Cambridgeshire County Council (20 010 977)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 22-Feb-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs 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.

Derbyshire County Council (20 000 611)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 22-Feb-2021

Summary: Ms X complained the Council delayed carrying out her son’s annual review, issuing his final amended Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan and consulting with secondary schools.

Menorah High School For Girls (20 000 727)

Statement Upheld School admissions 22-Feb-2021

Summary: based on the evidence I have seen, the Governors’ response to Mr P’s complaint may be tainted by the appearance of bias since the investigator and two of the panel members appear to have had links with the school. There are, however, no grounds for the Ombudsman to question the outcome. The school has agreed to review its complaints procedures to avoid the appearance of bias when considering complaints in the future.

Derbyshire County Council (20 010 886)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 19-Feb-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council completing actions agreed with the Ombudsman. This is because it is unlikely we would find evidence of fault by the Council causing injustice.

City of Wolverhampton Council (20 007 392)

Statement Upheld School admissions 18-Feb-2021

Summary: Mrs B complains that the independent school admissions appeal panel did not properly consider her appeal for a place for her son, C, at the school his brother attends. The Council has now offered a Mrs B a fresh appeal with a new panel. The Ombudsman proposes to discontinue our investigation because we do not consider that investigating further would lead to a better outcome.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (20 008 139)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Feb-2021

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s decisions and actions between November 2018 and June 2020 when it refused and then delayed issuing her son, F with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. The Council did not issue F’s final EHC Plan in line with statutory timescales. However, this did not cause F a significant injustice. The Council was not at fault when F did not receive provision in line with his plan during September 2020. We did not have jurisdiction to investigate the Council’s actions and decision around whether to assess F or to issue him with an EHC Plan between November 2018 and January 2020. This is because Miss X appealed to a tribunal about the matters.

Essex County Council (20 002 063)

Statement Not upheld School transport 18-Feb-2021

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s decision on her application and appeal for home to school transport for her son. We do not find fault with the way the Council made its decision, but the Council has accepted our suggestion for some further signposting about the right of appeal.

Suffolk County Council (20 010 718)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 18-Feb-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to arrange medical services as it is not responsible for the issue being raised.

Leicestershire County Council (19 017 034)

Report Upheld Alternative provision 16-Feb-2021

Summary: Miss Y complained the Council failed in its duty to provide suitable full-time education to her daughter, W, when they moved to a new house.

London Borough of Hackney (18 007 219)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 16-Feb-2021

Summary: Miss X complained about failings by the Council in the transition from a Statement of Special Educational Needs to an Education Health and Care plan, and its failure to ensure speech and language support was delivered in 2017. The Council failed to send the final plan to all relevant parties in August 2016, which delayed Miss X getting appeal rights. It also failed to provide speech and language support set out in her Statement from May to July 2017. It will apologise and make a payment for the uncertainty caused by the lack of provision.