Completely desperate, any help?

[schooltruble]

Name changed as this will be very identifiable.

Dd just started reception. We applied to our local school and just missed out on a place by meters. Other local schools are religious and we don't fulfill criteria.

I was very distraught but eventually found a nice school around 1.5 miles away. It is a great school for dd (very similar to our local school) and we are very happy with it.

Unfortunately there are no viable public transport options to this school and I have limited mobility. I am in agony trying to walk the nearly 6 miles a day and can't continue. Dd also has beavioural issues which makes the journey more difficult.

I already applied for medical/social need for our local school but have not heard the outcome of this. The council will not tell me the outcome but say that a letter is in the post. I have tried telling them how desperate I am, but there is nothing they say they can do.

There are no places at any nearer schools at the moment.

Any ideas what I can do?

Even hand holding would be great. I have had a terrible incident happen too and am feeling very emotional.

Bless you OP that sounds very difficult indeed.
You've applied with the medical info- has your dr given info already if not could you speak to them and see if they would. I'm sure once that's processed your dd would be high up for a place once available.
Keep pushing and checking the process tell them you're struggling- do you come under the care of the blue badge team- could they speak to school admissions dept?
In the meantime is there anyone local who goes that way on there commute maybe you could get a lift at least there Or is there a bus?

I hope they would accept my application for medical/social need but I'm not convinced they will, as the council has a history of denying some rather compelling cases and allowing very few.

I don't know if there is anyone local to us (not that I met yet) as dd has just started. Maybe I could speak to the teacher and find out if there are any local parents who would consent to sharing their details?

No feasible public transport. The only option I can think of is getting cabs which would be very expensive over the week.

I don't have a blue badge, as this wasn't meant to go on so long and as I understand they aren't for temporary disability. It is becoming longer term so maybe it is worth finding out the qualifying criteria.

do you have any friends or family who can drive or cycle with her to school?

are you friendly with any of the other parents who could perhaps take her for you in return for a contribution towards petrol?

would you qualify fir any assistance re mobility? (sorry no idea how that part works re those scooters or a motibility vehicle. apologies if suggestion is inappropriate)

can you speak to the PTA or whatever the school has? maybe they could hook you up with a lift?

sounds tough pp

Op, just come on to hold your hand as you sound desperate.

what a tough place to be.

A few thoughts
I am sorry but as far as I understand it, in school appeals, the health of the parent is not taken into consideration, nor is their ability to get child to school. That is something they should take up with adult social services for help.

Are you on the waiting list for local school? What is the chance of a place coming up? Would you consider pulling dd out and home ed till a place came up?

What about a mobility scooter? Would that work for you and dd to get to and fro?

Have you asked council for help with getting her there (as opposed to help moving schools?) based on your need? That may be more useful.

Finally, is there a childminder who does a school run to that school? They may be able to pick up and take dd, or bring her home, so you don't have to do both morning and afternoon run. Or ask about in the playground if anyone coming from your direction would be willing to do it for a small fee.

Right. First things first. Are you on the waiting list for your local school and any others that may be further away but have better transport links? If no, then get on these - as many as you can and as soon as you can.

When you say you applied on medical grounds to your local school, what exactly do you mean? Do you mean you appealed for a place on these grounds or simply that you submitted this information to the council? As far as I understand it, the only way that you can get a place at your local school now is by either winning an appeal or by waiting for a place to come up via the waiting list.

If you haven't already formally appealed then I would do so now and also appeal for all schools that would be easier for you to get to.

There are plenty of admissions expects here who can give you specific information on appeals.

In the meantime, is there any way you can ask a friend for a lift to school?

Does the school have a family support liaison? Ours does and this is just the sort of thing they can help with.

It does sound very hard for you.

Did you apply under the exceptional social need criteria originally? Because if you didn't, and you think the category your application was considered under was correct based on the information they had at that time, then there might not be much that can be done about it (as there was no mistake made at that time).

If you did apply under exceptional social need, and you think this was not considered properly, then you can appeal.

If the information about your condition was submitted after allocations, and the school was full by that point (and the number in the year group is 30 or a multiple of 30) then even if they agree you have a valid need that does not require them to force the school to go over numbers. But it is likely to put you at the top of the waiting list (though if you missed a place by only a few metres, you'd be at or near the top already).

If you live somewhere where the population is pretty mobile, there's a reasonable chance a place will come up via the waiting list before too long.

Can you find out if your DD has any classmates who live near you? If you could share with another family, at least you wouldn't have to do the journey quite so often.

To answer the questions:

Nobody I know has both a car and is available at school times. One grandparent could walk her home, but whether hes we willing to is another question.

None of the other parents live locally to us that I know of, but there are lots I haven't met so this would be worth investigating.

I didn't originally appeal under exceptional social need as the situation has arisen since then. I am only hoping to go nearer the top of the waiting list for our local school (which we are on).

Even though I just missed out on a place, we are only number 7 on the list due to new people moving into the area. This is a high mobility area, so a good chance of a place becoming available.

I don't think I would qualify for a mobility scooter. I also have a baby so need to push a pram too (which makes the journey worse).

I don't know if the school has a family support liason. I'll find out.

OP, could you speak to the head teacher to see if they know other parents who live near you? I would hope that another parent could help with lifts, even if it's just short term until you hear back from the council.
Hope you can get something sorted soon. You do sound really down about the situation.

Have a word with the headteacher. At the previous schools I work at they would have been able to work something out if you really couldn't do the journey.

Does the school have a learning mentor? We have one at the school where I work and she picks children up if they have difficulties getting to school.

Speak to the school first of all. We often will quietly have a chat with some parents that we know would be willing to help out. Schools want your DD to be there, so they will try and help.

OP, another one here suggesting that you speak to the school. We had a situation with one of DD's friends. The school sent out an email to everyone asking if there is anyone living in the area who could pick up and drop home another child. Smallish school (130 children) and this person lived outside of catchment.

10 people offered to help. There is a good chance something similar will happen in your case. Good luck!

Please ask the head. Our school has funds for just this sort of emergency, hopefully others do.

Or keep her home till a suitable place comes up.

Write to both your LEA and the Headteacher of the school your daughter is currently at explaining the difficulties and stating that until a place at the nearby school becomes available your daughter will be Home Educated. There is a lot of suitable material on the internet but you may not need it for long as stating you will be Home Educating is likely to move you further up the list for a place. Good luck.

speak to the headteacher and see if they can help. There may be someone like a childminder, local early retired person or similar who could help for less money than a taxi would cost. Ask at the school gates too.

Keep chasing your local school until they give you a place; hope you DD gets a place soon. How stressful for you

Thank you for all the replies, I really appreciate it.

I'm looking for another parent to do a lift share (walking). I'm hoping there is someone.

I think I should give up hope dd will ever get into a local school. My application for med/social need was rejected.

I think you should ask both the school and adult social services about sources of funding for transport to and from school.