An article in the Eastbourne edition of The Argus on June 18 may have left readers with the impression that East Sussex County Council's schools admission arrangements were found to be at fault in the case on which you reported.

The Ombudsman did not find fault with the admission arrangements but had concerns about the way the independent appeal panel reached its decision.

Reading of the full report of the Ombudsman shows the complexity of the legislation relevant to this case. The law requires that no infant child should be taught in a class of more than 30 pupils and this severely restricts appeal panels in overturning decisions reached on school placements. The council believes the appeal panel correctly followed the advice issued to Local Education Authorities by the Secretary of State about how such cases should be considered, hence the council's press release saying "we do not agree with all the Ombudsman's conclusions".

The only way to challenge the findings of the Ombudsman is through the courts. This can be an expensive and time-consuming process and the council does not believe it is in the best interests of the taxpayers of East Sussex to use resources for this purpose. So the conclusions of the Ombudsman remain. However, parents should be reassured that the Ombudsman was satisfied the admission arrangements were appropriate and had been correctly applied.

-Denise Stokoe, Director of Education, East Sussex County Council, Lewes