City's school admissions policy needs revising

The Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman has ruled against Peterborough City Council

A council has been told to revise its policy around delayed school admissions for summer-born children following a parent's complaint.

Peterborough City Council said those born between 1 April and 31 August can be admitted to a different year group only “in exceptional circumstances”, which were “usually due to concerns in relation to a child’s development”.

The Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman said this “very high threshold” was at odds with national guidance and the council's own policy.

The council has been approached for comment.

The ombudsman became involved after the mother of a summer-born child approached the council a year ago to ask for her child to start school this September once they had reached the compulsory school age, which is the term after their fifth birthday.

She was told by the council the child could start school then, but in Year One instead of Reception, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

She took her case to the ombudsman, which investigates complaints against councils and other public service organisations.

It said her request was in line with the government's schools admission code.

Guidance for councils further clarifies that parents of summer-born children must be able to make a decision about whether their children are ready to go to school at four or whether it would be in their best interests to wait another year, it added.

The ombudsman said the council's policy was at odds with itself as it said it operated a permissive approach yet also said “the policy of the council is not to delay the entry of pupils into Reception”.

The council has agreed to apologise to the parent and reconsider her request as well as reviewing and revising its policy, according to the ombudsman.

The council has until 2 May to show it has complied with the ruling.