What if I can't attend my child's school appeal

[COB2]

We are in the process of relocating from North Yorkshire to Shrewsbury, unfortunately only 2 of our sons have managed to secure a place at the catchment school. The 3rd has been declined a place due to the KS1 class limit of 30 and will have to attend a different. Although I realise I am unlikely to succeed, I have decided to appeal as I feel it will be my opportunity to voice my concerns and ask questions. Unfortunately because we are still living in North Yorkshire, and I am a teacher, it is unlikely I will be able to attend the appeal hearing, does anyone know if I have the right to request a conference call?

There is nothing to stop you asking but they don't have to agree. The normal procedure if the appellant can't attend is for the case to be decided on the written cases.

I doubt they will allow a conference call. They will go off the info/evidence you have sent to the local authority dealing with your case and make the decision. They will not go over class size unless a mistake on their behalf or exceptional circumstances like a child in care.

As others have said, ask, but I suspect it's unlikely and you can't insist I'm afraid. The council rooms where I hear appeals have no conference facilities - no phones at all - so it wouldn't be manageable for us.

I don't think the panels I have clerked for would feel comfortable with this either. And if your appeal is actually an infant class size review, the panel's ability to help is very limited (it sounds as though you know this already) but the relevance here is that it's really unlikely that one of the grounds could emerge for the first time in your oral representations . I wonder though if it might be worth writing to the panel (not to the person setting up the panel, this wouldn't be me as the clerk here but could be elsewhere) just explaining why you can't attend? I'm just thinking that if the panel does think it needs more information before making a decision (which could be unlikely) they might then be more inclined to adjourn rather than taking the view that you had the opportunity to attend and perhaps didn't because you had nothing to add/knew the chances of success are so limited?

I would expect this to be carried out based on the written case, so everything you want to say needs to be said in writing.
As 2 of the 3 siblings have a place at the catchment school, the only question is really about the distance to the allocated school. If this is say 5 miles + away then that might have some influence on the panel saying the decision was unreasonable but if it is 2 or 3 miles then it will have no relevance.
I think the question you do need to be asking of the LA is where is the nearest school that can offer places for all three of your children, because he likelihood of success is low and the need for one school for you three children is high, given your profession.