Nottinghamshire County Council (25 012 152)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 03-Aug-2026

Summary: Mrs C complained the Council failed to provide her daughter (X) with a suitable education or alternative provision when she was unable to attend her school placement. We found fault by the Council for causing a short delay in arranging educational provision in June 2025 and to properly consider increasing its offer in September 2025 when X was engaging with the limited provision available. We found no fault in how the Council handled X’s education prior to June 2025. The Council will apologise and make payment to Mrs C to acknowledge to injustice it faults caused them.

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council (25 003 617)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 02-Aug-2026

Summary: The Council was not initially at fault for efforts it made to deliver education to Mrs X’s daughter after she stopped attending school. However, it was at fault for a subsequent delay in arranging tuition. This meant Mrs X’s daughter missed out on at least some education for a two-month period. The Council has agreed to make a symbolic payment to recognise her injustice.

London Borough of Bromley (25 012 498)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 29-Jul-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault for not reviewing the suitability of the alternative provision in place for Miss X’s child, Y. The Council was at fault for the delay in carrying out an annual review of Y’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan and for missing the phase transfer deadline. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to remedy the injustice caused to Miss X.

West Berkshire Council (24 023 122)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 29-Jul-2026

Summary: Miss X complains the Council failed to provide alternative education to her child, Y, when they could no longer attend school from October 2024 to July 2025. Miss X said the matter has caused her distress and frustration. She also said Y’s education was significantly impacted. We have found fault in the Councils actions for failing to take action when it was aware Y was not attending school. The Council has agreed to write to Miss X to apologise and pay her and Y a symbolic payment.

Hertfordshire County Council (25 013 712)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 28-Jul-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to act on its decision a special school would be suitable for her son, who I will refer to as Y. She also complained the Council did not provide alternative provision to Y, and its communication was poor. The Council was at fault. It failed to properly consider whether it had a section 19 duty, failed to issue decision letters following annual reviews, and delayed issuing the final amended Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. Its communication was also poor. Mrs X and Y suffered distress and uncertainty, and Mrs X had a delayed right of appeal as a result. The Council will apologise to Mrs X and make symbolic payments.

Somerset Council (25 020 946)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 27-Jul-2026

Summary: We upheld Mrs B’s complaints about the Council’s education service. The Council delayed issuing her daughter with an Education, Health and Care Plan and communicated poorly with Mrs B. It also failed to address C’s need for education when, over many months, her attendance at school fell and then stopped. These faults contributed to C losing education provision, which caused injustice to her. The Council has accepted these findings and agreed to take action to remedy the injustice and improve its service.

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (25 023 676)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 27-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the education and support provided to a child because the complaint is late.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council (25 024 646)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 27-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s refusal to conduct an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment of her child, Y, because it was reasonable for Miss X to have appealed this to a tribunal. We will not investigate her complaint about a failure to organise alternative provision for Y because there is insufficient evidence of fault.

Essex County Council (26 011 342)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 27-Jul-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about a school’s actions relating to welfare visits. This is because the law does not allow us to investigate complaints about a school’s actions.

West Berkshire Council (25 018 729)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 23-Jul-2026

Summary: The Council was not at fault for deciding it did not owe a section 19 duty to secure suitable alternative education after Y stopped attending school in October 2024. The Council was at fault for failing to properly consider if it owed a section 19 duty to secure suitable alternative education for Y after they stopped attending school again in September 2025. The Council was also at fault because it failed to issue Y with an Education, Health and Care Plan within the statutory timescales, caused in part by a delay in getting Educational Psychologist advice. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to remedy the injustice caused.