One Darlington September 2022
Partnership magazine full of local news and features delivered free to homes, businesses and community venues across Darlington.
Partnership magazine full of local news and features delivered free to homes, businesses and community venues across Darlington.
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Could you<br />
be a school<br />
admission<br />
appeal panel<br />
member?<br />
School admission appeal panel member, Esme Mason.<br />
We need people to join us as school<br />
admission appeal panel members<br />
– could it be you?<br />
What is a school<br />
admission appeal<br />
panel member?<br />
A school admission appeal panel member<br />
considers cases of both the person appealing<br />
and the admission authority, when a child<br />
doesn’t receive the school place they<br />
requested, and comes to a considered, fair,<br />
independent conclusion.<br />
Panel members work on a voluntary basis.<br />
Due to the number of appeals varying from<br />
year to year, you will be contacted as and<br />
when required. You don’t need any special<br />
qualifications, just the quality to be fair and<br />
considerate in decision making.<br />
We caught up with one of our longest serving<br />
school admission appeal panel members,<br />
Esme Mason, and asked her a few questions<br />
to highlight the great work panel members do.<br />
If you are interested in finding out more<br />
information or are interested in becoming<br />
a school admission appeal panel member,<br />
call 405801 or email<br />
education.schoolsappeal@darlington.gov.uk<br />
How long have you been a school admissions panel<br />
member?<br />
For more than 20 years.<br />
What attracted you to the role?<br />
I had just left a full time job and was working part time.<br />
I felt I needed a fresh challenge.<br />
What duties do you carry out?<br />
I listen to, and read, information relating to school<br />
admission cases from schools and parents and then<br />
consider the information and make decisions on the<br />
strength of the reasons put forward. A typical case<br />
would be that the school is full, but the parents believe<br />
it would be the best place for their child.<br />
What kind of issues have you dealt with?<br />
I have dealt with all kinds of issues. Parents offer<br />
explanations such as house moves, reasons for late<br />
applications, and having another child already in the<br />
school.<br />
What do you love best about the role?<br />
I like to think I have done my best to help someone else.<br />
Not all appeals are successful, but I do try to reach the<br />
best outcome.<br />
What type of person do you think is best suited to<br />
the role?<br />
People from all walks of life are panel members. I have<br />
worked with driving instructors, paramedics, and retired<br />
office staff. You need to be sympathetic and be able to<br />
weigh up the facts and make sound decisions. It can be<br />
difficult at times, but it is always rewarding.<br />
www.darlington.gov.uk one <strong>Darlington</strong> 31
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