Hello,
I moved six weeks ago to a new area and applied for two schools for my son who is in year 3. We got his second choice as it was the only school with places. I have another child due to start in September and he has just been given a place at our first choice which is the feeder school to my older sons first choice.
After much soul searching I have decided to put the youngest into the school allocated because it is very local and he has made friends at his pre school who will be going there.
I know I need to give the other school a chance for my yr 3 boy and I know I am going to be making my life difficult with two drop offs and pick ups but I am now wondering if I made the right choice not appealing our first choice of school for the older one.
He went to a very community based school and was with children he had known since he was two. This school is sadly the dumping ground of the area with children coming and going. There does not seem to be much structure and homework is not compulsory. The school I like is does not have the problem of children coming and going. It is very structured which is what my son is used to. He is a bright lad and was working towards level 4 in his last school. He has not been put on the library system at his new school yet despite me asking and can't even choose a reading book. He has been there a month. No spelling book yet and when I asked the teacher said, ' Yeah I need to move him up a level really.' Has already had an incident of being bullied but to be fair the school did say it would not be tolerated and would sort it. It's ofsted does state it has a higher percentage of children with emotional problems with many children entering and leaving the school. It is just not what he is used to. To add to this we lived in a community where he played out after school but as we are a mile and a half away from school he knows nobody locally. He really is floundering and lonely.
To add to this I have what I suspect is arthritis in my hips. I have really aggravated it by walking to and from the school twice a day about six miles a day. I have hypermobility in my legs and had cysts in the backs of knees as teenager so was told at time would more than likely happen. I can't afford the busfares as on income support having been made redundant in October. They charge full fare for children before nine o'clock and between 3 - 4. Busfares were coming in at nearly £7 per day as no weekly bus pass on the route we take. No help with bus fare from council as school just under two miles away. Have also tried the vacant seat scheme but no bus operating from this end of town. So therefore I have my woes and reasons. Would I stand a chance at appeal? Hope this makes sense and thank you for reading this far!