary school places), appeals will be heard as soon as practicably possible and ideally before the start of the new school year.
In Year and Transfer Appeals
For other appeals such as transfer and in-year admissions (moving from one school to another during the school year), please return your form to the school within 4 weeks of the date of your refusal letter. These appeals will be heard as soon as practicably possible.
How much notice of the appeal hearing date will I have?
Letters notifying parents of appeal dates and times are sent out in line with statutory guidance. These letters will be sent out at least 14 days in advance of the hearing (unless you have agreed to a shorter period than this).
If you wish to submit any further information other than that which you included with your appeal form, we ask that this is submitted no later than 10 days prior to your hearing. This is to enable the additional information to be circulated to all parties, giving the Panel and school the opportunity to consider the information in advance of the hearing. Please note that if significant information is received after this deadline your hearing may have to be adjourned to a later date. Please note there is a 10MB limit for any attachment sent online or by email. If you send more than this limit, we will not get your information and will not know that you have tried to send it to us. If you need to send more than 10MB please either split it across more than one email or send it by post. Regardless of how you have sent the information to us we will acknowledge that we have received it, so if you don't hear from us within three working days please telephone the number above to make sure we have received what you have sent.
Decision letters are sent out within 7 days of the hearing wherever possible.