Central Bedfordshire Council
Appeals Officer
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Team: School Admissions Team
Job Family: Providing - CBG9
Salary: £34,811 - £37,562 per annum pro rata
Hours: 37 per week
Base Location: Working from home and any CBC offices as required. You will be expected to attend a CBC office location as needed to carry out your role, which will be no less than once per month.
Contract Type: Hybrid - Permanent
Closing Date: 27th August 2026
Interview Date: 10th September 2026
More about the role:
We are seeking to recruit an Appeals Officer to join the School Admissions Team which sits within the Children and Families Service of Central Bedfordshire Council. You will be a part of a supportive, friendly, and very busy team which is responsible for the allocation of school places across Central Bedfordshire.
The team processes over 13,000 applications each year for children moving into the area as well as those starting school for the first time or transferring to their next phase of education. This is carried out following the legislation which underpins the school admissions process and supports the Council in its statutory duties for its residents and the academies and schools within the area.
Where a child cannot be placed at one or more of their preferred schools, the parent is given the right of appeal. The Appeals Officer would be responsible for writing an appeal case and presenting this at an independent appeal hearing. This involves gathering information about the school to provide a robust case to demonstrate prejudice against the admission of further children. We will provide you with full training and guidance to support you.
We are seeking a confident and articulate professional with excellent public speaking skills, capable of preparing and presenting cases at Independent Appeal Hearings. The successful candidate will be able to think clearly and make sound decisions under pressure, demonstrating resilience and professionalism in challenging situations.
This role experiences peak periods during the summer and autumn terms when appeal volumes are particularly high. As such, you will need to be highly organized, able to manage competing priorities effectively, and maintain a calm and professional approach while meeting demanding deadlines. Experience or knowledge of the education sector and/or a legislative, legal, or regulatory environment is highly desirable. You will possess strong attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and the ability to interpret and present information accurately and objectively. This role is being offered as a hybrid role, and you will need to have access to a vehicle to travel to Central Bedfordshire Council Offices or be able to reliably travel to them as required.
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You will be required to work within legislative parameters, adhering to the School Admissions Code and School Admissions Appeal Code. Good IT skills and a willingness to learn new software applications is also needed along with a proactive attitude and an eye for detail.
This role involves supporting a wide range of customers, some of whom may be disappointed, upset, or frustrated when they are unable to secure their preferred academy or school place for their child. As a result, excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential, along with the empathy and professionalism needed to handle sensitive conversations. You will also need the ability to clearly explain admissions processes and policies, which can often be complex.
This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity that offers a varied and challenging workload. You will be joining a supportive and friendly team that is committed to helping you succeed, providing guidance and encouragement as you develop your knowledge and skills while contributing to a vital service.
Comprehensive training will be provided through a combination of on-the-job learning, coaching, and structured guidance. This will include developing an understanding of the key legislation, statutory requirements, and Codes of Practice that underpin school admissions and appeals, including the School Admissions Code and the School Admission Appeals Code.
Please note:
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to submit their application as soon as possible.
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Our Offer
We have a number of rewards and benefits available to our staff, to view these please visit our Rewards and Benefits page.
Our aspiration is to be a truly flexible employer. We welcome discussion on location, hours, and working pattern as part of the application process.
For an informal discussion about this position, please contact: Lydia Braisher at Lydia.Braisher2@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or call 0300 300 5254 or Samantha Hayden at Samantha.Hayden@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or call 0300 300 4997.
Application Process
To maintain a fair and consistent approach for applicants, it is Central Bedfordshire Council's policy to only consider applications made via our online application system and we therefore thank you for not submitting your application offline.
Our National Careers Service team offer a free monthly workshop covering CV writing and how to complete the statement sections of the Central Bedfordshire Council online application form. This MS Teams workshop is open to anyone from the UK and lasts around 1.5 hours. Please book your place here.
More information about this service can be found here.
Your application to us is a reflection of who you are professionally and should give us an accurate and authentic picture of your skills, experiences, and if applicable, qualifications. Before you submit your application, we will ask you to confirm if you have used AI.
All new starters will join us on a four-month probationary period. During this time, if you are offered a Hybrid role you will be required to attend a Central Bedfordshire Council office location more frequently to support thorough and well-supported onboarding into your role. Please keep this in mind if you anticipate extensive travel to Central Bedfordshire.
Please note we are unable to offer sponsorship for our roles. Successful applicants that may require a visa will need to consider the options for obtaining and/or maintaining the legal right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the contract offered.
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