Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (24 013 964)

Statement Not upheld Alternative provision 03-Jun-2025

Summary: There was no fault in the Council’s handling of a situation where a child was missing education. It took appropriate steps to make arrangements for alternative provision. We have therefore completed our investigation.

Westmorland and Furness Council (24 015 094)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 03-Jun-2025

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s failure to act on his request for a reassessment of his daughter’s Education, Health and Care Plan, failure to provide alternative provision, and delay paying for a Speech and Language Therapy report. We find the Council at fault causing avoidable distress, uncertainty, and denied and delayed appeal rights. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Mr X, and make service improvements.

Devon County Council (24 014 095)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 02-Jun-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to provide her son with alternative provision while he was unable to attend school. We found the Council’s failure to ensure Y receive a suitable full time education or alternative provision from September to November 2024 is fault. This fault meant Y received a very limited education between September and November 2024, which was a key stage in his school career. The Council will apologise and make payments to Miss X and Y.

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council (23 018 495)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 01-Jun-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council failed to provide alternative education when her child was unable to attend school for medical reasons. We find fault causing a loss of education and avoidable distress and frustration. The Council had already made a symbolic payment to Mrs X for the injustice and had introduced some service improvements. We recommended further improvements to the Council’s school attendance policy which it has accepted. We have therefore completed our investigation and are closing the complaint.

Hampshire County Council (24 011 524)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 26-May-2025

Summary: Ms X complained about the lack of education and provision provided for her child when they were not attending school. We found the Council at fault for a lack of robust action at some points. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to remedy the injustice.

Derby City Council (24 007 045)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 20-May-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained about how the Council arranged and reviewed the special education provision in her daughter, Y’s, Education Health and Care Plan. There was fault in how the Council arranged the support for Y, how it responded to changes Mrs X asked for, and delays following a review in May 2024. This caused Mrs X avoidable frustration, worry and uncertainty, along with some extra financial cost. The Council agreed to apologise, issue an amended final plan and pay Mrs X a financial remedy. It also agreed to review how is arranges education outside school settings and issue reminders to its staff.

Somerset Council (24 009 840)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 15-May-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide an education for her son, Y, for two and half years, delayed issuing an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan and then issued it without all the relevant information and named a school Y would not attend. Mrs X also complained the Council delayed taking action after it completed mediation about the EHC Plan. The Council was at fault for delaying to issue Y’s EHC Plan, delaying taking action following mediation and failing to maintain oversight of alternative provision Y was receiving. This caused Mrs X avoidable frustration and uncertainty. The Council will apologise, make a symbolic payment and take action to improve its service.

Sheffield City Council (24 021 877)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 15-May-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about alternative educational provision. There is not enough evidence of fault in the way the Council reached its decision that part-time education was sufficient for the child to warrant investigation by us.

Worcestershire County Council (24 012 293)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 13-May-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to arrange alternative educational provision for her child (Y) after they became unwell and unable to attend school in the 2023/2024 school year. The Council was at fault for failing to consider alternative educational provision when Mrs X raised attendance problems in late April 2024. However, this did not cause an injustice as Y was not absent for 15 days or more which is a requirement for the Council to arrange alternative provision. Y also went on study leave five weeks after Mrs X raised attendance problems and any alternative education provision would not have been arranged before this period.

West Northamptonshire Council (24 014 931)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 08-May-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide her child, Y with an education in line with their Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan between May 2024 and January 2025 after Y was permanently excluded from school. She also complained about a delay in holding an annual review of Y’s EHC Plan. The Council was at fault. It failed to provide Y with any education while they were out of school and has delayed holding the annual review, to date, by four months. The Council agreed to make payments to recognise Y’s loss of education and for the distress and uncertainty caused to Mrs X. It will also arrange Y’s annual review without further delay.