A TEENAGER was left without suitable schooling for six months because of problems caused by Barnet Council, an independent investigation has ruled.

They have now been recommended to pay £2,500 in compensation to the 13-year-old's family for the “injustice” she suffered by not receiving sufficient schooling.

Problems started in October 2006 when the girl, named in the report as Jeri Perry, was excluded from an unnamed school, a situation made permanent by the Governors on November 24.

By law councils are required to provide “suitable education for children who are not attending school and who, if such arrangements are not made, may not receive any suitable education”.

Barnet Council argued there was no interruption to Jeri's schooling caused by them as she remained on the school roll until June 2007 and argued they provided tuition from March 2007, which they were not required to do.

However, ombudsman Tony Redmond found from then until May 2007 the council did not provide the basic 24-hours per week education required by law.

He also states while tuition was provided it was only for eight hours a week and work set by the school did not meet the statutory requirements either, says the report.

Mr Redmond also upheld another complaint from Ms Perry the council failed to respond to a request for a special educational needs assessment for Jeri.

His conclusion states they “delayed unreasonably for five weeks in responding to a request for a statutory assessment of Jeri’s special educational needs”.

The ombudsman also criticises the council for taking ten months to provide some documentation, meaning the investigation took “an unusually long time” to compile.

While he recommended the payment of £2,500 to the family as “recompense” for problems caused to them Barnet Council is not duty bound to pay the money or follow the recommendations.