We have moved back to the UK from abroad and have moved to Cornwall. We applied to our local catchment school for my year 5 and year 6 and my year 6 has a place but my year 5 doesn't. They have given my year 5 a school that is 1.8 miles away. Both schools start at 8.50am and finish at 3.15. Also I don't drive so walk everywhere.
My year 6 is autistic and cannot be trusted to walk to school on his own. It's a 20 minute walk with 2/3rds along a 2 lane road that is the main artery road into town with a busy roaundabout where we have to cross the road that joins it twice and there are a couple other roads joining it that can be tricky. The final 1/3rd is through the housing estate with 4 roads to cross with school traffic as well. He goes into his own little world and forgets where he is and just walks where he wants, which can be across roads with out looking and could go wandering off as he sees something that interests him and he forgets what he should be doing. The majority except the last 5 minutes of the walk is uphill.
The other school we have been offered is in completely the opposite direction. So after dropping my year 6 off we would have to walk 20 minutes back and then set off in the other direction which takes about 50 minutes to an hour to walk from the start point so up to an hour and 20 minutes to get to school. We start with the rest of the 2 lane carriageway going in the other direction. Cross a road and along the 2 lane, through a subway to take us to the other side of the 2 lane and walk along, then have to cross a 4 lane road with an island (no lights) that serves a roundabout. Then up the hill with a narrow pathway next to the 2 lanes. At hte top of the hill is a crossroads where there is a double mini roundabout. The 2 lane carriageway carries straight on and the other 2 roads joining the double mini are single. We have to get over to the single road on the other side of the double mini roundabout not the one that joins the side we are on. This is the first 1/3 of our walk. The second part of the journey is where it gets very interesting as it is all single lane highway with no footpaths and starts by going down into the valley and then goes up and up and up. This is what I would call a proper cornish country road if anyone knows what I mean. There is enough room for the cars and that is it.
There are no local buses out to this school and we have been refused school bus as it is under 2 miles to the school and DC is year 5 going into year 6 next year. A taxi would cost around ÂŁ7-10 one way, so a minimum of ÂŁ28 a day, which we can't afford. We know of no other children going to the school from our area.
In September my DC1 starts secondary school which is a half hour walk up a steep hill and in the opposite direction from the school they want to start DC2 at as well (it's slightly at a tangent to our prefered school and starts earlier/ finishes earlier so you can drop at on and then walk through the housing estate to the other school). The secondary school is on a main single road that is a main road into town going down to the 2 lane highway and has lots of roads coming off it so DC1 could not be trusted on it.
DC1 started school 2 weeks ago and I have finally got he appeals form. DC2 has been out of school since the end of February. I am desperate to get DC2 into the catchment school as he is really missing school and socialising.
Any help composing the appeal with the right key words that will get people listening would be great as I obviously can't be in 2 places at the same time. I have taken pictures of the walk to go with the appeal if anyone would think it would help.
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Please can you lovely people help word my appeal to get maximum impact.
22 replies
IAmALeafOnTheWindWatchHowISoar · 24/05/2017 17:12
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