Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about how a school dealt with a safeguarding matter. This is because the law prevents us from investigating what happens in schools.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains about how a school dealt with a safeguarding matter concerning her child.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We cannot investigate most complaints about what happens in schools. (Local Government Act 1974, Schedule 5, paragraph 5(2), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. I cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint because the substantive matter here is the alleged actions of the school. Those are matters for the school’s governors to deal with, not the Council. We cannot investigate them, or any actions by the Council concerning an internal school matter.

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Final decision

7. We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint because the law prevents us from investigating complaints about what happens in schools.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman