School Appeal Panel - Chair is governor of neighbouring school?

[Masonj377]

Hi

my local council has organised an independent appeal for my daughters high school place.

as the title says the chair is the head governor of a neighbouring school and is academy trust. The school I am applying for is not connected to the other school but they are local schools. Is this normal / acceptable it just doesn’t feel very independent or am I just overthinking things ? X

Most people in education will know a lot of other education people in the local area, it doesn’t mean that they can’t be independent and fair. All the meeting will be fully minuted so they know that any inconsistencies or bias shown in the adjudication will be recorded and could be the basis for a complaint.

I dont actually know about appeal panels but I am not sure I can see any conflict of interest here at all, so would guess it is fine. (I do clerk admission panels but thats a different thing)

Just me overthinking I guess . Thank you for your replies xx

Hi, I’m a school governor and this is completely normal. I’ve sat on panels for several other schools locally, typically they’ve been made up of governors from 3 different schools, hearing a matter for a 4th school. We really couldn’t be much more independent.