Categories:
Maintained Primary and Secondary Headteachers

Panel Membership Opportunity: Join OCC’s Access to Education Panel

Oxfordshire County Council is inviting expressions of interest from primary and secondary senior leaders who would like to become members of the Access to Education Panel.

The Access to Education Panel is a multi-agency panel that meets fortnightly during term time to consider cases involving children of statutory school age who may require Local Authority intervention under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996.

School representation is a vital part of the panel's membership, ensuring that decisions are informed by current leadership experience and the realities of school practice. The panel brings together colleagues from education, health, SEND, legal and governance services to support equitable access to education for children and young people across Oxfordshire.

Why get involved?

Panel membership offers an opportunity to:

  • Contribute to decisions that support some of Oxfordshire's most vulnerable children and young people.
  • Share school leadership expertise and perspectives.
  • Develop a broader understanding of alternative provision, attendance, inclusion and access to education across the county.
  • Work collaboratively with professionals from a range of services in a multi-agency forum.
  • Support system-wide improvement by helping identify and address barriers to education.

Commitment

Panel members are not expected to attend every fortnightly meeting. School representatives would participate on a rota basis, helping to ensure that the commitment remains manageable while maintaining valuable school input into panel discussions.

Expressions of Interest

If you would like to express an interest in becoming a member of the Access to Education Panel, please email educationsection19@oxfordshire.gov.uk by 5.00pm on Friday 11 September 2026.

We welcome expressions of interest from leaders across both primary and secondary phases and would be grateful for your support in this important countywide initiative.

Further information: Please refer to the Access to Education Panel Terms of Reference (docx, 35kb)