How to appeal for a grammar school place
8 min read ยท updated 2026-10-13
A child who narrowly misses the 11+ standard, or passes but isn't offered a place, can still appeal. Grammar school appeals follow special rules in the School Admission Appeals Code, and success depends almost entirely on evidence prepared before the hearing.
Two different kinds of 11+ appeal
If your child reached the qualifying standard but the school was full, the appeal is like any other oversubscription appeal: the panel checks the admission arrangements were applied correctly, then weighs your reasons against the problems another pupil would cause the school.
If your child did not reach the standard, the panel must decide whether the child is of grammar school ability. Under paragraph 3.13 of the Code, it can only uphold the appeal if there is evidence that the child is of the required academic standard, such as school reports with Year 5 or Year 6 results or a letter from the current school explaining why the child is of grammar school ability. The panel must not set its own test.
Local review before the appeal
Some areas run a review before places are allocated, so that children found to be of grammar school standard are considered alongside everyone else: Kent's Headteacher Assessment and Buckinghamshire's selection review are examples. If a review has taken place, the appeal panel only checks it was carried out fairly, consistently and objectively; if not, it looks at the evidence itself.
In Kent, the writing exercise from the Kent Test is not marked but may be used by the headteacher assessment panel, which is one reason to take the writing seriously on test day.
Evidence that works
- โ A letter from the headteacher or class teacher explaining, with examples, why your child is of grammar school ability
- โ Recent school reports and assessment results, compared with the school's expectations
- โ Work samples that show reasoning and writing at a high standard
- โ Evidence of something that affected performance on test day (illness, a bereavement), documented at the time
- โ Specific reasons the school suits your child, for the second stage of the appeal
What doesn't help
Private tuition results, practice-paper scores and general statements that a child is bright carry little weight on their own. Panels look for independent, contemporaneous evidence from school.
The timetable
After offers on 1 March you have at least 20 school days to lodge an appeal. You get at least 10 school days' notice of the hearing, and appeals lodged on time must be heard within 40 school days of the deadline. Gather evidence before 1 March: asking a school for a supporting letter in a hurry rarely produces its best version.
FAQs
Can you appeal a failed 11+?๏ผ
Yes. You appeal the refusal of a place at a specific grammar school, and the panel considers whether your child is of grammar school ability using the evidence you provide.
What evidence do grammar school appeals need?๏ผ
Evidence of academic ability from school: reports, assessment results and a letter from the headteacher or class teacher explaining why the child is of grammar school standard.
How long do I have to lodge an appeal?๏ผ
At least 20 school days from the date you were told the application was unsuccessful.
What is a headteacher assessment?๏ผ
A local review, used in Kent, in which a panel of headteachers looks at a child's school work, the Kent Test writing and the headteacher's report before places are allocated.
Do appeal panels re-test children?๏ผ
No. The Code says the panel must not devise its own way of assessing suitability.
Is it worth appealing?๏ผ
If the score was close and the school can provide strong written evidence of ability, often yes. Without school evidence, success is unlikely.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these official sources on 2026-10-13.
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