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Ombudsman criticises appeals process of Fulston Manor School, Sittingbourne

Archived press release

Date Published: 27/01/09

Foundation school breached Government guidelines on the handling of school admission appeals.

Fulston Manor School, Sittingbourne, breached Government guidelines on the handling of school admission appeals, finds Local Government Ombudsman, Tony Redmond. In his report, issued today (27 January 2009) he lists the flaws in the School’s process and recommends that the Governors review how they carry out appeals, so as to conform to the Appeals Code.

Fulston Manor School is a foundation school. ‘Mr and Mrs Rossa’ (not their real names for legal reasons) appealed against the Governors’ refusal of a place at the School for their daughter. The way the Governors conducted the appeal breached the statutory Government Code on School Admission Appeals in several places. It was apparent that the Governors had organised the appeals in this way for some years.

However, the Ombudsman finds that the decision of the Panel not to uphold Mr and Mrs Rossa’s appeal was not unreasonable.

The Ombudsman notes that the Office of the School Adjudicator’s Annual Report for 2007-08 said:

“Generally we found that appeals Panels organised by local authorities and dioceses were compliant with the Code but a significant number of those organised by foundation schools were not.”

The Adjudicator recommended:

“Aided and foundation schools should be persuaded to use appeals tribunals run by local authorities, diocese or private companies and should not attempt to negotiate the complexity of running their own tribunals.”

The Ombudsman says “I acknowledge the voluntary service given by members of Appeal Panels, and that those who my investigator interviewed were courteous and careful in the way they heard appeals. Where this work is done properly and thoroughly, it represents a valuable contribution to the communities in which schools are set.”

The Ombudsman asked the School Governors to bring their admission appeal process in line with the School Admission Appeals Code.

Report ref 08 007 478