This stage of the School Exclusions Hub covers appeals to the independent review panels and reconsideration of an exclusion by a school’s governors.
If the governors decline to reinstate a young person, then the family can request that the exclusion be heard by an independent review panel.
- For directions on following up with the governors after their review and requesting an independent review panel, read the Step-by-Step Guide: Requesting an Independent Review Panel;
- For directions on preparing a set of written arguments for the independent review panel read the Step-by-Step Guide: Preparing Written Arguments for the Independent Review Panel;
- For more information on the law and practice of independent review panels, including their powers and process, read the Quick-Guide: Independent Review Panels;
- For more information on attending the independent review panel and undertaking advocacy read the Step-by-Step Guide: Attending the Independent Review Panel.
Independent review panels cannot direct that a young person is readmitted to school, but they can direct a governing body to consider an exclusion again.
- For directions on speaking to the governors to encourage them to come to the right decision when reconsidering an exclusion read the Step-by-Step Guide: Encouraging the Governors to Reconsider;
- For more information on the law and practice relating to the governors’ duty to reconsider, read the Quick-Guide: the Governors’ Duty to Reconsider an Exclusion.