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Appealing a school place decision

If your child does not get offered a place at one of your preferred schools, you can appeal to an independent appeal tribunal against the decision. For exceptional purposes, you can make an application to The Exceptional Circumstances Body

Not offered a place at your preferred school?

Details of how to make an appeal will be spelled out in the letter from the education and library board’s offering your child a school place. It will also tell you the deadline that you must meet if you want to appeal.

If your child has not been given a place at one of your preferred schools, the board will let you know which schools have places available.

Appeals process

If you are unhappy about how you have been dealt with, you can put your case to an independent appeal panel. You can only appeal if you are of the opinion that a school has not, or has not correctly, applied its published admissions criteria.

When will your appeal be heard?

Your board will inform you of when your appeal will be heard.

The decision

The panel's decision is legally binding - both on you and the school.

It will let you and the school know by post. If your appeal is successful your child will be offered a place at that school.

Complaining about the appeals process

If you're unhappy about the way the appeal process was carried out, you can complain to the Northern Ireland Ombudsman.

The Exceptional Circumstances Body

You can make an application to the Exceptional Circumstances Body (ECB) in situations where your child has not been admitted to the school you consider that, for exceptional reasons, he/she must attend. This facility is available only in respect of admissions to post-primary schools (Years 8-12).

Please read the information leaflet below before submitting an application to the ECB. If you require further information (e.g. access to a version of the application form in Irish) please contact the Exceptional Circumstances Body Secretariat on telephone number: 028 9127 9871.

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