Students and their parents can only submit appeal decisions against 11–20 school day suspensions, charge-related suspensions, exclusions, cancellations of enrolment and refusals to enrol. Students may authorise someone else to submit an appeal on their behalf. The appeal process involves a senior officer of the department conducting a thorough review of all the decision-making material. Appeals take up to 40 school days before an outcome is determined.
There is no right of internal review for 1–10 day suspension decisions under the
Education (General Provisions) Act 2006. However, if you feel the Department of Education’s processes for making this decision have not been complied with you may make a complaint in accordance with the Department of Education’s customer complaints process.
Appeal timeframes
Suspension 1–10 days
| No
| N/A
| N/A
| School case manager
|
Suspension 11–20 days
| Yes
| Within 5 school days of being notified in writing
| As soon as practicable after receiving submission (usually 40 school days)
| School case manager
|
Charge-related suspension
| Yes
| Within 5 school days of being notified in writing
| As soon as practicable after receiving submission (usually 40 school days)
| Regional case manager
|
Exclusion
| Yes
| Within 30 school days of being notified in writing
| Within 40 school days of receiving the submission
| Regional case manager
|
Exclusion from certain or all schools
| Yes
| Within 30 school days of being notified in writing
| Within 40 school days of receiving the submission
| Regional case manager
|
Permanent exclusion from certain or all schools
| Yes
| One written submission to decision maker per calendar year (until 24 years old)
| Within 40 school days of receiving the submission
| Regional case manager
|
Cancellation of enrolment
| Yes
| Within 30 school days of being notified in writing
| As soon as practicable after receiving submission (usually 40 school days)
| Regional case manager
|
Refusal to enrol
| Yes
| Within 30 school days of being notified in writing
| As soon as practicable after receiving referral (usually 40 school days)
| Regional case manager
|
Submitting an appeal
The following documents provide information and guidance on making an appeal submission:
Process for reviewing your appeal decision
You can seek an external review of your appeal outcome, which considers whether the department’s management of your complaint was fair, reasonable and proper. To seek an external review, contact the
Queensland Ombudsman or the
Queensland Human Rights Commission.