Is it normal/permissable to have school Head at appeal as well as presenting officer?

[valhala]

I attended a school addmissions appeal today. The Precenting Officer was a member of the LA, representing the school which is a foundation one so is it's own admissions authority. This gentleman is one of 20 years experience and knows the school well.

However, the Principal of the school was also there, as an advisor to the Presenting Officer and had a lot of input, arguing that the school is too small to take in any more pupils as it is over it's PAN in my daughter's year etc.

Is it normal for this to happen? I felt like I was really up against it as I was fighting my corner as a mere parent against not one but two experts on the school!

Oops! Sorry, I meant PreSenting Officer, not PreCenting!

At our appeal, one representative from the school was present (two during the first session) and one from the LEA. Normal, I think.

They have different jobs to do, which explains the need for two: the school representative has to prove that the school is full (because otherwise they would have to admit your dc at once) and the LEA representative has to prove that they have followed their own admissions procedure (because otherwise they would have to admit your dc at once). Your job was to present your case, the panel's job to listen and make an objective decision.

I found the panel very helpful in our case, the LEA official hopeless and very confused, the school more convincing- but then I didn't want dd to go to a school run by dimwits so that was reassuring in its own way.