Gloucestershire County Council (21 006 357)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 14-Dec-2021

Summary: Ms M complains an Independent Appeal Panel based its decision not to admit her son to a primary school on incorrect information. The Council has offered Ms M a new appeal because of a change in her circumstances, so there is nothing to be gained from investigating her complaint further.

Camms C Of E Voluntary Aided Primary School (21 012 854)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 08-Dec-2021

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.

Somerset County Council (21 006 493)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 07-Dec-2021

Summary: Miss V complained about a school admissions appeal hearing for her son, who I will call B. We have discontinued our investigation because Miss V has withdrawn her complaint for the reasons explained in this statement.

Spen Valley High School (21 005 416)

Statement Not upheld School admissions 07-Dec-2021

Summary: Miss X complains about an unsuccessful appeal for a place at her preferred school for her daughter. We find no fault with the way the panel considered Miss X’s appeal.

Kent County Council (21 011 476)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 03-Dec-2021

Summary: We have no reason to investigate this complaint from a parent that the Council had not done enough to find a school place for her son. This is because there is no sign of fault by the Council regarding this matter.

Cardinal Langley RC High School (21 004 380)

Statement Upheld School admissions 03-Dec-2021

Summary: The Ombudsman found fault on Miss F’s complaint about the appeal panel failing to properly consider her appeal against the school’s decision to refuse her children a place. The statement of case lacked important information and some of the information it contained was irrelevant. The clerk’s notes failed to properly record the decision-making process. The decision letter failed to contain correct information. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

Leicester City Council (21 012 272)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 03-Dec-2021

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr 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.

East Sussex County Council (21 012 418)

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

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 by the panel.

Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School, Liverpool (21 003 050)

Statement Upheld School admissions 01-Dec-2021

Summary: Miss X complained about how an independent appeal panel considered her case for a school place for her son, Y. The panel failed to properly consider Miss X’s case, which caused her uncertainty. The School has agreed to apologise to Miss X. The School has also agreed to remind the panel clerk of the proper process for holding and recording appeal hearings.

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (21 001 673)

Statement Upheld School admissions 01-Dec-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s refusal to consider his request to admit his summer born child to school outside of his normal age group, into reception, instead of year 1. The Ombudsman has found fault by the Council causing injustice. It has agreed to remedy this by apologising, making a payment to reflect the distress, time and trouble caused and a service improvement.