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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Children going to different schools

18 replies

yummychoccycake · 21/04/2011 18:59

Hi, DS2 has been refused a place at DS1 school (non catchment). Instead hes been given a school a few miles away and therefore will be provided free transport to and from school, travelling on his own in a taxi while i take DS1 to school. This troubles me greatly but also the fact they wont be at the same school.

Is there anyone out there in the same or similar situation, really need reassuring! Thanks.

I will be appealing against this but dont my breath!

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easycomeeasygo · 21/04/2011 19:11

I am in a similar situation but its my own fault really as I didnt make a preference for DS1 school for DS2, I only put down my first and only preference and didnt get it. From the advice I get on here, I'd say appeal for definate, and get yourself on the waiting list, but I think it gets done automatically anyway.

Original poster

yummychoccycake · 21/04/2011 19:40

We have thought about taking DS1 out of school so they could both be together but I feel that wouldnt be fair on DS1 as hes very settled, any opinions appreciate.

I just so want to be the one to take my children to school and be the one to pick them up!

OP posts:

cat64 · 21/04/2011 20:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

southofthethames · 21/04/2011 21:00

Ooh, I'd be unhappy about my child going off to school alone in a taxi. Can you take DS1 earlier and go in taxi with DS2? Is there a bus you can come back on? (I take you don't drive or have the use of a car.)

Original poster

yummychoccycake · 21/04/2011 21:50

Thanks for replying ladies.
I do actually drive but its a case of one of them will always be late going into school and then at the end of the day i will always be late in picking one of them up. I dont know how the school would react to that.
The reason why we would recieve free transport is because the school is over 3 miles away.

OP posts:

kitkat1000 · 22/04/2011 08:03

i would alternate them being late in the morning and look at after school club care/other parents for after school pick up - i thinks its unreasonable to let a primary age child go in a taxi unattended, can't believe thats common practice in certain areas- never heard of that before! I wouldn't care what the school say about being late - should have let your ds2 in then! I face this situation next year and this will be my plan. You may be able to move ds2 into ds1 school on appeal in y3 as infant class size rules (i.e. max 30) don't apply then.

Pagwatch · 22/04/2011 08:13

Erm, my son has had to go to school in a taxi since he was 6. It is common practice for children with sn at special schools who invariably have to travel to get to school.
For us we have to accept the process and make it as safe as possible or our children simply don't go.
Taxi is not usually a good description as it is more commonly a mini bus with an escort.
Thousands of children have to do this or chose not to go to school.
It's funny I have never had anyone say to me 'you shouldn't let your child go to school via taxi'. Perhaps people really do think it is different.

I have three children at three different schools. Also a very common situation at private schools

cat64 · 22/04/2011 11:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

southofthethames · 22/04/2011 20:20

Oh, if it's a minibus with other kids (as long as the last kid is not going to his/her school alone that is fine). Is it for the same school or do the children taking it go to different schools, may I ask. It's just like a school bus then. Taxi just sounded a bit creepy for a small child to be on their own.

southofthethames · 22/04/2011 20:21

just saw cat64's post-my page hadn't refreshed of something - thanks for answering that question. Yes, minibus or school bus is more normal sounding - and cost effective!

bamboostalks · 22/04/2011 20:25

In these cases, it is not normally a bus scenario but it is an actual taxi from a local commercial firm, you will get to know the drivers but it is not very nice at all to begin with. A 4 year old on their own in the back of the car with a stranger?

DiscoDaisy · 22/04/2011 20:29

You say your other DS attends a school that you are non catchment for. Did you specifically apply for him to attend that school or was it given to you as there wasn't a nearer school with places?
The reason I ask is that my 2 eldest DC attend a school that is non catchment for us. The over subscription criteria does not give my other DC priority under the sibling rule because catchment children take priority over non catchment siblings.
I knew this when I applied for my 2 older DC and just have to hope that my other DC get in but if they don't then there is nothing I can do about it as it was my choice to send the older ones there. iyswim.

Pagwatch · 22/04/2011 20:37

Bamboo
Surely an individual taxi from a commercial firm will be unusual? Putting aside the question of cost (where a taxi for one child is extremely expensive) all drivers are subject to crb checking before they can work for Lea. And any firm has to fall within required specifications of the leas liability insurances.

It may occasionally be a car. It may be a taxi driver. But it is not some bloke phoned from the local rank

spanieleyes · 22/04/2011 20:54

Currently 10 of our children arrive by taxi, the youngest in Reception. As we have so many, they come in two but in previous years we have had a single or couple of children in one. The taxi's come from a local company but the drivers and the chaperone are CRB cleared. It is quite common in rural areas where a school bus would be unneccessary for the numbers involved.

southofthethames · 23/04/2011 02:23

Eek - in those situations where they are indeed using cars (as opposed to buses or minivans), I am really uncomfortable with that idea because of the different layout and dimensions of a car.....I would go with my child! (even if that somehow goes against the idea of providing transport!) I'd apply that rule with any child and not just my own. What happens on the day the driver is ill or on holiday? I get CRB checks for my job too - they are rubbish. If the person is a first time offender or just good at not getting caught/convicted....they'll pass the CRB check. A supermarket can get more info about an individual than a CRB check! Am with bamboostalks on this one.

kitkat1000 · 23/04/2011 07:24

my dad is a taxi driver and he has done this sort of role for kids with sen (years ago, i forgot) and he was their regular driver - it was offered to him as a sort of contract - if he said yes to taking on their drop offs/collection then he had to commit daily - he got paid more for it as it prevented him accepting jobs near pick up times to ensure he was free when he was needed. He loved doing it but i never thought it was a mainstream idea. Can i ask, do they escort to school door or drop off outside the outside? Only my school won't let kids under 8 arrive without an adult - it's door to door drop off and wandered how this worked if they are dropped off by taxi?? I also worked for many years in a prison and you'd be surprised how many offenders had passed CRB checks!

kitkat1000 · 23/04/2011 07:26

oh if theres a chaperone i'd be much more comfortable, especially if female

spanieleyes · 23/04/2011 08:53

The children are dropped off at the door where they are met by a member of staff, the taxi can't leave until the children have been handed over. Same after school, the children are handed over by staff and checked off against the list the taxi has. Every taxi has to have a chaperone, also CRB cleared and usually female! Each route has a regular driver and chaperone, yes there are occasions when the regular driver is off, but we've never had both off at the same time! I suppose for us, and the children who do travel by taxi, it's just the normal way of getting to school!

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