- Are you interested in education and want to get involved?
- Do you have excellent listening skills, the ability to put people at ease and make balanced decisions?
- Would you like to become involved in an important, impartial service provided to parents and schools?
If you have answered yes to any of the above, why not apply to become a volunteer school appeals panel member?
What does a panel member do?
The role of a school admission and exclusion volunteer panel member is to:
- sit on independent admission appeal panels and/or independent review panel hearings
- ensure parents feel 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 the Civic Centre in Uxbridge or online.
School exclusion review panels
Parents/guardians have the right to ask for a review of a governing board's decision not to reinstate their child after a permanent exclusion from school. These reviews are heard by an independent review panel that consists of a lay person (Chair), a school governor and a headteacher.
Some of our panel members undertake extra training in order to sit on panels for exclusion independent review panels (which are rare in the borough of Hillingdon). If you would like to be trained and considered for an independent review panel, let us know when completing the application form.
Please note: All panel members are required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check and will be required to attend a short informal interview.
Who can apply?
Anyone can apply to be a school admission and exclusion volunteer panel member
Yes, unless you are a Hillingdon councillor or an employee of the council.
What skills or experience do I need?
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Good literacy and listening skills
- Able to remain firm and calm
- Integrity
- Fairness
- Ability to work with other panel members
Do panel members receive training?
Yes, all panel members are trained before sitting on a panel and this is refreshed at least every 2 years.
How much time do I need to commit to the role?
The amount of time needed for this role can vary depending on the level of commitment you wish to give.
While appeals are held throughout the year, the peak months are between May and July. Appeals are arranged so that they are heard for half a day or a full day, depending on the amount of appeals received.
Do panel members get paid?
Panel members provide a very important volunteer service, which is unpaid. However, panel members are entitled to expenses, such as travel, when attending panel hearings and training.
Apply to be a school panel member