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School admission appeals

If you are not offered a place at one of your preferred schools you can appeal that decision. The appeals panel is independent of the council and schools in the borough.

You must have named a school on your application to appeal against the decision not to offer it.

Appeals are rarely successful, particularly for children between the ages of 5-7 years old. This is because the government has placed limits on class sizes in this age range to a maximum of 30 pupils.

Submit an appeal

You can appeal against any decision not to offer your child a place at school (but not nursery). You may appeal for more than one school.
You must complete and submit your appeal online. This is a simple and safe way to appeal and you will receive confirmation it has been submitted.
This form is only for appeals and should not be used to submit any other type of information or to apply for a school place or a school transfer.
Please refer to your refusal letter for further information.

Evidence

Please include any evidence or supporting material with your online appeal. You must give the reasons for your appeal at the time the appeal is submitted.
Submit a Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 appeal
 
 
Submit an Appeal for Year 3 to Year 11, including Secondary Transfer
 
 
 
Appeals timetable

Last day for lodging appeal forms for places in year 7 at SECONDARY schools

4pm on 31 March 2025

Appeals received after this date may not be heard by the end of the summer term.

Last day for lodging appeal forms for Reception in PRIMARY schools

4pm on 20 May 2025

Appeals submitted after this deadline will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged and may not be heard before the end of the summer term. 

Secondary appeals will take place from

April to June 2025

Primary appeals will take place from

June to July 2025

Invitation letter giving you details about your hearing will be sent by the Clerk to the Independent Appeal Panel

At least 10 school days before the hearing

Any additional evidence or supporting evidence

At least five school days before the hearing.  You are advised that additional paperwork received on the day of the appeal hearing will not be taken into account.

Letter from the Clerk informing you of the decision of the independent panel

Where possible this will be sent five school days after the last hearing for all the appeals held for that particular school.

Secondary Transfer Appeals Schedule 2025
SchoolGropuped Appeal DateAppeal Hearing Date
St Paul's Way Trust

24 April 5pm

28, 29, 30 April and 6, 7, 8 May
Central Foundation

28 April, 8am

28, 30 April
Mulberry Girls

12 May, 8am

12, 13 May
Morpeth

15 May, 8am

15, 16 May
Swanlea

19 May, 8am

19, 20 May
Stepney All Saints

2 June, 8am

2, 3, 4 June
Mulberry Stepney Green 

9 June

9 June
Langdon Park

9 June

9 June
George Green

12 June, 8am

12 June

Appeals for Canary Wharf College Schools

Appeals for Canary Wharf College Schools should be made via the schools website.
 
Appeal outcomes for admission in Year 7 in 2023
SchoolNumber of appealsSuccessful
Bow

 3

  0
Central Foundation

 22

  0
George Greens

 37

  1
Langdon Park

 3

 0
Morpeth

 31

 1
Mulberry Academy Shoreditch

 5

 0
Mulberry Girls

 28

 0
Mulberry Stepney Green

 25

  0
Oaklands

 6

 0
St Pauls Way

 101

 0
Stepney All Saints

 81

 2
Swanlea

 81

 2
Appeal outcomes for admission in Reception in 2023
SchoolNumber of appeals Successful
Bygrove

 2

 0
Cyril Jackson

 2

 0
Globe

 2

 0
Marion Richardson

 1

 0
Mayflower

 6

 0
Olga

 7

 0
Seven Mills

 2

 0

In Year Appeals

In-year appeals (for families applying for school places after the start of the school year) will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.

Contact the Admissions Service

For more information about your right of appeal please email school.admissions@towerhamlets.gov.uk