South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (25 011 821)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 21-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Ms M’s complaint about her children’s education because we cannot investigate complaints about the school, there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council, and Ms M had a right of appeal to the SEND Tribunal to request a different school for her children.

Milton Keynes Council (24 022 787)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 20-Apr-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council failed to meet its Section 19 duty to ensure her daughter, K, received suitable education when she was unable to attend school due to anxiety. We find that the Council failed to properly consider its duty to provide alternative education for K, which resulted in K not receiving sufficient education. The Council has agreed to make a payment and apologise to Mrs X and K.

Bracknell Forest Council (25 003 582)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 19-Apr-2026

Summary: Ms X complained the Council failed to ensure her son (Y) received a suitable and full-time education during a four-month period in 2024. The Council agreed it had been at fault. It apologised and offered a remedy to Ms X to acknowledge the distress she experienced and refunded her tuition costs. We found the Council’s remedy to Ms X was appropriate to remedy the injustice its faults caused.

Cheshire East Council (25 007 240)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 13-Apr-2026

Summary: Mrs Y complains the Council failed to ensure her child received suitable provision once they stopped attending school. In our view, the Council did not properly consider whether it had a duty to arrange alternative provision once it became aware the child was not in school. The Council also insisted on certain medical evidence which is not in accordance with statutory government guidance. The Council will complete the agreed actions to remedy the injustice caused by fault.

North Yorkshire Council (25 006 247)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 12-Apr-2026

Summary: We found fault on Mrs Y’s complaint about the Council failing to provide her son, who was not attending school, with suitable education, as well as with provision set out in his Education, Health and Care plan. The Council agreed to send an apology, make a symbolic payment for the injustice caused, as well as taking action to ensure the failures found cannot be repeated in the future.

Hampshire County Council (25 005 526)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 12-Apr-2026

Summary: We found the Council failed to provide a written and rationalised decision about whether it should provide Alternative Provision of education for Mr X’s child. This fault caused uncertainty to Mr X and his family. We also found fault with the Council delaying handling of Mr X’s complaint outside its complaint timescales causing frustration to Mr X. The Council agreed to apologise to Mr X and make a symbolic payment for the injustice caused to Mr X and his family.

Leeds City Council (25 006 105)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 12-Apr-2026

Summary: The Council delayed completing Miss X’s child, Y’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment in line with statutory timescales. It delayed deciding whether to issue Y with an EHC Plan within the statutory timescales, caused by a 34 week delay in obtaining Educational Psychologist advice. It then further delayed issuing Y’s final EHC Plan by 42 weeks after it received the EP advice. The Council was also at fault for failing to maintain oversight of Y’s alternative provision arrangement between 2023 and 2025. These faults caused Miss X and Y distress and delayed Y’s access to the specialist provision and placement specified in the final Plan by two terms. The Council agreed to apologise and make a payment to recognise the injustice the faults caused.

Buckinghamshire Council (25 006 193)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 12-Apr-2026

Summary: There was fault by the Council. It failed to properly consider its duty to make alternative educational provision when Mrs X’s child could not go to school; it took too long to secure a school place for him; and it failed to make the provision set out in his Education Health and Care Plan. The Council’s shortcomings caused Mrs X and her son distress and uncertainty, and meant that he missed education. The Council will apologise to Mrs X, make a symbolic payment, and review the complaint so that it can disseminate lessons learned to relevant staff.

Essex County Council (25 008 077)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 12-Apr-2026

Summary: Miss X complained about the lack of the Council’s support for Y after she had been taken off her school’s roll to be Electively Home Educated and the misleading advice received from the Council. She also complained about the delay with Y’s Education Health and Care needs assessment. We found fault with the significant delay to assess Y’s needs due to the lack of the Education Psychology advice. The Council has already apologised. The Council has also agreed to make a payment to recognise the injustice caused to Y and Miss X.

Nottingham City Council (25 007 082)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 09-Apr-2026

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council failed to make alternative provision for her son Y when he could not attend school and provided inadequate responses to her complaints. We find the Council at fault for its complaint response which caused Mrs X uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise.