Bluecoat Primary Academy is a highly successful, Church of England Academy in the heart of Nottingham, with Bluecoat itself being associated with more than 300 years of proud history in the city. At Bluecoat Primary Academy, we have more than 450 children in Reception through to Year 6.
If you have been unsuccessful in your application to Bluecoat Primary Academy, please refer to the appropriate section below. Information on appealing will differ depending on whether you are appealing for a Reception admission next September or an in-year admission (during the current academic year). Please ensure you read the section relevant for your individual circumstances.
Appeal Process for Reception Place at Bluecoat Primary Academy – September 2025
If your application for a Reception place at Bluecoat Primary Academy for September 2025 was unsuccessful and you wish to appeal, please submit your appeal in writing (either by email or letter). Address it to the Independent Appeals Clerk and send it directly to the Archway Learning Trust.
Appeal Deadline:
Appeals should, whenever possible, be submitted within 20 school days from the date you are notified of the outcome of your application. For the September 2025 intake, the deadline for submitting appeals is Tuesday, 20th May 2025.
How to Submit Your Appeal:
When submitting your appeal, and where possible include a completed copy of the ‘Bluecoat Primary Appeal Form,’ which can be downloaded from this page (linked above). Alternatively, you can collect a paper copy of the form from the academy office.
Your appeal should also include the following information:
- Child’s name, date of birth, and sex
- Parent/guardian’s name, relationship to the child, contact number, and email address
Where to Send Your Appeal:
Appeals must be submitted to the trust F.A.O Independent Appeals Panel Clerk (see details below):
Email: appeals@archwaytrust.co.uk
Post: F.A.O Independent Appeals Panel Clerk
c/o Archway Learning Trust
Aspley Lane
Nottingham
NG8 5GY
Timetable for Appeals (Reception 2025 Intake)
The following timetable will apply for any Reception Intake appeals:
| Date | Event | Description |
| 15th April 2025 | Primary National Offer Day | Home local authorities will notify parents/guardians of the school place offered. |
| 20th May 2025 | Deadline for On-Time Application’s Appeal Submissions | Final date to submit appeals against school place decisions. |
| 30th May 2025 | Deadline for Additional Supporting Documents | Final date to submit any extra documents for appeals. |
| July 2025 | Appeal Hearings | Hearings for appeals against refusal of admission to Bluecoat Primary Academy and Bluecoat Bentinck Primary Academy. |
| Within 5 school days of the last appeal hearing | Outcome Communicated (sent via email) | Appeal outcomes will be communicated through email shortly after the hearings. |
Please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) tab below which contains useful information on the appeals process and the Trust’s statement in relation to GDPR and the processing of appeal information.
Appeal Process for an In-Year Place at Bluecoat Primary Academy – Academic Year 2024-2025
If your application for a place In-Year at Bluecoat Primary Academy (Reception – Year 6) was unsuccessful and you wish to appeal, please submit your appeal in writing (either by email or letter). Address it to the Independent Appeals Clerk and send it directly to the Archway Learning Trust.
Appeal Deadline:
Where possible, appeals should be submitted within 20 school days from the date you are notified of the outcome of your application.
How to Submit Your Appeal:
When submitting your appeal, and where possible include a completed copy of the ‘Bluecoat Primary Appeal Form,’ which can be downloaded from this page (linked above). Alternatively, you can collect a paper copy of the form from the academy office.
Your appeal should also include the following information:
- Child’s name, date of birth, and sex
- Parent/guardian’s name, relationship to the child, contact number, and email address
Where to Send Your Appeal:
Appeals must be submitted to the trust F.A.O Independent Appeals Panel Clerk (see details below):
Email: appeals@archwaytrust.co.uk
Post: F.A.O Independent Appeals Panel Clerk
c/o Archway Learning Trust
Aspley Lane
Nottingham
NG8 5GY
Timetable for Appeals (In-Year 2024-2025)
The following timetable will apply for any In Year appeals:
| Action | Timeline | Description |
| Appeal Deadline | 20 school days from the date of the decision letter | You must submit your appeal within 20 school days from the date of the decision letter. |
| Appeal Hearing | Within 30 school days of appeal being lodged | Appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged. |
| Notification of Appeal Hearing | At least 10 school days before hearing | You will receive at least 10 school days notice of the date and time of your appeal hearing. |
| Submission of Additional Documentation | At least 5 school days before the hearing | If you have additional information to submit, it must be sent F.A.O the Clerk to the independent appeal panel at least 5 school days before the hearing date. Late submissions may not be considered. |
| Notification of Outcome | Within 5 school days of the last hearing | The decision of the panel will be communicated (via email) within 5 school days of the hearing, or within 5 school days of the last hearing if multiple appeals have taken place. |
Please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) tab below which contains useful information on the appeals process and the Trust’s statement in relation to GDPR and the processing of appeal information.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
No, any places offered by another school will not be affected by the appeals process. Both the trust and the local authority strongly advise that you accept the place offered to you while appealing. This ensures that your child will not be left without a school place if the appeal is unsuccessful.
