The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about a data breach at the complainant’s child’s school. The law prevents us from investigating what happens in schools and about how councils investigate these matters.
The complaint
Ms X complains that the Council failed to investigate a data breach at her child’s school.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
We cannot investigate most complaints about what happens in schools. (Local Government Act 1974, Schedule 5, paragraph 5(2), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
We cannot investigate this complaint because it concerns the actions of a school. Schools’ actions fall outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction, and the law prevents us from investigating the actions of the school or how the Council investigated them.
Final decision
We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because the law prevents us from investigating what happens in schools and about how councils investigate these matters.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman