If your child is not allocated a place at the school you prefer, you have the right to appeal the decision of the admissions authority.
Appeals for Catholic schools appeal the decision of the school’s Governing Body. For most Catholic schools within the Archdiocese, the appeal hearings are arranged by the Education Department.
If you wish to appeal a decision regarding the offer of a school place please contact the Liverpool Archdiocese by completing this online form.
If you would like to lodge an appeal:
- Submit your details using the form below, completing all requested fields.
- You will then receive via email a unique reference number.
- Save and use in your unique reference number in all your correspondence with us from that point.
- Your appeal is then heard by an independent appeal panel.
We arrange admission appeals for primary and secondary schools for the following local authority areas:
- Knowsley | All schools
- Liverpool | With the exception of St Edward’s College
- Sefton | All schools
- St Helens | With the exception of St Theresa’s Catholic Primary School, De La Salle High School and St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School
- Wigan | All schools
For schools in Halton, Lancashire and Warrington, please contact your local authority regarding the appeals process. For schools listed as ‘exceptions’ in the above list, please contact the school directly.
Appeals for normal year of entry (Reception and Year 7) are arranged each year generally according to the following timetable. The dates may vary depending on whether the offer date falls on a weekend and may also differ slightly from those given by each of the Local Authorities:
Secondary offer date: 1 March
Appeals to be lodged by: 30 March
Appeals to be heard: 18 June or as soon thereafter
Primary offer date: 16 April
Appeals to be lodged by: 15 May
Appeals to be heard by: 16 July or as soon possible thereafter
Appeals will be heard as soon as reasonably practicable following the appeal deadline.
Appeals resulting from in-year admission applications will be heard on a date to be arranged within 30 school days of the appeal form being received by the Education Department at the archdiocese or as soon as possible.
Every school is required to have a complaints policy, a copy of which can be found on their website. All complaints about a school should follow the school’s published policy. Archdiocesan officers will be unable to intervene in any complaints until such time as the school complaints policy has been exhausted.