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Independent review panels: membership and procedures

Parents and carers have the right to request a review of the governing board's decision not to reinstate a pupil after exclusion. The review is done by an independent review panel (IRP). Find out what to expect from the IRP and what the outcomes might be.

Last reviewed on 5 November 2024See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 4182
Contents
  1. Convening an IRP
  2. Membership and training
  3. Required notice to parties
  4. Parents/carers have the right to request a SEN expert
  5. Circulation of documents
  6. Possible outcomes
  7. Written notification to parties about the decision

Please note: where we say 'parents/carers', this applies to pupils under 18.

Convening an IRP

The responsibility for arranging an independent review panel (IRP) meeting lies with the local authority (LA) for maintained schools and the academy trust for academies.

First, the parents or carers must make an application for an IRP within 15 school days of receiving notification of the governing board’s decision not to reinstate a permanently excluded pupil. They can do this even if they didn’t attend the first meeting at which the exclusions panel of the governing board considered reinstating the pupil.

The IRP meeting must begin within 15 school days of