Cornwall Council (19 007 290)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 22-Aug-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate this complaint about the actions of an Educational Welfare Officer (EWO), and the lack of support for her children at their previous school. This is because the Council is not responsible for the matters complained of. The school concerned is an academy and regulation of its actions, and those of its employees, is not an administrative function of the Council.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (19 004 413)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 20-Aug-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mr B’s complaint against the Council about matters relating to the running of schools. This is because it falls outside our jurisdiction as we cannot investigate complaints about what happens in schools.

Devon County Council (18 012 473)

Statement Not upheld Other 31-Jul-2019

Summary: Mrs B complains about how the Council dealt with her son’s school attendance issues. She considers the Council acted inappropriately and that this caused him to miss education he was entitled to. The Ombudsman finds no fault in the actions of the Council in this matter.

Nottinghamshire County Council (19 003 208)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 09-Jul-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms X’s complaint the Council issued her with penalty charge notices for her children’s non-attendance at school. This is because we cannot achieve the outcome she wants, and the court is the appropriate body to consider the Council’s decision.

North East Lincolnshire Council (19 002 294)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 02-Jul-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint the Council issued him with a penalty charge notice for his child’s non-attendance at school. This is because Mr X’s wife has paid the fine and we cannot achieve the outcome he wants. Also, if Mr X wanted to challenge the Council’s decision, the court was in the best position to consider his defence.

Halton Borough Council (19 001 935)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 20-Jun-2019

Summary: Miss X complains about how the Council operates its policy of fining parents who take their children out of school during term time without the school’s permission. The Ombudsman will not investigate her complaint. This is because there is no evidence of fault by the Council which has caused Miss X personal injustice.

Northumberland County Council (19 000 578)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 05-Jun-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mr A’s complaint that the Council failed to answer a question about educational provision for his grandson. This is because the substantive issue relates to the provision of education within a school and the Ombudsman cannot consider which matters.

Leicester City Council (18 010 117)

Report Upheld Other 04-Jun-2019

Summary: Miss X complains the Council did not have good reason to ask her to prove the education she was providing for her son, Y was suitable. Although it would in due course have sought to visit anyway, it made its first request based on information that was wrong, and continued to ask for proof even when the actual allegation gave no reason to pursue the matter. This went on for more than six months. The Council threatened to issue a school attendance order against Miss X and maintained its position despite our warnings that its action had no basis. Miss X could have prevented the Council continuing its course by giving it the evidence she showed us. But the Council’s actions in asking for proof would still have caused her frustration in having to justify her actions when the basis for its request was the allegation that gave no reason for concern. Its actions have also left Miss X with an understandable loss of trust in the Council.

City Of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (18 010 648)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 31-May-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about a debt accrued for school meals and recovery action by the Council. This is because we have no powers to consider what happens in schools. The complaint is also late and there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman.

Suffolk County Council (18 008 401)

Statement Not upheld Other 31-May-2019

Summary: Ms M’s son, B, has missed a considerable amount of education following his permanent exclusion from school in June 2017, but this is not the result of fault by the Council. The Council offered B a place at a Pupil Referral Unit, but Ms M chose to apply for school places instead. There are no grounds for the Ombudsman to question the Council’s offer.