Understanding the timeline of a SEND Tribunal appeal helps families prepare properly rather than react to each stage under pressure. Most appeals take between 10 and 14 months from registration to hearing. Here is what happens at each stage.
Before you can register an appeal, you must contact a mediation adviser. This is a statutory requirement for most grounds of appeal. You do not have to attend mediation, but you must contact the adviser and either participate or obtain a certificate confirming you do not wish to mediate. This step usually takes 1 to 2 weeks.
Once you have your mediation certificate, you have 1 month from that date (or 2 months from the local authority's decision letter, whichever is later) to register your appeal with the Tribunal. Do not leave this until the last moment. The registration form requires you to set out your grounds of appeal and the outcome you are seeking.
After registration, the Tribunal will send you a case management order setting out key dates. The local authority will be required to submit their response, usually within 30 working days. This response is important. It sets out the LA's position and the evidence they intend to rely on.
Next comes the working document stage. Both parties contribute to a document that identifies areas of agreement and disagreement. This is often where significant negotiation happens. Many appeals are resolved at this stage through concession, where the local authority agrees to your position without a hearing.
If the case proceeds to hearing, you will typically receive your hearing date 3 to 4 months in advance. Preparation in this period includes finalising your evidence bundle, preparing witness statements, and organising any expert reports. The hearing itself is usually half a day to a full day. A Tribunal panel of three (a legal judge and two specialist members) will hear evidence and make a binding decision.
The Tribunal will issue its decision in writing, usually within 10 working days of the hearing. The decision is legally binding on the local authority.
The most important thing to understand about this timeline is that 96% of appeals result in the family's favour, either at hearing or through concession before the hearing. The process is demanding, but the outcomes speak for themselves.