The Torbay Independent Appeals Panel is dedicated to ensuring all appeal hearings are heard fairly, equally and within the requirements of the school admissions appeals code.
Assisting with responses to complaints or requests for information from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman or the Secretary of State for Education.
Service description
- Confirming the date and arranging a timetable for all the appeals for a school.
- Arranging a suitable venue for exclusion appeal hearings (including appropriate costs for room hire and refreshments).
- Providing three trained Panel Members and Clerk at each appeal hearing.
- Ongoing recruitment and mandatory training of Panel Members and Clerks.
- Providing written notification of the date, time and venue for the appeal to Panel members, Clerks, schools and parents (within the statutory timescales) and arranging the presence of a SEN expert in the case of an exclusion review if requested.
- Reproducing and circulating relevant paperwork to all panel members, clerks, schools and parent’s (within the statutory timescales).
- Providing independent and impartial advice and guidance prior to the appeal on procedural aspects of the appeal.
- Providing a Clerk to attend the appeal to record proceedings, attendance, voting outcomes, panel decisions and reasons; the Clerk also provides written confirmation of the Panel’s decision to all parties.
- Reimbursement of Panel Members expenses.
- Assisting with responses to complaints or requests for information from the Local Government Ombudsman or the Secretary of State for Education.
- Secure storage of all appeal paperwork for a period of seven years.
- Secure destruction of all appeal paperwork after seven years.
- Ability to provide statistical data on appeals for inclusion in a school’s DfE returns.
- Advice on specific legal issues in respect of admission appeals if they arise. A member of the legal team will be present at an exclusion review.
- Training and advice to presenting governors/head teachers/admission officers on the appeals process including a suggested format for school statements.
Benefits to your school
- Access to highly experienced and trusted staff in this field, who understand your school.
- Supported compliance in the Schools Appeals Code.
- Supported compliance in the Suspension and Permanent Exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England, including pupil movement.
- Guidance for maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England.
- Reduced risk of additional appeals, complaints and costs.
- No need to recruit and retain specialist clerks and legal advisors.
- Our team will manage what can be a time consuming process leaving your staff free to focus on your primary role.
You must sign up to our admission appeals service in order for us to support your exclusion reviews.