Unfairly denied a place. Does it matter now?

[hibbledibble]

I didn't get a place at our local primary, which was our first choice, for reception entry. I put my child in the waiting list.

I later had an email saying the waiting list was being cleared, and to reapply if I still wanted to do be on it. I replied saying not to take me off the waiting list, and that the link supplied to reapply for the waiting list did not work. I clearly stated that I did not consent to being removed from the waiting list.

I complained to the ombudsman at the time, who upheld my complaint, but said that no further action would be taken as the local authority had promised not to do this again.

I have later found out that shortly after I was removed from the waiting list, without my consent, another child was offered a place. This was base don distance, and they lived further away. Therefore my child should have been offered this place.

Years on, my child finally got a place at the school, but I am now wondering whether it is worth highlighting that we were unfairly denied a place.

Not sure what could be gained from this? Clearly if I had known this previously, I would have had grounds for appeal.

I mean when you complained to the ombudsman you didn’t know that you had potentially lost out on a place, you just knew you were no longer on the waiting list. Isn’t that correct?
Why wouldn’t you just ask to be put back on? It’s kind of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

She did ask to be put back on, and was, eventually.

In the mean time said child was given her place, having moved up to no1 spot after OP was removed

head in the clouds like I already said, I asked to be put back on, via email, tried the given link (which didn't work), then finally filled out a paper form.

I complained to the ombudsman as it was a contravention of the admissions code to remove children arbitrarily, when the lists still should have been maintained.

But she’s only just realised a place was allocated to someone else, yet she raised it with the ombudsman two years ago?

I have only recently found out, yes. I’m not being contrary for the sake of it, I just genuinely don’t understand the timeline.

Yes, because, like I already said, the ombudsman only investigates the breach, not the consequences of that.

Oh, I see.

How would the ombudsman know that another child had been given her place? It’s nothing to do with them

Why is it surprising she wasn’t told someone had taken her place? Who out of the LEA, the school or the ombudsman would’ve put 2+2 together and realised this?

I just wondered what the nature of her complaint was, given that she didn’t realise she’d lost a place at the time of the complaint.

The nature of the complaint is in the original post

I admit I haven't read through the whole thread but are you sure a) you were the only person removed from the list b) you were definitely headrest and c) that distance was the actual criteria. There could have been other reasons a further away child was offered a place, sibling, health reasons, LAC, service child . Unless you are 100 percent sure of all the relevant facts then to start a complaint now after so long could end up embarrassing you considerable.

Tbh I think you need to move on . Focus on the future not the past... and yes I know you just found out.

Surely the only concern would be if the LA were STILL removing children from the wait list , rather than what happened 2 years ago. And how would you know if they were doing that now?

Yes, the LA is still removing children from the list, despite the ruling of the ombudsman.

How do you know this? How do they know they’ve been removed?

It's a very strange question. I know because I have since, recently, been removed from the list, and it is openly publicised on the council's website.

Who is 'they'? If you are referring to parents of children on the list, then they are emailed or written to.

Sorry, I don’t understand, you have recently been removed from the list? Again?

Yes, in the past year, before getting a place at the school. I'm not sure why you are being so contrary.

Sorry, I’m not being contrary, I just find your posts very unclear. You said this happened years ago, now it’s in the past year?
I’ll bow out now, it’s all as clear as mud.

So how did you get a place at the school if you had been removed from the list?
We are not being contrary, we just don't understand!

You said you were removed from the list unfairly, so complained to the ombudsman who upheld your complaint. Years later, you got a place at the school.
Now you say the school are still doing this in defiance of the ombudsman’s ruling, and you know this because you have been removed from the list...
Don’t have a pop at people for seeing no sense in this.

But presumably the LA are not obliged to maintain a list 2 years on. Still not clear if you ever appealed on the back of the ruling.

OP, it may be helpful if you give us a timeline of events. Having just read everything, I'm afraid it isn't a bit muddled as there are no dates apart from this happened 2 years ago, and I'm not even sure about that.
The ßequence of events I assume as follows
Apply for Reception place.
No place offered at desired school.
Child enroll in a different school
Name placed on waiting list.
Name in 1st p,ace on list.
Name removed from list by LA
Email notification from LA sent to parent with broken link to reapply for waiting list.
Email notification from parent to LA pointing out broken link
Parent applies via paper form
Child back on waiting list, not in 1st place
Child finally gets a place in said school
Other parent tells OP her child did get a place as moved up waiting list.

Parent incurs costs travelling to alternative school for X number of months/years (not sure how long)
Child has accident on way to alternative school.

At some point after being removed from 1st waiting list Parent contacts ombudsman about being removed from waiting list.

If you could provide the dates that would help.

head Yes that is exactly what happened. It makes no sense that the LA are still doing this, despite the ombudsman ruling, but they are. Hence this post! It's really not that confusing or difficult to understand..

Liz's no, they aren't, but they are obliged for the first term of reception, which is when the list is also being cleared (as it is cleared for all year groups. No I didn't appeal 2 years ago, as I didn't realise I had been unfairly denied a place then.

Spaniel eyes I got a place after applying to be put back on the list.

It can’t be exactly what happened because your removal from the list was what triggered your complaint, it can’t also be proof that the school are still doing it.