Use of remote technology in school admission and exclusion appeal hearings: Consultation

This has enabled access for parents who may not have been able to attend an appeals hearing in person due to work commitments.
It has on some occasions also enabled a child to attend with a parent from the comfort and familiar setting of their own home proving to be a very supportive option for some families.

We believe that the appellant should be given the choice at the outset as to whether they would prefer an in person or on line hearing We would expect all parties to be in agreement with the choice before proceeding. Hybrid options can be catered for given the technology is now available to do this.

There may always be last minute changes to a panel due to absence etc where an online option or hybrid option is required to be put in place - but we would hope that everyone is in agreement that they are happy with the preferred choice of the appellant.

We wondered if the appellant chooses to attend remotely but the rest of the panel meet in person, whether it puts them at a disadvantage - it is not so easy to be able to read the room. It is also not so easy to give emotional support to families if they are not in attendance.