Buckinghamshire Council (24 012 399)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 25-Feb-2026

Summary: The complainant (Mrs E) has two sons, who both have SEN. For one son the Council failed to provide them with speech and language therapy and occupational therapy included within their EHC Plan. For the other son, the Council also failed to provide him with speech and language therapy and failed to complete reviews of his EHC Plan in time. The investigation has highlighted systemic failings in the delivery of speech and language and occupational therapy services by the provider used by the Council to deliver these services to children with EHC Plans. This despite the Council having recommissioned that service and introduced a new strategy to meet the therapeutic needs of children with SEN in its area during 2024.

Buckinghamshire Council (25 022 150)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 25-Feb-2026

Summary: The complainant (Mrs E) has two sons, who both have SEN. For one son the Council failed to provide them with speech and language therapy and occupational therapy included within their EHC Plan. For the other son, the Council also failed to provide him with speech and language therapy and failed to complete reviews of his EHC Plan in time. The investigation has highlighted systemic failings in the delivery of speech and language and occupational therapy services by the provider used by the Council to deliver these services to children with EHC Plans. This despite the Council having recommissioned that service and introduced a new strategy to meet the therapeutic needs of children with SEN in its area during 2024.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (25 001 865)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 24-Feb-2026

Summary: We have found fault with the Council for failing to consider its Section 19 duty. This caused Miss X’s son, Y to miss out on education and support. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Miss X in recognition of the injustice caused. In addition, the Council agreed to make a service improvement to share information between teams.

Milton Keynes Council (25 002 979)

Statement Not upheld Special educational needs 24-Feb-2026

Summary: Ms Y complained about the way the Council dealt with her child’s special educational needs and educational provision. Her complaints included the implementation of provision in the Education Health and Care Plan and the Council’s communication about this. We have not found fault with the Council.

Hertfordshire County Council (25 005 801)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 24-Feb-2026

Summary: Mr B complained the Council failed to issue an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan for his daughter, who I will refer to as C, within statutory timescales and failed to arrange education for her after she was permanently excluded from school. There was fault by the Council. The Council did not issue C’s final EHC Plan within statutory timescales. It also delayed arranging alternative education provision for C. Because of the fault, Mr B suffered uncertainty and a frustrated right of appeal. C also missed out on education provision. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr B and C, and make symbolic payments.

Lancashire County Council (25 005 863)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 24-Feb-2026

Summary: The Council failed to adhere to the statutory timescales for the Education, Health and Care needs assessment process for Mrs X’s child, Y. It incorrectly told Mrs X an Educational Psychologist report was required and significantly delayed issuing Y’s Plan after it became aware a new report was not required. The delay caused a loss of specialist provision to Y between November 2024 and October 2025. The Council will apologise and make a payment to acknowledge the loss of provision, distress, frustration and uncertainty the delay caused.

St Francis of Assisi Catholic College (25 008 138)

Statement Upheld School admissions 24-Feb-2026

Summary: Miss X complained the independent appeal panel failed to properly consider her appeal against the School’s decision to refuse her child a place in Year 7. We found the failure to record the panel’s decision at stage 1 of proceedings on whether the admission of further children would be prejudicial, and an error in the decision letter are fault. These faults have not caused Miss X an injustice.

Surrey County Council (25 013 200)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 24-Feb-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s management of an Education, Health and Care plan. This is because the Council has already offered a reasonable remedy in line with our guidance and any remaining injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

Milton Keynes Council (25 017 155)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 24-Feb-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about her son’s secondary school education. Her complaint is late and we have seen no good reason why she could not have complained to us sooner.

London Borough of Islington (25 016 372)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 24-Feb-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s alternative educational provision for Mrs X’s child while they were not at school. Mrs X has already used a right of appeal about a closely related matter, and the law says that we cannot investigate a lack of education.