Norfolk County Council (19 000 476)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 17-Mar-2021

Summary: the Council took too long to issue G’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. It failed to ensure the support required by her plan was provided. The Council failed to assess G’s needs and consider alternative education when G was unable to attend school due to anxiety. The Council relied on G’s schools when it should have made alternative arrangements itself. It took too long to reassess her needs and amend her plan following her autism diagnosis in April 2019. The Council was unable to provide a special school place until September 2020. As a result, there has been considerable disruption to G’s education over a period of at least two years. There has been a lack of joined-up approach from the Council, and Mr and Mrs X have been left to deal with an incredibly complicated situation themselves.

Durham County Council (20 011 960)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 17-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Miss B’s complaint that the Council has offered her daughter a school which is not appropriate for her needs. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault on the Council’s part.

Suffolk County Council (20 003 913)

Statement Not upheld School transport 16-Mar-2021

Summary: there is no fault in relation to the Council’s consideration of Mr A’s appeal for home to school transport on the grounds of safety of the identified route

London Borough of Redbridge (20 001 201)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 15-Mar-2021

Summary: We are issuing this report because the Council failed to comply with an agreed recommendation to provide one of the remedies from a previous complaint Mr X made to us.

Somerset County Council (20 003 801)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 15-Mar-2021

Summary: Ms V complained the Council failed to meet her son, W’s, needs when he was out of school and failed to consider her needs over the time she had to support him. She said this had caused her time, trouble and distress and that W had missed out on education that he should have received. We have found evidence of fault leading to injustice and the Council has been asked to make an apology, pay a financial remedy and consider its procedures going forward.

St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Stockport (20 010 559)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School admissions 12-Mar-2021

Summary: A parent complained about the school admission appeal panel’s decision to reject his appeal concerning the refusal of a place for his son at his preferred primary school. But we do not have grounds to investigate this complaint. This is because there is insufficient sign of fault in the way the panel considered the appeal to warrant our further involvement.

Somerset County Council (20 002 308)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 12-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr D complained the Council delayed issuing an Education, Health and Care plan for his son and it failed to provide the provision set out in the plan. As a result, Mr D said his son was educationally disadvantaged and experienced distress. He said he also experienced distress, time and trouble in providing some of the support himself. The Council was at fault for the delay in completing the plan and for failing to provide some of the provision set out in the plan. It agreed to make a payment to acknowledge the loss of special educational needs provision for his son. It also agreed to review its procedures and ensure its staff are aware of its special educational needs’ responsibilities.

West Sussex County Council (20 004 009)

Statement Not upheld Special educational needs 12-Mar-2021

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide support for her son who has special educational needs whilst he was out of school, and failed to adequately investigate her safeguarding concerns about the school. The Council was not at fault.

London Borough of Brent (20 005 445)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 11-Mar-2021

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s actions in relation to her son’s special educational needs. She complains about the delays in the annual review process in 2019 and delay in the Council naming a special school in her son’s education, health and care (EHC) plan. We find fault as there was delay in the Council responding to the annual review report. We have made recommendations.

Hertfordshire County Council (17 016 451)

Statement Not upheld Special educational needs 11-Mar-2021

Summary: there has been considerable disruption to G’s education since May 2017, and while this is regrettable, it is not the result of fault by the Council. I will not consider events before May 2017.