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Independent review panels: membership and procedures

Parents 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 2 January 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 have the right to request a SEN expert
  5. Circulation of documents
  6. Possible outcomes
  7. Written notification to parties about the decision

The information here can be found in parts 9, 10 and 11 of the statutory guidance on exclusions published by the Department for Education (DfE). We've also taken advice from One Education. 

Please note: where we say 'parents', 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.

Any application outside of that timeframe must be rejected, except where the parents made a claim for discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 regarding the exclusion. In that case, parents can apply for an IRP

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