Secondary school admissions

If your child is not given a place at one of your preferred schools, you can appeal the decision.

September 2025 appeals

If you have been refused a place at St Mary's RC High School or The Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School you should appeal directly to the school. This should be either a letter or the appeal form that you can download below.

For appeals for any other Herefordshire Local Authority school complete and return the appeal form by email to schooladmissions@herefordshire.gov.uk for attention of Dawn Skyrme. 

The deadline for appeals against notifications received on 3 March 2025 is 1 April 2025.

Download and complete appeal refusal of a school place form

Appeals timetable September 2025 entry

Allocation day for secondary schools is 3 March 2025.

The deadline for lodging appeals for secondary schools is 1 April 2025. 

Appeals must be received 20 school days from the date of notification that the request was unsuccessful. If notification of a refusal of place is received after 3 March, the appeal must be received 20 school days from the date of notification.

Appeals are scheduled to take place in May / June 2025. Once the appeal date is confirmed Democratic services at Herefordshire Council will contact you with details about the arrangements.

For further advice on making an appeal for secondary transfer 2025 entry, please contact the admissions officer on 01432 260925 or email schooladmissions@herefordshire.gov.uk

Appeals process

It is very important that a fair and independent process is in place for parents to appeal against decisions made by an admissions authority.

Most appeals involve the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary schools each September, or when a child starts school in reception.

Parents can also ask for their child to be admitted to any school in any school term. For example if a family has recently moved home. However, only one appeal per child for a particular school is allowed in each school year.

The appeal process we use follows strict national guidance. An appeal is given if we are unable to offer your child a higher preference of school or any of your preference(s) of school, and we have offered to the nearest school with availability.

Decision by the Governors of a voluntary aided, foundation school or academy

If you want to appeal against a decision by the Governors of a voluntary aided, foundation school or academy you will need to contact the school direct to see if they are organising their own appeals. We sometimes do their appeals. These schools go by the same deadline date for submitting appeals.

Further information

You can find out more about appeals on the GOV.UK website.

GOV.UK guidance - Advice for parents and guardians on school admission appeals