My revengeful ex has just taken me to court to force my son to attend his local state secondary school this September which means leaving the small private prep school he is supposed to stay at until he's 13. My ex doesn't even pay the fees but has gone behind my back to apply and accept a place at the school he wants my son to go to and justified it by saying my 11 yr old was deeply unhappy - which he's not. I've just received the legal ruling and unbelievably they've gone with my ex (who is completely workshy). My son will be in pieces and his school refusal will start up again. Please remember this if this dreadful situation ever occurs in your life - and I sincerely hope it doesn't. As a working mum you are basically considered unfit to look after your child by social workers who have literally spent only an hour talking to you, as you are not picking the child up from school yourself. It seems that ex's now have licence to bully mums into a legal process not of their own making to get their way. You have very little right over where your child goes to school if the courts get involved. The poor child doesn't even have the right for his/her feelings to be a key factor in the case. I am in bits and because I stupidly followed the lawyers advice and took the high moral ground and went to arbitration as I didn't want my son dragged through the courts, I cannot appeal. Please please think carefully before agreeing to arbitration as you are not allowed to submit supporting statements from people who actually know the child so you are relying on one judge's view of the case who has never met your child.