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AIBU?

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Original poster

to expect my local cancel to pay for transport to a private school

458 replies

tootyflooty · 13/12/2008 12:23

My dd has been offered a place at a theatre school, it is fee paying but not local and they do not have scholerships. I asked the council if they would provide the cost of a train pass, but were told no, because it is not our local state school.My argument is that by funding my dd education for the next 5 years (not easily affordable for us)I am saving the local education authority vast sums of money as they will not be paying for her place at the local state school, it seems unfair that we are penalised for our decision, She would get a free pass if our local school was over 3 miles away.Sorry to ramble but we have never had handouts from anyone and this seems grossly unfair.

OP posts:
chaufleur · 13/12/2008 14:03

Oh and the school I went to, there was no such thing as "transport allowance", and it was also a ONE MILE UPHILL walk from the nearest bus or train stop which certainly toughens up a small 11yo in winter.

There was no free coach to use!

I still don't begrudge anyone else getting transport fares though!

chaufleur · 13/12/2008 14:04

clam, transport costs are a lot less than a place for 5 years at the local school which you would be paying for, through taxes...

AnarchyInAManger · 13/12/2008 14:04

Travellers may get taxis funded to take their children to school, this is true.

This is for several reasons

  • the school that can best meet their needs may not be the closest.
  • they may have moved since the child started at the school - not uncommon as there are so few sites for travellers to remain on permanently, so many have to camp illegally and move on frequently. The children's education should not be disrupted because they are in effect homeless.
  • Traveller sites are often situated in ridiculous out-of-the-way locations where there are no amenities such as schools and public transport. This is because bigots like you kick up a fuss if they are living nearby.
chaufleur · 13/12/2008 14:08

anyway, tooty seems to have gone .... and s'not my battle so I'll drop out now, barring answering any directly addressed posts!

TheProvincialLady · 13/12/2008 14:11

That is true anarchy. When I lived in Kent there was a permanent travellers site about 2 miles down the country lane I lived on. It would have been a 4 mile walk with no footpath or lighting to get to the nearest primary school (5 mile walk to train station to get to secondary school). There was one bus every 3 days, at about lunchtime. I think it was fair enough if taxis were organised - you can't maintain the double standard of wanting 'pikey' children to be law abiding citizens and resenting their free travel to school so they have a hope of being one.

chaufleur · 13/12/2008 14:11

Arrgh, further to my last post - (chaufleur ducks over the parapet) - Anarchy, do travellers pay anything towards living in society? yet get the benefits such as taxis and school places? (ducks back below parapet)

I'm going now!

OrmIrian · 13/12/2008 14:11

I have only ever had one minor op. I had 3 babies in hospital but needed no intervention. None of my DC have needed hospital treatment. I'm 43 and have worked and paid taxes all my adult life. WHere is my bloody rebate? Should be at least 50% by now. It's outrageous. I'm outraged.

treedelivery · 13/12/2008 14:14

pikies, nasty little oiks, free loaders.....

World is just full of people isn't it? Must really annoy you when they insist on being different to you and not accepting that your children are the only ones that count.

TROOOOLLLLLLLL!!! please God let it be a trol

TheProvincialLady · 13/12/2008 14:14

Chaufleur everyone pays VAT. Many travellers have ordinary jobs and pay tax just like the rest of us. And we operate a system of wealth redistribution (ha!), it's not a savings plan.

AnarchyInAManger · 13/12/2008 14:14

Travellers pay VAT on goods they buy.

They pay council tax on legal pitches.

They pay income tax.

clam · 13/12/2008 14:15

chauffleur, I meant transport costs to the theatre school, not the fees.
It's hard enough getting free transport even within the state system, so I hardly think they're going to cough up for those who've opted out.

treedelivery · 13/12/2008 14:16

trol, troll, I don't discriminate.

wilbur · 13/12/2008 14:17

Hahahahahahaha - this is a wind up, surely?

Loving Sarf London Caaancel though, made my day!

clam · 13/12/2008 14:19

Yeah, actually I agree a troll. It was the hopeless attempt not to call travellers pikeys that has swung it for me!

Bienchen · 13/12/2008 14:20

Tooty, you get child benefit, don't you?

Just use it to pay for transport!

YABVU

ToysAreLikeDogs · 13/12/2008 14:21

caaaaaaaaaaaancel roffle at DragOn

clam · 13/12/2008 14:22

But on the more serious note of council funding of school transport, we have a situation here where none of the children in one of the villages gets allocated a school of their choice due to over-subscription. They are instead given one in special measures nearly 5 miles away. If they refuse that, and opt for any other school which is even slightly further away (albeit easier to travel to on public transport) the funding is withdrawn. 'Local state school' here means nearest state school with places.

AnarchyInAManger · 13/12/2008 14:24

Don't think OP is a troll.

Just has a wierd sense that she is hard done by, compared to those who are completely marginalised by society, often have no legal right to live anywhere, and have the lowest life expectancy of any minority group in Britain

crazyloon1 · 13/12/2008 14:24

Doesn't the theatre school provide help with travel - if you are hard up due to paying the fees, maybe you can get some kind of bursary?

Ladies I can see where OP is coming from. it's not like she is rolling in it - but i don't think the council should have to fund it.

amerryscot · 13/12/2008 14:25

The cost of transport is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to paying for education. You really just have to absorb it into the whole package.

Saying that, my DS gets a bus pass from the LEA entitling him to travel to and from school for child fares (he is a sixth former). LEA policy is to provide passes for anyone in full-time education in the county - they don't specify the type of school.

TinselianAstra · 13/12/2008 14:26

Can we just have a little [huh?] at the fact that DD is being bullied because "she is an all round nice popular kid".

Bullied for being popular?

clam · 13/12/2008 14:31

I think the OP was just attempting to justify her reasons for choosing a private school by saying she was being bullied, therefore the state school where the others were going wasn't an option for her. The "all round nice popular kid" bit was presumably to show us that the treatment was undeserved.

crazyloon1 · 13/12/2008 14:33

Hang on, hang on...the bit I am not getting here, is that obv her dd has some talent and OP wants her to get the best opportunities at a specialist school. I don't think that's the same as just choosing the posh school because you're a snob.

My mother had a scholarship to arts educational trust school in the 60s because she was gifted. She couldn't have afforded to go otherwise.

Tortington · 13/12/2008 14:34

i think there could be something means tested in place?

Tortington · 13/12/2008 14:35

i mean - perhave there should