A GOVERNMENT inspector has branded an admissions appeals’ panel at Blackburn’s top performing school as the ‘worst’ she has ever seen.

The independent panel was appointed to decide who should get places at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School, which was severely oversubscribed.

But the Local Government Ombudsman uncovered a catalogue of errors by the panel appointed by Blackburn with Darwen Council and slammed its handling of appeal hearings.

The errors have been described as ‘disgraceful’ by council leader Kate Hollern, who was in opposition at the time.

The panel, whose chairman was a 20-year-old student, was reprimanded for giving places to all children who were affiliated with four of the areas mosques and looking at “connections, links, support of the school” by the families of girls when making a decision.

Ombudsman Anne Seex, who considers complaints in the interest of the public, was called in to investigate the appeal’s process after complaints from two parents from a group of 89 whose children appealed after being refused places at the Bicknell Street school.

The outstanding school out performs every other in the borough in exam results and regularly has 300 applications for fewer than 100 places.

Because of the number of appeals the school asked for an independent panel to be put together by the council.

It allowed 30 more pupils than the school had room for leading to cramped conditions, including young pupils being taught in an attic room with a sloping roof in which adult teachers could not reach children’s desks.

The panel was made up of three volunteers, including the 20-year-old, who was a law student and an executive member of Lancashire Council of Mosques as well as an Imam.

Yesterday the council, school’s governors and Lancashire Council of Mosques refused to name him.

The Ombudsman also found the clerk of the panel, who was appointed by the council to establish the facts and ensure a fair hearing, was an agency worker.

She had no experience of school admissions and was unfamiliar with the relationship of voluntary aided schools and the council. She failed to take comprehensive notes.

As a result of these revelations the council were slammed for failing to:

  • Explain to parents why their child had not been given a place at the school they wanted
  • Appoint an experienced and trained person as clerk -make adequate notes of the panel’s decision making
  • Provide the panel with advice and guidance about the requirements of the Appeals Code and the proper approach it should take to its decision making
  • Provide legal advice to the panel without the parents present and without it being recorded
  • Issue decision letters that did not explain the panel’s decisions and that were not signed by the clerk or the chair.

The council has since apologised for the mistake and rectified the situation but officers refused to explain why an inexperienced panel was selected to hear appeals.

Council leader Kate Hollern said: “It is a very damning report.

"The situation should never have arisen, schools and parents depend on the experience of the council.

"I can’t imagine the stress of the parents.

“For the Ombudsman to say they have never seen such maladministration before is disgraceful.

"There were a catalogue of errors.”

Coun Parvaiz Akhtar, who has been involved with the school, said: “In its last Ofsted inspection it was highlighted that community cohesion was a key priority of the school and it contributed to the cohesion locally.

"This is blatantly not the case as many local people have felt the school has indirectly operated a discriminatory admissions policy which has prevented young girls attending the school.

"These findings are long overdue and Tauheedul needs to open its doors to the wider community and not the selective few.”

Mrs Seex said: “The way the panel conducted its decision making and the decisions that it made probably amounted to the worst instance of multiple maladministration in a school admission appeal investigated by the Ombudsman’s office.

“The school could not be held responsible for the actions of the council."

Parents whose children were refused admission to Tauheedul yesterday welcomed the report.

Single mum Nighat Farooq, 42, from Blackburn, has applied three times to get her daughter Sunben, 12, into the school.

Sunben is now on the waiting list.

Mrs Farooq, who works in a school and is a carer, said: “I was only given a two-line statement when my daughter was rejected from the school.

“It said ‘sorry your application has not been successful’. It did not explain why she was not selected.

“It makes you feel very, very rejected. I’m trying to do the best for her, the school is Government funded and more children should be given a chance.

"I really want her to have an Islamic education.”

Zulfquar Ali, from Blackburn, has applied to send his daughter Minahil, 13, to Tauheedul for two years.

His second appeal failed for the second time four weeks ago.

Mr Ali said the Ombudsman report should have gone further.

He said: “The Ombudsman told them that the appeals weren’t up to standard.

"More needs to be done, it needs to be restructured.

“You have to be a member of one of the four mosques which is difficult.

"It doesn’t matter how long your child has attended the mosque it is almost impossible to become a member.

"But you can only get into the school if you are a member.

“I would love my daughter to go to the school but there has to be a level playing field.

"As taxpayers we fund the school and they need to look at the picture overall.”

In a joint statement on behalf of Blackburn with Darwen Council and Tauheedul Islam Girls High School, a spokesman said: “We apologise for the mistakes made during the appeals process 15 months ago.

“Lessons were learnt and the council and school acted promptly to make the improvements recommended by the Local Government Ombudsman.”