Appeals this summer and COVID-19

[ToadMum]

A friend whose DS is appealing for a grammar school in Kent has had an acknowledgment letter form the Clerk to the appeal panel to say that the Government are to issue new regulations to allow appeal panels to meet in different ways. Many of us have work meetings via Skype etc, this would be much better than the paper exercise, parents would still be able to meet the panel and ask the school questions. Everyone is learning to work in different ways, schools and appeal panels should be no different.

Ideally yes, that would be the case but not all panel members or parents will have access to use Skype etc, nor the experience of using it. A work meeting scheduled to start at 10am will start at 10am. Many appeals run over so those subsequent hearings will be unaware what is happening. Do you compensate panel members (who don't forget are volunteers and many are within the defined vulnerable category) for using their own electric, Internet etc and how? Some panel members now have their children at home and not in school. Is it professional to have children running around in the background during a hearing?
Lots to consider.

Also bear in mind that although it is almost certain that the average spouse / child / parent of a panel member, Clerk or Presenting Officer has zero interest in the contents of their relative's 'virtual' meetings (or, for that matter, in the protracted discussions re why the technology seems only to be working for some participants and not for others), it is almost impossible to make such a 'meeting' within the confines of the average family home completely confidential.

[Catjellycat]

I am going to really struggle to get anything from my ds school as his teacher is not physically in the building.

My appeal is gong to be very thin :/

[Etienne]

I am going to really struggle to get anything from my ds school as his teacher is not physically in the building.

My appeal is gong to be very thin :/

Under the Code you're entitled to 10 school days' notice of your appeal hearing, so strictly speaking the 10 days can't start until the school has re-opened. That might give you the opportunity to get hold of some evidence before the hearing.

Of course, we don't yet know what the DfE is going to do about the situation, so the regulations may change.

[kenyancowgirl]

I think technically all state schools are still open - just they are physically open just for key worker children. Even if teachers are not on the premises, they should still be contactable and will still be setting and marking work.

[Wildfuture]

I am going to really struggle to get anything from my ds school as his teacher is not physically in the building.

My appeal is gong to be very thin :/

Under the Code you're entitled to 10 school days' notice of your appeal hearing, so strictly speaking the 10 days can't start until the school has re-opened. That might give you the opportunity to get hold of some evidence before the hearing.

Of course, we don't yet know what the DfE is going to do about the situation, so the regulations may change.

So by that reasoning there won't be any appeals prior to September then.

[Etienne]

I think technically all state schools are still open - just they are physically open just for key worker children.

Interesting point.
I haven't been able to find a legal definition of a school closure in this context.
Closures are mentioned in the School Standards and Framework Act, but only with regard to failing schools!

So by that reasoning there won't be any appeals prior to September then.

Modified by "strictly speaking" and "we don't yet know what the DfE is going to do about the situation".

The Appeals Code was never written for these extraordinary circumstances, and there may be some unpalatable choices.

A 'paper only' procedure has been spoken of, but appeals in the absence of appellants can be very unsatisfactory. Some parents struggle to put forward a coherent written case, perhaps because they're from a deprived background, English is not their first language, they don't understand the system, or for whatever reason. They can be seriously disadvantaged if there is no face to face meeting where the panel have an opportunity to tease out all the information they need.

Technology has been mentioned further up - but you and Toadmum have correctly identified some of the problems.

[geocachers]

I contacted our Appeals Clerk and she replied on Friday to say everything is going ahead as usual - no changes, no delays. They won't accept anything by email. Hmmnm, going to be interesting then.

[Wildfuture]

I contacted our Appeals Clerk and she replied on Friday to say everything is going ahead as usual - no changes, no delays. They won't accept anything by email. Hmmnm, going to be interesting then.

Has the clerk not been watching any news in the last few weeks?!

[geocachers]

I contacted our Appeals Clerk and she replied on Friday to say everything is going ahead as usual - no changes, no delays. They won't accept anything by email. Hmmnm, going to be interesting then.

Has the clerk not been watching any news in the last few weeks?!

Clearly not!

I have received a letter by email from my son's teacher but it is not on school headed paper so am not sure if it is admissible. They are not going to back in school by the deadline. Causing so many issues!

[ToadMum]

I contacted our Appeals Clerk and she replied on Friday to say everything is going ahead as usual - no changes, no delays. They won't accept anything by email. Hmmnm, going to be interesting then.

Has the clerk not been watching any news in the last few weeks?!

Clearly not!

I have received a letter by email from my son's teacher but it is not on school headed paper so am not sure if it is admissible. They are not going to back in school by the deadline. Causing so many issues!

Is the email address the letter is sent from the teacher's school one? If so, just print out the whole thing.