parent guides

Kent grammar school appeals: headteacher assessment and the independent appeal panel

A \u201Cnot suitable\u201D result is disappointing - but it is not always the end of the grammar school road. Kent has two completely separate processes that can change the outcome, and parents routinely confuse them. This guide explains both, with the deadlines that actually matter.

Reviewed 12 October 2026 against kent.gov.uk

The two routes, in one paragraph

The headteacher assessment (HTA) happens in the autumn, before or around results day, and can reclassify a borderline child as grammar-suitable. The independent admission appeal happens in spring and summer, after school places are allocated on National Offer Day (Monday 1 March 2027). Everything below is about which route applies to you, and when.

Key dates for September 2027 entry

Route 1: the headteacher assessment (HTA)

Every October, before results reach parents, Kent primary school headteachers are given their pupils' results. Where a child has just missed the threshold, the head can put them forward for a headteacher assessment - sometimes called a headteacher appeal.

If the HTA doesn't happen or doesn't succeed, the assessment decision itself cannot be appealed. Kent is explicit about this: there is no right of appeal against the Kent Test result. What you get instead is the second route below - but not until March.

Route 2: the independent admission appeal

This surprises a lot of families: to appeal for a grammar place, you must first be refused one. (The application side of this - the SCAF, preferences, the 2 November deadline - is covered step by step in our application guide, and today's new threshold is explained in the 2026 results breakdown.) That means:

Accept the place you are offered. Accepting your March offer does not weaken an appeal in any way - it simply guarantees your child has a school in September whatever happens. If the appeal succeeds, you just tell the original school you no longer need the place.

What actually happens at the hearing

Appeals are heard by a panel of three people, independent of the school, the trust and the council - at least one member must have education experience and at least one must be a layperson. A clerk handles administration and advises the panel on admissions law. You'll be told your hearing date at least 14 calendar days ahead, and sent the full appeals paperwork at least 7 calendar days before.

For a grammar school refusal, the panel effectively works through two stages. Stage 1 is the school's case: the admission authority explains why it cannot admit another child, and panels usually accept this. Stage 2 is your case - and this is where grammar appeals are won or lost. Because your child wasn't assessed as suitable, the panel must weigh whether the evidence shows they are of grammar ability, and whether that outweighs the prejudice of admitting one more child.

What counts as strong evidence - and what doesn't

Panels see hundreds of cases. What moves them:

What rarely works on its own: mock exam scores from tutors, “always top of the class” anecdotes, or sheer volume of paperwork. Panels are looking for objective proof that one test result understated your child's ability - not proof that you want the school. The decision arrives in writing (never by phone) and is binding: if you win, the school must offer the place. If you lose, you cannot appeal again to the same school for the same academic year unless your circumstances have changed significantly since the hearing.

Don't forget the waiting list

Appeals and waiting lists run in parallel - do both. Ask for your child to go on the waiting list of any grammar school you named (for Kent schools, request this by 15 March 2027 to be included in the first reallocation run on 27 April 2027). Places do move between March and September as families relocate or take up independent offers. A waiting list costs nothing and an appeal doesn't affect your position on it.

A note for families of children with an EHCP

If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan, the grammar assessment issue is handled differently - concerns about the school named in the plan go to the SEND tribunal, not the standard appeal panel. Speak to your SEN caseworker or see the SEND pages on kent.gov.uk.

Common questions

The bottom line

A missed Kent Test pass closes a door, not every door. In October, the headteacher assessment can quietly put things right for borderline children. From March, the independent appeal gives every refused family a formal hearing - and a well-evidenced case genuinely can succeed. Use both routes, keep the waiting list live, and protect your child with a solid non-selective offer in the meantime.