Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about an unsuccessful school admission appeal the complainant could not attend. This is because the School’s offer of a fresh appeal is a suitable remedy.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I shall refer to as Miss X, complained about an unsuccessful school admission appeal for her daughter. Miss X is unhappy the appeal went ahead despite her not being able to attend.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the School.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. In response to our enquiries, the local council responded on behalf of the School as it arranged the appeal. It accepted it should have offered Miss X a different date for her appeal. It apologised for this and said it would arrange a fresh hearing. It also said it was reviewing its arrangements for arranging and holding appeals.
6. The offer of a fresh appeal is a suitable remedy and so we will not investigate. Further consideration of the matter would not achieve anything more.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint. The School has offered a fresh appeal which is a suitable remedy.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman