Northumberland County Council (19 007 957)

Statement Not upheld Alternative provision 10-Mar-2020

Summary: Ms M complains her three youngest children have been out of school since June 2018. The Council is taking steps to ensure the children return to education. The Council proposes to respond to Ms M’s complaint once her children are back in education. If Ms M is unhappy with the Council’s response, she can complain to the Ombudsman again.

Somerset County Council (19 009 299)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 10-Mar-2020

Summary: Ms X complains about the school admissions appeal panel’s decision not to admit her daughter to a school. The Ombudsman has found no evidence of fault in the way the appeal panel considered these matters.

Kent County Council (19 017 682)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 10-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about which school is suitable for her child. It is reasonable to expect Ms X to appeal to the Tribunal.

Torbay Council (19 017 775)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 10-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr Q’s complaint about the Council’s alleged failure to give him any funding to home educate his son while it found a suitable school for him. This is because the complaint is late.

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (19 016 679)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 10-Mar-2020

Summary: Mr B complains that the Council incorrectly applied its policy on shared or joint residence and wrongly decided his son’s normal place of residence for the purposes of applying for a school place is his mother’s address, rather than his own. The Ombudsman finds no fault on the Council’s part.

Sir John Thursby Community College (19 018 322)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 10-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman does not have reason to investigate a parent’s complaint about the school admission appeal panel’s decision to reject his appeal for a place for his daughter at his preferred secondary school. This is because there is no sign of fault by the panel.

Suffolk County Council (19 004 589)

Statement Upheld School transport 09-Mar-2020

Summary: Ms M complains the Council refused her request for home to school transport for her daughter, G. There was fault in the way the Council considered Ms M’s appeal. The Council has agreed to hear the appeal again.

Wakefield City Council (19 010 768)

Statement Upheld School transport 09-Mar-2020

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s decision not to provide free school transport for her daughter despite previously doing so. This led to Ms X having to pay the transport costs. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council as it did not provide all the necessary information to the panel. However, the Council has agreed to remedy the injustice caused by providing free school transport to Ms X’s daughter and refunding Ms X the cost of the child’s transport to school from the start of the school year.

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (19 016 817)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 09-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about information disclosed at a meeting without her consent. There is not enough direct injustice to Ms X to justify an investigation.

Hertfordshire County Council (19 016 962)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 09-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about a school attendance order served by the Council regarding the complainant’s child. This is because we may decide not to investigate a complaint if we believe the problem has been resolved.