West Berkshire Council (25 011 910)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 25-Aug-2026

Summary: Ms X complained the Council failed to provide her son, Y, with alternative provision when he could not attend school. She also complained the Council relied on misleading school records and it wrongly pursued safeguarding referrals when the threshold was not met. We find the Council was at fault for its delay in responding to Ms X’s stage two complaint. However, this fault did not cause Ms X a significant injustice.

Kingston Upon Hull City Council (25 018 883)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 23-Aug-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault for failing to properly consider if it needed to arrange alternative education for Mr X’s child, W, when they struggled to attend school. This caused Mr X avoidable uncertainty about whether, had the Council not been at fault, it would have arranged education for W. To remedy Mr X’s injustice, the Council will apologise and make a symbolic payment. The Council will also take action to prevent fault in future.

Cambridgeshire County Council (25 014 953)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 23-Aug-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault for failing to ensure alternative provision was available to Child Y when they were permanently excluded, and again when their placement broke down. This meant Child Y was without education for significant periods of time. The Council has agreed to apologise and make financial payments in recognition of distress.

Medway Council (25 014 645)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 20-Aug-2026

Summary: Miss X complained that the Council failed to arrange suitable alternative education for her son, B, after his school closed. She said this caused B to miss out on education for a significant period which affected his wellbeing and caused her uncertainty and inconvenience. We found the Council at fault for failing to secure an alternative school place or other educational provision for B for a prolonged period. The Council has apologised and made a symbolic payment to Miss X in acknowledgement of the injustice caused. It has also made improvements to its service. We consider these to be suitable remedies.

Shropshire Council (25 004 976)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 19-Aug-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide suitable alternative provision to her granddaughter when she could not attend school. We cannot investigate the period from January 2025 when the Council decided not to reassess the Education, Health and Care Plan which Mrs X appealed. The loss of education is too closely linked to the matters subject to appeal. For the period September 2024 to January 2025, we found fault causing uncertainty and consider the recommended action of an apology and symbolic payment provide a suitable remedy.

Norfolk County Council (25 019 248)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 18-Aug-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about alternative education provision for her child. There is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation. We will also not investigate her complaint about the Education, Health and Care Need Assessment because she has a right of appeal to the Tribunal.

Brighton & Hove City Council (25 024 578)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 18-Aug-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of an Education, Health and Care Plan. This is because the complainant has used her right to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) and the Courts have decided that the Ombudsman cannot intervene where the right to appeal has been used.

Staffordshire County Council (25 010 238)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 16-Aug-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council incurred delays in arranging alternative educational provision for her daughter when she was unable to attend school. She also complained the Council did not provide sufficient support or adequate alternative educational provision. Mrs X says the Council’s actions negatively impacted her daughter’s educational progress and emotional wellbeing, as well as placing a considerable strain on the family. We found fault by the Council. The Council has agreed to provide an apology and a financial remedy, and to review its alternative education policy and procedure.

East Sussex County Council (25 024 766)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 14-Aug-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has failed to provide suitable alternative educational provision for the complainant’s daughter while she has been unable to attend school. There is insufficient evidence of fault on the Council’s part to warrant investigation.

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (25 014 623)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 13-Aug-2026

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to secure any educational provision for his son Y, who has an Education, Health and Care Plan, when he stopped being able to attend school. We find the Council at fault for failing to secure Y’s special educational provision, and failing to consider its duties and relevant guidance when deciding whether to arrange alternative educational provision. This caused significant injustice in the form of lost special educational provision and distress. The Council has agreed to make a symbolic payment, apologise, and make service improvements to remedy the injustice.