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Original poster

Primary school admissions - 14 miles apart

700 replies

Ruralparents · 09/08/2023 00:52

Hi all

I thought I’d join to mine your collective wisdom!

We live in rural Cambridgeshire, 6 miles from our nearest school in one direction and 8 miles from the next nearest in another.

Back in the depths of lockdown we had to a choose a school for our eldest to start at in Sept 2021. My wife teaches at the school 8 miles away and so we chose it because it would be handier. We didn’t know if our eldest would get in there but she did. And it turns out that her catchment school, 6 miles away, was oversubscribed.

Now, in 2023 our daughters school is over subscribed and our youngest has been placed at the catchment school. These two school are 14 miles apart! We lost our appeal and have now got the prospect of trying to manage a 28 mile school run, twice a day.

Cambridgeshire council don’t care, they are hiding behind their protocols and passing the buck.

We asked if our eldest could move schools to be with our youngest and they’ve refused because her year group at the catchment school is oversubscribed.

Out of catchment siblings get the same priority as in catchment siblings in Suffolk and Norfolk, but not Cambridgeshire. And when you live 6 and 8 miles from the two schools it’s fairly obvious you’re going to be at the bottom of the admissions list when either school is over subscribed.

Has anyone had any joy appealing on the grounds of unreasonable journey times etc? I just don’t think anyone should be made to do over 10000 miles a year on the school run. School transport hasn’t been offered but even if we can get it, someone still has to be available to put a 4 year old in a taxi and to collect them etc, it doesn’t help the logistics.

There is an ombudsman, but I think they have just rigged the whole system in order to do as they please and screw those who live out in the sticks.

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KateyCuckoo · 09/08/2023 07:59

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QuillBill · 09/08/2023 07:59

My wife is probably going to have to quit her job (thanks to her own employer) to handle the logistics, as I can’t be available with my job.

Come on. For a start it's not her employer that's done this. Unless her school insisted your oldest didn't go to the catchment school or she also works for the admissions department.

Resigning a professional career over school runs is ridiculous. Use her wage to pay for someone to take her to school if you don't need the money she earns.

Soontobe60 · 09/08/2023 08:01

Your wife doesn’t need to ‘quit her job’ and it isn’t her employers fault that the pair of you made a decision for your eldest child to go to your wife’s school which has now caused the situation you find yourself in. It’s your fault!
your school run isn’t as many miles as you say, because one child hitches a lift with your wife!
Luckily your Dc have 2 parents, so while your wife deals with the eldest child you can sort your youngest out. Get her booked into breakfast and after school club, you do the school run and bobs yer uncle!
There are many many parents throughout the country that have to juggle school runs because they didn’t think through the consequences of which school they send their child to, or where they work.

entitledparents · 09/08/2023 08:01

Maybe find a childminder near school 2 so you can drop at different times and pick up later. If we all had to only do school run at 9 and 3 we'd all have to quit FT jobs. Many parents have an hour commute to 9-5 jobs!!

Original poster
Ruralparents · 09/08/2023 08:02

QuillBill · 09/08/2023 07:53

However, there should be some kind of top limit on the distance apart they can send infant children and 14 miles should be waaayyy outside it.

But they can't build schools close to every farm and you chose to send your child to a school that's further away which was a risk. I understand why you did it but everyone who sends their child to a school which isn't their nearest school does it for a reason.

Sure, but rural counties like Suffolk and Norfolk solve this problem by writing the criteria so that younger siblings follow older ones, that way those out on the edge of two catchments don’t get pushed in either direction.

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PuttingDownRoots · 09/08/2023 08:02

If it helps... when DDs had school transport it actually added a lot of time onto the day. They were picked up half an hour before school started for a 12 minute drive... the driver picked up other children on route when they were in a taxi, the school bus had a convulted route. After school the bus took 45 minutes to get to our stop! And thats a lit smaller distance than yours.

User63847484848 · 09/08/2023 08:02

If the house is on the farm can’t you or someone be there to see her in and out of the school transport?
I would accept the school transport they’ve offered for a start.

in my area they also offer to pay a parent mileage instead of a taxi so you could look into that and consider paying someone to take your younger Dc?

surely also cheaper to consider some after school childcare at your home, or someone to collect your Dc on the day your wife works than her quit her job?

by all means pursue the appeal but you have to now make plans for how to manage this.

on the days your wife doesn’t work one of the kids will need to use after school care if there is some.

Soontobe60 · 09/08/2023 08:03

Ruralparents · 09/08/2023 07:58

Because my job is full time, i’m a partner in the farm, it comes with a house and if I don’t make the bank repayments every month they’d bankrupt me.

We both think me quitting might add to our problems not resolve them…..

Show quote history

First and foremost you are a parent. As a partner, you’re allowed to give yourself enough time off to do the school run on the days your wife is working. It’s called juggling and most parents have to do it.
Your wife isn’t there for your convenience, she shouldn’t need to quit her job at all!

MossCow · 09/08/2023 08:04

The top and bottom of this is that your dd is very, very likely to get free transport to the school.

Who are these people saying that she might not because of funding?

Schoolchoicesucks · 09/08/2023 08:04

I don't get the 56 miles a day thing. Where has the extra 16 miles come from?

manontroppo · 09/08/2023 08:06

Frankly you sound pissed off because you might actually have to take some time out to engage in child related activities. Getting children to school is a fact of life you seem to have thought would never apply to you- sounds like this was firmly in “wife’s problems” territory. It’s doubly so in rural areas.

Rural Cambridgeshire resident here, village primary has farmers, surgeons, teachers and all sorts using the school who somehow have to make drop off times work. They organise lift shares, use school transport (and yes they do put reception kids in taxis as they sometimes don’t have a choice) or breakfast clubs.

