Essex County Council (25 021 530)

Report Upheld School transport 16-Sep-2026

Summary: Mrs K complained about her two children’s school transport including late and missed pick-ups, a lack of consistency, ignoring instructions to safeguard her children and about an incident when one of her children went missing. Both children have Education, Health and Care Plans.

Essex County Council (25 023 460)

Report Upheld School transport 16-Sep-2026

Summary: Mrs K complained about her two children’s school transport including late and missed pick-ups, a lack of consistency, ignoring instructions to safeguard her children and about an incident when one of her children went missing. Both children have Education, Health and Care Plans.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (25 010 461)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 01-Sep-2026

Summary: The Council did not notify Mrs Y of its decision following D's annual review in October 2024 and did not issue an amended EHC Plan until almost one year later. There is no evidence to show the Council considered or recorded whether it owed D a duty under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 when it became aware they were not attending school. This fault frustrated Mrs Y’s right of appeal and caused uncertainty about whether D should have received additional support sooner. The Council will apologise, make a symbolic payment and complete some improvements to its service.

Warwickshire County Council (25 015 472)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 01-Sep-2026

Summary: Miss X complains the Council did not deal with her son Y’s education properly, resulting in loss of educational provision. The Council is at fault because it delayed issuing Y’s Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan and did not consider whether it had a duty to provide s19 alternative education until after Y’s EHC plan had been finalised. Miss X suffered delayed appeal rights and Y suffered missed educational provision. The Council has already remedied the delay to Y’s EHC Plan. The Council should apologise to Miss X and make a symbolic payment to her.

Essex County Council (25 016 267)

Statement Upheld School transport 01-Sep-2026

Summary: Miss X complained about transport arrangements made for her son (Y) by the Council. We found fault with the Council for its failure to carry out a risk assessment, make suitable transport arrangements and communicate with Miss X effectively. The Council’s fault caused injustice to Miss X as she had to take Y to school for six weeks after his exclusion from transport arranged by the Council. The Council has already offered reimbursement of Miss X’s travel expenses. The Council has also agreed to apologise and make a symbolic distress payment.

North Northamptonshire Council (25 017 296)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 01-Sep-2026

Summary: There was fault by the Council. It did not send a final Education, Health and Care Plan in time for a parent to appeal to the SEND tribunal. When the Council became aware that a child was not attending the setting named in the Plan, no action was taken to ensure the provision in the Plan was delivered as the Council promised in its official complaint response. An apology, payment and review of procedures remedies the injustice from the loss of education to the child and distress to the parent.

Liverpool City Council (25 019 014)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 01-Sep-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council did not secure appropriate provision for her son in line with his Education, Health and Care Plan when he stopped attending school. The Council offered a remedy as it accepted fault with not complying with its legal duties and poor communication. This caused significant distress and frustration for the family, and her son missed out on provision he was entitled to. The Council agreed to pay an increased symbolic payment to reflect the injustice caused.

Telford & Wrekin Council (25 020 702)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 01-Sep-2026

Summary: We find the Council was at fault for failing to ensure that Mrs X’s child received the Speech and Language Therapy in their Education, Health and Care Plan. To remedy the injustice, the Council has agreed to produce an action plan to explain how it intends to deliver the missed therapy provision, review its commissioning arrangements to ensure continuity of provision in the event of similar circumstances, and make a symbolic payment to Mrs X for the distress caused.

Newcastle upon Tyne City Council (25 030 112)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 01-Sep-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint because the law prevents us from investigating complaints about what happens in schools and the actions of councils dealing with complaints about these matters.

St. Michaels Church Of England Primary School (26 009 486)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 01-Sep-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the outcome of a school admission appeal panel. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.