Leeds City Council (20 003 940)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 05-Feb-2021

Summary: there was no fault in the way an Independent Appeal Panel made its decision not to admit Ms M’s daughter to a secondary school.  The Ombudsman cannot question decisions made without fault.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (20 010 867)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 04-Feb-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Miss B’s complaint that the Council is at fault in refusing her appeal for a school place for her son. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault on the Council’s part.

Telford & Wrekin Council (20 009 833)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 02-Feb-2021

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

Gloucestershire County Council (20 009 654)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 26-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint that the Council’s Schools Admissions Appeal Panel failed to provide her child with a place at School Z. It is unlikely the Ombudsman would find fault which caused her to lose out on a school place.

Our Lady's Bishop Eton Catholic Primary School (20 002 694)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 21-Jan-2021

Summary: Miss X complained about how the School considered her child’s admissions application and appeal and managed its waiting list. The School and admissions appeal panel were not at fault.

Derby City Council (20 005 436)

Statement Upheld School admissions 14-Jan-2021

Summary: Mrs X complains that a school admissions appeal hearing for her daughter was not properly conducted. There is insufficient evidence to show Mrs X’s arguments were balanced against prejudice to the school if her daughter were admitted. This is fault by the Council which caused injustice to Mrs X and her daughter. The Council has agreed to hold a further appeal hearing to remedy this.

Gloucestershire County Council (20 006 700)

Statement Upheld School admissions 13-Jan-2021

Summary: The Ombudsman has found procedural fault in the way the school admissions panel considered Mrs B’s admissions appeal. This caused Mrs B an injustice and so we have recommended the Council hold a new appeal.

Birmingham City Council (20 008 519)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 11-Jan-2021

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint that the Council gave wrong advice to a parent and mishandled her application for a school place for her child. This is because the school the parent applied for is an academy.

Lancashire County Council (20 003 703)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 05-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr B complained that the Council had failed to explain why his address did not fall within the geographical priority area of their preferred secondary school for their daughter. We find that the parents should have raised this matter at the appeal. We do not find any fault in the appeal process and the Council has clarified the information available for checking the geographical priority area.

St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Stockport (20 003 872)

Statement Upheld School admissions 16-Dec-2020

Summary: There was fault in the way an appeal panel considered an application for a school place in that it incorrectly applied law relating to infant class sizes to an application for a place in year 5. This casts doubt on the decision the panel reached. Mr X has now been offered a fresh appeal to remedy the injustice caused. Recommendations for an apology and service improvements are also made.