Essex County Council (24 004 328)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 28-Oct-2025

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s failure to ensure her son (Y) received education and support included in his Education Health and Care Plan. We found fault with the Council in the way it carried out its alternative provision duty and reviewed Y’s Educational Health and Care Plan. The Council’s fault meant Y missed education and support he needed. It also caused significant distress to Miss X. The Council has agreed to apologise, arrange a meeting to check Y’s engagement with his post-16 education and make symbolic payments. The Council has previously agreed to improve its services.

Herefordshire Council (24 019 532)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 28-Oct-2025

Summary: The Council failed to complete an annual review of an Education, Health and Care Plan on time and failed to provide a right of appeal in 2023. The Council also failed to consider if its duty to provide alternative provision under s.19 Education Act 1996 was engaged when a pupil had to be withdrawn from school. This caused distress and uncertainty whether provision was missed. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a symbolic financial payment and carry out service improvements.

London Borough of Brent (24 021 318)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 28-Oct-2025

Summary: The Council has accepted that it failed to provide the special educational provision for the complainant’s brother. We agree with the Council’s findings, but we considered the Council had not fully recognised the injustice caused by the loss of education for the brother and avoidable distress to the family. The Council has now agreed to make a symbolic payment for this injustice. We are therefore closing the complaint.

Herefordshire Council (25 002 804)

Statement Upheld School admissions 28-Oct-2025

Summary: We found fault on Mrs Y’s complaint about the Council’s refusal of her request to allow her summer born daughter to start Reception at school after her fifth birthday in September 2026. The Council failed to properly consider her request and decided it was in her best interests to start school in 2025. The complaint procedure also failed to identify this failure. The Council agreed to send Mrs Y an apology, reconsider her request, and review its published arrangements police and online guidance to ensure its legally correct. It will also provide guidance to Delay Panel members about the correct approach for deciding this type of application. It will also ensure her daughter does not lose a place at the preferred school for September 2026.

Staffordshire County Council (25 003 567)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 28-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs M’s complaint because the Council has agreed to respond and undertake a new carer’s assessment. Mrs M can make a new complaint to us if she remains unhappy once the Council has responded to her concerns.

Essex County Council (25 005 916)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 28-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about delays in producing an Education Health and Care Plan. We have upheld the complaint, and the Council has agreed to a proportionate way to resolve the complaint.

Essex County Council (25 005 995)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 28-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Education, Health and Care plan process. This is because the Council has agreed to an appropriate remedy for the injustice caused by the delay.

Essex County Council (25 006 811)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 28-Oct-2025

Summary: We have upheld this complaint about the Council’s failure to complete an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment for the complainant’s child within the statutory timescale. The Council has agreed to provide a proportionate remedy and this removes the need for us to investigate.

Buckinghamshire Council (25 006 895)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 28-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Education, Health and Care plan process. This is because the Council has agreed to an appropriate remedy for the injustice caused by the delay.

Suffolk County Council (25 007 003)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 28-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to provide her child with funded transport to school. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant further investigation.