St Andrew's RC School (21 006 088)

Category : Education > School admissions

Decision : Upheld

Decision date : 24 May 2022

Overview:

Key to names used

  • Mrs B The complainant
  • C Her son

Summary

Mrs B complained about the appeal panel failing to follow proper procedures when it rejected her appeal against the School governors’ decision to refuse her son a place in year 7. As a result, the family is under a great amount of stress, and she has the uncertainty of not knowing whether the outcome would have differed had the panel considered it properly.

Finding

Fault found causing injustice and recommendations made.

Recommendations

To remedy the personal injustice caused to C, we recommend that within three months of the date of this report, the governing body sends Mrs B a written apology for the failure to make and keep an accurate record of the hearing and for the panel’s failure to properly consider her appeal.

To ensure the faults identified with the appeal hearing do not continue, and affect future appellants, the School’s governing body will review its arrangements for conducting appeals and its contractual arrangements with the local authority appeals service to satisfy itself:

  • appeal panel members are appropriately trained and able to conduct appeals in line with the Code; and

  • appeal panel clerks are appropriately trained to fulfil their role in line with the Code, which includes the importance of keeping accurate records of hearings and clear decision reasons.

Ombudsman satisfied with response: 1 September 2022

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