25 July 2008
The local government ombudsman has criticised the way some local authorities and schools handle admissions appeals.
Tony Redmond's annual report, published on July 17, said his office had received 942 complaints about school admissions in 2007/08, compared with 827 in 2006/07.
'I am concerned that there are still fundamental faults in the way some authorities and schools manage appeals,' said Redmond. 'I look forward to seeing the impact on these complaints of the new government codes on admissions and appeals.'
In one case cited in the report, parents had appealed against the refusal of places for their sons at two grammar schools, which used the same clerking service for both the school governors and the appeals panel.
The ombudsman ruled that this represented a conflict of interest. He criticised the appeals panel for being insufficiently independent of the governance of the schools.
The governors of both schools agreed to separate the clerking functions of the appeals panel from that of the governors, as well as ensuring appeals clerks were properly trained and worked independently of the schools.
The parents were awarded £350 and offered fresh appeals.
PFjul2008
