About William Allen

Until August 2007 I was a Manager with Hertfordshire County Council specialising in School Admissions and Exclusions and the expertise I acquired underpins the up-to-date, Hertfordshire-specific advice offered by this freelance, independent service.

Admissions expertise

Over my 4 years at Hertfordshire, I acquired very detailed expertise on admissions regulations and Hertfordshire’s systems. This experience has included regularly sitting on the panel that considers applications for qualification under the exceptional medical and social criteria and representing the County Council at over 250 admissions appeals, covering all the many circumstances under which families appeal.

I have specific knowledge of schools in the following local authority areas, Watford, Three Rivers, Dacorum and St Albans, including the following towns: Berkhamsted, Bushey, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead, Redbourn, Rickmansworth and Tring.

Exclusions expertise

During my time at Hertfordshire, I was also responsible for establishing one of the new ‘Integration teams’ supporting pupils who had been permanently excluded and managing the movement of ‘challenging’ pupils between schools. One of my key tasks was to attend Governors meetings to consider Headteachers’ decisions to permanently exclude pupils and perform the Local Authority’s role of providing neutral advice on Government Guidance. As well as attending about 150 Governors exclusions meetings, I represented the County Council at approximately 15 Independent Appeals, where parents appealed against the Governors’ decision.

This knowledge is not specific to any particular area of Herfordshire since it is related to National Government guidance.

Geographical expertise

Berkhamstead, Bushey, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead, Redbourn, Rickmansworth, St Albans, Tring and Watford.