City of Wolverhampton Council (19 008 773)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 21-Sep-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr A’s complaint that the Council’s school admission appeal panel was at fault in refusing his application for a school place for his son. It is unlikely we would find fault on the Council’s part.

Kent County Council (19 003 186)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 19-Sep-2019

Summary: Mrs Y complained the Council’s admissions appeal panel failed to properly consider her child’s appeal for a place at a local grammar school. The Ombudsman has stopped this investigation, as the Council has now offered a place to Mrs Y’s child and no further action by the Ombudsman is needed.

Lytchett Minster School (19 008 040)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 18-Sep-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman does not have grounds to investigate this complaint from a parent about the school admission appeal panel’s decision to turn down his appeal for a school place for his son. This is because there is no sign of fault in the way the panel considered the appeal.

St. Bernadettes RC Primary School (19 002 283)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 16-Sep-2019

Summary: Ms X complains that the independent appeal panel failed to consider her individual circumstances when it considered her appeal for a School place for her son. She also said the panel failed to follow the correct process. The Ombudsman has found no fault.

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Upminster (19 006 443)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 16-Sep-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman has discontinued his investigation into Mrs X’s complaint about the decision to refuse her appeal for a school place. The school has offered her daughter a place.

Hertfordshire County Council (18 016 549)

Statement Upheld School admissions 16-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr B complains about the appeal panel’s decision not to admit his children to his preferred schools. The Ombudsman finds the Council was at fault in that the panel was not given the opportunity to decide whether late information submitted by Mr B should be considered at the hearing. The Council was also at fault in that its decision letter in respect of one of the appeals did not properly explain the reasons for the panel’s decision. The Council has agreed to remedy the caused to Mr B by offering him a fresh appeal and reviewing the training needs of its clerks and panel members.

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (19 008 914)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 15-Sep-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms A’s complaint that the school admission appeal panel was at fault in refusing her appeal for a school place for her daughter. This is because it is unlikely we would find significant fault on the Council’s part.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (19 008 918)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 13-Sep-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about an unsuccessful appeal for a school place. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault and so we cannot question the merits of the panel’s decision.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (19 009 309)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 13-Sep-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs A’s complaint that the school admission appeal panel was at fault in refusing her appeal for a school place for her daughter. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault on the Council’s part.

St. Peters RC High School (19 005 409)

Statement Upheld School admissions 12-Sep-2019

Summary: the admission authority’s written statement for the admission appeal did not include relevant information about the home to school distance of children who were offered places. However, this fault did not cause injustice to Miss X because it would not have changed the Independent Appeal Panel’s decision to refuse her appeal.