The council should be offering transport to school if it’s your allocated school and you are more than 2 miles away.

CocoPlum · 09/08/2023 08:06

As a thought, your daughter is May born so qualifies as a "summer" born child. You could apply for reception for her next year instead when her sister will be year 3, more chance of eldest getting a place at the catchment school.

Unfortunately these are the policies (and I'm not convinced Norfolk prioritises siblings over catchment in all cases tbh), and your job/home choices will have always meant you need to make some trickier decisions on where to send your child to school and managing long school runs.

hlr1987 · 09/08/2023 08:06

I saw someone in a thread the other day saying you weren't likely to get a decision over ruled, unless you could argue it was harmful/ not in the interests of the child to go along with the allocation, and that specifically it being a pain for the parents wasn't enough unfortunately.
You might find a childminder able to support just wrap around care (but it takes away the chance of a longer placement for them), but honestly I'd probably be weighing up the cost of homeschooling or your wife not working, or the fuel for all that travel, or moving, but that still might not get them into the same school. Awkward situation 😳

arethereanyleftatall · 09/08/2023 08:08

Well put @Soontobe60
With one error. It's isn't 'many parents' so much as 'many mothers.'
Ever heard of the gender pay gap op? This is why. Your daughters get to look forward to this too.

YellowDots · 09/08/2023 08:10

Sure, but rural counties like Suffolk and Norfolk solve this problem by writing the criteria so that younger siblings follow older ones, that way those out on the edge of two catchments don’t get pushed in either direction.

But you don't live there and so you can't get caught up in what would happen if you lived somewhere else. I live somewhere that got rid of the sibling rule because people were renting in lovely villages short term then taking places for a decade with siblings and the piece who lived in the villages couldn't get their children in. Children were being shuttled all over in taxis, all paid for by the LA.

If Cambridgeshire didn't have this rule then maybe your dds wouldn't have a place in schools anywhere near where you live because the places would be taken by siblings and children who live closer than six miles away.

arethereanyleftatall · 09/08/2023 08:10

'Sure, but rural counties like Suffolk and Norfolk solve this problem by writing the criteria so that younger siblings follow older ones, that way those out on the edge of two catchments don’t get pushed in either direction.'

Did you not look in to the Cambridgeshire criteria then when you made the decision for your eldest? Or has it changed?

entitledparents · 09/08/2023 08:12

LAs have sibling rules and some have catchments. Nothing to do with rural life. Our neighbouring LA has loads families with kids in two schools as they didn't use catchment one for the first. Distance is not relevant if it takes you 45 min to travel 2 miles due to hideous city traffic. If your DC1 had gone to catchment school you'd still have same issue as your wife works in a school so prob starts at 9 in opposite direction

Boomboom22 · 09/08/2023 08:15

hlr1987 · 09/08/2023 08:06

I saw someone in a thread the other day saying you weren't likely to get a decision over ruled, unless you could argue it was harmful/ not in the interests of the child to go along with the allocation, and that specifically it being a pain for the parents wasn't enough unfortunately.
You might find a childminder able to support just wrap around care (but it takes away the chance of a longer placement for them), but honestly I'd probably be weighing up the cost of homeschooling or your wife not working, or the fuel for all that travel, or moving, but that still might not get them into the same school. Awkward situation 😳

What ridiculous suggestions. The wife wants to keep her teaching career not home school!! Also not good for children who dont need it due to other issues. Or quit.
The 2 best solutions given so far are
Take the transport. It will be quite early.
Defer if your girl could cope with being a year behind. This is good for parents but bad for the child unless they are already behind on reports.

RudsyFarmer · 09/08/2023 08:16

I think your best bet is to put your older child on a waiting list with catchment school and put younger child on waiting list of the school you wife works at. At some point I’m sure there will be movement and they’ll both be at the same school.

entitledparents · 09/08/2023 08:16

Currently - who looks after the younger child whilst your wife is at work?

Original poster
Ruralparents · 09/08/2023 08:16

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Erm, I’ve just described our family situation and the practical reasons why my wife and I both think that I can’t quit (a livestock farm doesn’t mean you rock up to work when you like, 5 days a week, so the juggling is tricky), and your response is that I’m one of ‘those men’.

I’d heard mumsnet could be a bit spicy but I wasn’t expecting full unhinged quite so early.

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Original poster
Ruralparents · 09/08/2023 08:18

RudsyFarmer · 09/08/2023 08:16

I think your best bet is to put your older child on a waiting list with catchment school and put younger child on waiting list of the school you wife works at. At some point I’m sure there will be movement and they’ll both be at the same school.

I think this is what we’ll do and fingers crossed it resolves itself next year.

The catchment school is 2 form entry so surely they must have space when the infant class size restrictions lift in year 3.

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roundcork · 09/08/2023 08:18

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titchy · 09/08/2023 08:19

I suspect you won't qualify for free transport because your first choice was not your nearest school. However you'll have to try. As others have said you can also delay her start to Easter.

I'm afraid it sounds like your wife is going to carry the load on this one unless you make a decision to give up farming - which may be an option? Childminder or taxi or your wife drops at breakfast club before going to her school. At least she only works 3 days a week so some sort of taxi/childcare will be cheaper than her giving up work. An au pair or nanny might also work?

You were always going to have a hideous school run though being rural.

Original poster
Ruralparents · 09/08/2023 08:19

entitledparents · 09/08/2023 08:16

Currently - who looks after the younger child whilst your wife is at work?

He’s at pre school, he could technically stay there till Easter but I don’t think that’s wise when the rest of the class are starting now.

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