Volunteer Panel Members

  • Are you interested in education and want to get involved?
  • Do you have time available on weekdays during term-time?
  • Do you have excellent listening skills, the ability to put people at ease and make balanced decisions?

If you’ve answered yes to these, why not consider becoming a volunteer panel member for school appeals?

What does a panel member do?

The role of a volunteer panel member is to:

  • Sit on independent admission appeal panels and/or
  • Independent exclusion review panel hearings
  • Ensure parents feel that they have had a fair and independent hearing, been given every opportunity to put their case forward and been taken seriously.

Hearings are held at one of the schools in the local area using the service, another local school or can be held online.  Our panels are made up of 3 volunteered, supported by a trained and experienced clerk.

School Admission Appeals

If a parent/carer is refused a place for their child at a school, they are entitled to appeal against that decision.  Legislation sets out how these appeals are heard and who can hear them.  Full training is provided.

Independent Exclusion Reviews

If a governing board of a school upholds the headteacher’s decision to permanently exclude a child, the parent/carer is entitled to ask for a review of this decision.  This review is conducted by a trained independent review panel consisting of a lay person (chair), a school governor and a headteacher.

Who can apply

Anyone (except BCP Councillors or BCP Council employees) can volunteer to hear school admission appeals or independent exclusion reviews.

Skills & Experience

  • Communication & listening skills
  • Fairness, integrity, calmness
  • Teamworking with other panel members.

For exclusion reviews, you must be a current/recent headteacher or governor (within the last 5 years) or feel comfortable being the lay chairperson.

Training

Full training is provided before you sit on a panel, with refreshers at least every 2 years.

Time Commitment

  • Flexible – you can choose how much time you can give
  • Hearings take place on weekdays, during term-time
  • Peak Period: May – July (school transition appeals)
  • Usually half-day or full-day sessions.

Payment

The role is voluntary (unpaid) but expenses are covered (travel, lunch, refreshments).

Want to discuss further

If you want to discuss the roles further before applying, please contact Mrs Karen Green, Appeals Officer, CASAppeals on email: appeals@casappeals.co.uk or telephone (01202) 029589.

Apply Here

If you are ready to apply, please fill in our application form:  https://forms.office.com/e/vQMTKn8QQZ