Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about an unsuccessful school admission appeal. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault for us to be able to question the panel’s decision.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained about an unsuccessful school admission appeal for her son (Y).

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We cannot question whether an independent school admissions appeals panel’s decision is right or wrong simply because the complainant disagrees with it. We must consider if there was fault in the way the decision was reached. If we find fault, which calls into question the panel’s decision, we may ask for a new appeal hearing. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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What I found

Background

5. Mrs X applied for Y to start reception in September 2024. There were more applications than places available at Mrs X’s preferred school (School Z). This meant the Council used its oversubscription criteria to decide which children it would offer places. The Council did not offer Y a place at School Z or any of Mrs X’s other preferred schools. The Council instead offered Y a place at the closest school with spaces. Mrs X appealed the decision not to offer Y a place at School Z.

The appeals process

6. Independent school admission appeal panels must follow the law when considering an appeal. The law says the size of an infant class must not be more than 30 pupils per teacher. There are only limited circumstances in which more than 30 children can be admitted. There are special rules governing appeals for reception and years 1 and 2, where admitting another child would mean there would be more than 30 pupils per teacher. Appeals under these rules are known as “infant class size appeals”. Infant class size legislation applied to the appeal which is the subject of this complaint.
7. The rules say the panel must consider whether:
• admitting another child would breach the class size limit;
• the admission arrangements comply with the law;
• the admission arrangements were properly applied to the case;
• the decision to refuse a place was one which a reasonable authority would have made in the circumstances.
8. What is ‘unreasonable’ is a high test, and for it to be met, the panel would need to be sure the decision to refuse a place was “perverse” or “outrageous”. For that reason, panels rarely find an admission authority’s decision to be unreasonable.

Appeal

9. Mrs X and Y’s father attended the appeal. The clerk’s notes show School Z’s representative presented their case. School Z’s Published Admission Number was 30 and this matched the number of places offered. Admitting a further child would therefore breach the infant class size limit. Parents and the panel could ask questions.
10. Y’s parents presented their case. This was in line with the written appeal they had submitted. They raised concerns about the school offered and the logistical issues it caused. They explained Y’s father was partially sighted and cannot drive. If the panel did not offer a place at School Z, then Mrs X would not be able to return to work. They lived very close to School Z and the catchment area had recently changed.
11. In its deliberations the panel considered information about School Z. The panel decided its admission arrangements were lawful and the Council had properly applied them. There had been no errors with the Council’s handling of Y’s application. The panel decided admitting a further child would breach the infant class size limit. The panel decided it was not an unreasonable decision to refuse admission. None of the grounds for allowing an infant class size appeal had been met and so the panel refused the appeal. The clerk’s letter explained the panel’s decision.

Assessment

12. I understand Mrs X is unhappy the appeal was unsuccessful. But we are not a right of further appeal and cannot question decisions which were properly taken. As previously explained, the threshold for an infant class size appeal to succeed is very high.
13. The evidence I have seen shows the appeal followed the expected process and contained the stages required by the School Admission Appeals Code (the Code). All parties had the chance to present their cases and could ask questions. The panel were provided with the written information Mrs X sent with her appeal. The clerk’s notes show the panel considered all the information it was presented with. The panel considered the required tests and decided not to uphold the appeal. This is a decision the panel was entitled to take. The clerk’s notes and the panel’s decision letter to Mrs X show how the panel reached its decision.
14. Based on the information available there is not enough evidence of fault in how the panel considered and decided the appeal for the Ombudsman to become involved. An investigation is not therefore appropriate.

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Final decision

15. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman