Summary

Complaint from a woman about the conduct of a school admission appeal hearing. The woman alleges fault with the Panel's composition and the way the Panel made the decision.

The complaint

Complaint from a woman about the conduct of a school admission appeal hearing. The woman alleges fault with the Panel's composition and the way the Panel made the decision.

Finding

The Ombudsman upheld the complaint and found fault causing injustice.

Recommendations

To remedy the injustice caused, we recommend the admission authority:

• as soon as reasonably possible arrange a fresh appeal with new panel members and a different clerk and consider commissioning an alternative panel administrator for the fresh appeal, and
• within three months demonstrate to us that it has taken steps to ensure that future appeal hearings are carried out by appropriately trained Panels and Clerks who are aware of their duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Schools Admissions Code.  

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