No, an appeal does not affect your child’s position on the waiting list. Your child’s position is determined entirely by the academy’s admissions arrangements. Additionally, waiting lists are not considered by appeal panels, so your child’s position will not influence the panel’s decision during the appeal.
It is up to you to decide what information and documents to include in your appeal. However, if your appeal is based on medical grounds, you should, where possible, provide written evidence from a medical practitioner to support this. If your appeal is based on a house move, you should provide official confirmation of your new address.
The appeal panel will not contact people on your behalf. For example, if you want the panel to see a medical report or consider the views of a social worker or previous teacher, you will need to obtain and submit this information yourself as part of your appeal.
Please do not submit original documents that you wish to keep, as all materials submitted will be retained. If you submit information or photographs that include other children, ensure you have parental approval and are not violating any data protection rights.
All documents will need to be photocopied for submission to the appeal panel. It is your responsibility to ensure that any documentation you submit is clear and suitable for copying.
For September 2025 Intake Appeals: Supporting information or additional evidence must be received by the evidence deadline, which is Friday, 30th May 2025. Any information received after this deadline may not be considered as part of your appeal. It will be at the discretion of the appeal panel whether or not to accept late submissions.
For In-Year Appeals – If you have additional information to submit, it must be sent F.A.O the Clerk to the independent appeal panel at least 5 school days before the hearing date. Late submissions may not be considered
Yes, you can submit appeals for any school or academy where you have made an application and been refused a place. You can appeal for multiple schools/academies at the same time. If you are appealing for both Bluecoat Primary Academy and Bluecoat Bentinck Primary Academy, you will be given the opportunity to present your cases at one hearing appointment for both academies.
You should receive an acknowledgment email within 10 school days of submitting your appeal. If you do not receive this email, you are advised to contact the academy by emailing appeals@archwaytrust.co.uk.
The appeal process for school admissions involves two stages:
Stage One: The admission authority presents its case to the panel and the parents. The panel will decide if the admission arrangements were applied correctly and whether admitting additional children would prejudice the provision of education at the academy and the infant class size limits.
Stage Two: Parents/Guardian’s present their cases individually, explaining why their child should be admitted to the academy.
The Independent Appeals Panel is a group of individuals who are independent of the local authority, the trust, and the academy itself. They are appointed by the admission authority to hear appeals in accordance with the School Admission and Appeals Code. According to the Code, the panel must include both laypersons and individuals with experience in education. Typically, the panel consists of three people, with at least one being a layperson and at least one having experience in education.
The Independent Appeals Panel Clerk is an individual appointed by the admissions authority to ensure that the appeal process is conducted properly and in compliance with the Code of Practice for School Admission Appeals.
You can only appeal once per academic year. You will not be able to submit another appeal until your child enters the next academic year. The only exception to this is if there has been a substantial change in circumstances, as determined by the Independent Appeals Clerk.
This information will be stored securely and is subject to the UK GDPR 2016 as well as The Data Protection Act 2018. All information collected is confidential and may only be accessed by those with a valid lawful basis to use it. We may share the information you provide with trusted third parties such as the Local Authority, Independent Appeals Panel Clerk, members of the appeal panel and the Education & Skills Funding Agency (EFSA) where necessary to fulfil legal obligations. Your personal data will be retained for no longer than necessary to achieve the intended purpose. If you withdraw consent for the processing defined in this form we will stop processing it in this way but may still retain the data for other reasons, such as where it is needed to perform a public task or to fulfil our legal obligations. For further information, please see our ALT Data Protection FOI Policy available at www.archwaytrust.co.uk/about-us/policies/.
For all appeals enquiries, please email appeals@archwaytrust.co.uk, making sure to include your child’s name and date of birth to assist us in responding to your enquiry.