Appeal a Decision Writer
Describe the decision and your grounds. Get a calm, specific appeal letter that gives the institution a real reason to reconsider.
New to this? Read the guide.
What it produces
Real output from this tool, not a mock-up.
What went in
- What decision you are appealing, and why it is wrong
- My son was refused a place at our catchment secondary school. The refusal says places went to children living closer. The council measured our distance from the wrong address, using our old address which we moved from in January 2025 and which is 2.1 miles away. We notified the council of the change on 14 January 2025 and have the confirmation email and council tax records at the new address from February 2025. Measured from our actual address we are 0.9 miles, inside the 1.2 mile cut-off stated in the allocation letter.
- Reference or case number
- Admissions reference ADM-2026-11482, school Ashfield High
- What outcome you want
- That the decision is reconsidered using our correct address and that a place is offered for September.
- Tone
- Calm
What came back
[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, Postcode] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Date] School Admissions Team [Council Name] [Council Address] Re: Appeal against refusal of secondary school place, Ashfield High, admissions reference ADM-2026-11482 Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to appeal the decision to refuse my son a place at Ashfield High School, communicated in the allocation letter under reference ADM-2026-11482. The letter states that the school was oversubscribed and that places were allocated to children living closer to the school, with a cut-off distance of 1.2 miles. The distance used to assess our application is incorrect. The decision appears to have been based on our previous address, which is 2.1 miles from the school. We moved from that address in January 2025 and now live 0.9 miles from Ashfield High, which is within the 1.2 mile cut-off stated in the allocation letter. We notified the council of our change of address on 14 January 2025. I have the confirmation email sent at the time, along with our council tax record showing the new address from February 2025, and I am able to provide both as evidence. Given that the change was reported well before the admissions deadline, our application should have been assessed using the new address, and on that basis my son would have fallen within the distance criteria for a place. I am asking that the decision be reconsidered using our correct, current address, and that a place at Ashfield High be offered for September. I would appreciate a response within 14 days. I am happy to send the confirmation email and council tax record, or any other information you need to review this. Please let me know if anything further is required. Yours faithfully, [Your Name]
When to use it
Use this when a decision has gone against you and there is a real reason it should be reconsidered: a school place, a benefits decision, a declined claim, a parking penalty. It builds the appeal around your grounds and the outcome you want, rather than around how unfair it feels.