Exclusion from maintained schools, Academies and pupil referral units in England – A guide for those with legal responsibilities in relation to exclusion, published by the Department for Education requires admission authorities to hear your review within 15 school days of the date your Application for Review is received by School Appeals Service.
If you do not attend your review hearing, having agreed the date, the review will be dealt with on the information available, including any written submissions you have provided.
Whether you choose to attend the review hearing or not, approximately five working days prior to your review hearing date, you will be sent copies of any information or documents which are to be put before the Panel at the hearing.
If you, as parents, are making the appeal (i.e. your child is under 18), your child has the right to attend the hearing if you wish it.
The alleged victim has the right to be given a voice at the hearing either in person, through a representative or by submitting a written statement.
Witnesses may attend the hearing for either party, although the Review Panel cannot insist that any witness attends. If a witness is a pupil, they may only attend with their parent's consent.
A sheet setting out the Procedure for the Day of the review will be also sent to you. The review hearing is not judicial hearing and every effort is made to conduct the hearing in as an informal an atmosphere as possible. You, as parent, your representative (if applicable) the headteacher and a nominated governor of the school in question have the right to attend the appeal hearing and present their view.
A representative of the Local Authority and an Special Educational Needs expert, if relevant, may also attend.
Any other information and advice on arrangements for the hearing (e.g. facilities for disabled parents and the provision of interpreters) may be obtained upon request from the Surrey School Appeals Service, Dakota, 11 De Havilland Drive, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0YP, or email surrey.schoolappeals@surreycc.gov.uk.
