A school has been rapped over the knuckles for refusing to admit a pupil based on previous bad behaviour.
Latymer School in Enfield, north London, has been ordered to allow the youngster to join the sixth form by the Local Government Ombudsman.
The 16-year-old boy, who took his GCSEs at the school this summer, was refused admission to the sixth form because he had been suspended earlier in the year for an incident of poor behaviour.
The selective school said that admission to the sixth form was dependent on good behaviour and that the youngster had not met its requirements.
The boy's father lodged a complaint with the ombudsman, who today said Latymer was wrong to refuse him admittance.
In her report, Dr Jane Martin said the Government's school admissions code "specifically prohibits the school from selecting sixth form pupils based on their behaviour records".
She added that as the pupil had gained the academic qualifications needed to study in the sixth form, he should have been admitted.
The report adds that schools have the right to sanction pupils who breach their behaviour rules, including using detentions, suspensions and expulsions.
If the youngster's behaviour falls below the expected standard in the sixth form, the school can take action, it said.
Dr Martin added that the school was not entitled to punish the child for an incident he was suspended for in Year 11 for a second time by withdrawing the offer of a sixth form place.
She said: "In order to put things right, I recommend the school admits Child A to the sixth form immediately, and allows him to study his preferred options."
