Can You Help Ensure Parents Get A Fair Hearing?

Torfaen council is looking to recruit more volunteers to sit on School Admission and Exclusion Appeal Panels. These panels ensure a fair and independent hearing for those parents or carers who are not satisfied with the local authority’s decision to refuse their child a place at a particular school in Torfaen. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This can be a very rewarding experience for anyone interested in education and who has free time during the day. As a ‘Lay Member’ on the panels no formal qualifications are needed but you should be a good listener and communicator and have sensitivity to parents’ concerns. You will need to be impartial, objective, sensitive, decisive and keen to contribute. We welcome people with all types of knowledge, background and experience, as panels made up of diverse individuals tend to make better informed decisions. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Most people will already have a range of skills to help them become a panel member and we offer good quality training and support, so don’t worry if you think you don’t have some of the skills or confidence to take on the role. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Panel members find the work interesting and rewarding so why don’t you get involved? Service on these panels is voluntary, with formal training being provided by the Local Authority. Panel members are eligible to receive allowances for financial loss, travel and subsistence, in line with the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Appeals are scheduled throughout the year and are held during office hours. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you would like to become involved in this interesting and rewarding work please contact Karen Mayo on 01495 766082 or email Karen.mayo@torfaen.gov.uk ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​