Exceptional Social Circumstances

[BlueAndYelow]

I have name changed for this as details here are identifiable. We are hosting a mum and 6yo from Ukraine under ‘homes for Ukraine’ scheme. The family just arrived. They are deeply traumatised, the mum left her family behind on the Russian-occupied territory and she is worried sick about their well-being. Her husband is in a different part of the country looking after his own parents. He has not been conscripted yet (he has volunteered). The little boy has seen it all, the raids, the bombs, he has moved from place to place for the last few months, haven’t been able to make a proper home and significant people in his life are unable to be close and are in grave danger.

Obviously, we are doing all we can to make their lives comfortable. I am currently looking into schools in our area and the ones close to us are all oversubscribed. The closest is around 2.5 miles away and several bus journeys. Public transport links are not brilliant here. Now, the mum is not driving/biking they are happy to walk everywhere but having long journeys by public transport is a bit triggering for the little boy. In addition my own daughter has loads of friends (we are gradually introducing them to the boy) who all attend various local schools. It will be much easier to settle and make friendships if the boy attends one of those.

i appreciate it is a very touchy subject, especially now, but would these be considered exceptional social circumstances under which the school can still admit them? If not what can you possibly advise here? Thank you!

Have you spoken to the schools directly?

Our local authority has confirmed that our primary school is allowed to go over max class sizes to admit ukranian refugees if that helps?

Ask about Fair Access Protocol if all schools locally are full. An appeal will take a while to process. Would LA fund a taxi if nearest space is 2+ miles?

Ask your local County Council what their In-Year Fair Access protocol/policy is and does it include refugees. I would imagine it does. This will allow your local schools to go over PAN (published admission number). The trouble is, they may not want to. Therefore, go straight to appeal.

Thank you everyone! This is most helpful.

My school has taken on refugee students in the past despite being oversubscribed. Our parent liason was also incredibly helpful in linking with resources and support so make sure that once you do get a place, you can help the family meet their needs.

I agree. Check with your LEA whether they are using the fair access protocol to admit Ukrainian children to schools which are on paper full.

if you need to take it to appeal, you could argue that, in all the circumstances, it would be unreasonable not to give this child a place in a local school, to help them make friends and settle in the community. Of course, a lot would depend on the strength of the school’s case for not admitting, but I think very many appeal panels would be receptive to your argument.

schoolsweek.co.uk/ukraine-children-pupils-admissions-rules-ukrainian/

Thank you so much MyJob! I will read now.

The council responded yesterday refusing all the local schools (I think it was 9 in total) and offering an option just under 3 miles away. They offered a taxi but really this is not acceptable for a 6 year old traumatised child. I am now looking into helping the mother to appeal.

That is so cruel, my god. I'm sorry.

Thank you for all you're doing for this family.

Our primary school has gone over PAN to accommodate Ukrainian refugees in more than 1 class. The school and head teacher are so very welcoming and go above and beyond for all children, v inclusive etc. I have heard that another local school is refusing saying they are full. They have a reputation for being all about the grades so probably don't want to risk their sats results! Have you spoken to the head teachers? I would go via the schools themselves before approaching the council.

How's the family doing op? You are doing a wonderful thing ❤️

That’s a lot for you to take on, best wishes to you all.

Will it not depend on how many refugees there are in an area and looked after children? It’s not black and white that the nearest school must accept all refugee children. It looks like the DC are being spread out. 9 schools must be a decent sized town.

Yes, I’m sure schools and LEAs will be making decisions case by case, but I’m also pretty sure that they’ll be starting from the point of view that children arriving from a war zone need to be in school sooner rather than later.

Which is why a school has been offered.

@TizerorFizz A long taxi ride daily for an already traumatised child. That's awful.

Sorry I was away from my iPad. The mum approached every single head teacher/admissions in order to understand the school’s position and explain the family situation. 6 in total. Then she made an application already knowing that the local schools are all full. Although after speaking to the council they identified the other 3 schools closer to us than the offered one.

There is no issue with the school on offer beyond the distance. The current offer is the taxi or a completely unworkable option of a bus pass. Taxi is hard because the family fled through the territory by car, the journey was very traumatic for the little boy. The council won’t pay for the mum to accompany and then travel back home, so it is just for the child. But besides how do they expect a family to build local support networks if they are not able to join the local community? How do after school clubs work? I am not even thinking about birthdays/sleepovers and just casual play after school when some friends go to a local playground but he will need to go home by taxi.

How quickly do appeals get heard ?

Libertine. Thank you so much. We are lucky to have extra space and we’re only too happy to help. Beyond sharing our home we are doing very little actually. Our guest is extremely industrious and resourceful despite all the issues being uprooted and separated from their support in such a cruel way. In fact we are so lucky to have met such great people and make new friends!

The family is doing very well and they do feel welcomed and very grateful to the UK for hosting them. That said they cannot wait to get back home, they miss their own family and friends and the dad of the family, of course. The mother cries often because she misses her husband so desperately and given what is going on there and that he is a volunteer in the army worries if they will be lucky to be reunited again.

@BlueAndYelow
Can you go in the taxi? And pay for yourself to go?

There are areas where lots of refugees want school places. It’s just inevitable schools are full. It was always going to be an issue I’m afraid. There might already be refugee children in the schools. By all means appeal though. Have you actually asked the schools if they could offer a place? A personal approach?

I am not sure what you mean. I personally can go in a taxi. I can pay too. Depends where and how often. I am not sure it is relevant here. Unless you mean I should pay for their taxi? I am not sure we can do that.

i think I mentioned above that the mother approached 6 closest school. The schools said no. We also went to the nearest private, they were the only ones ready to offer an appointment, meet the family and responded with the promise to put their case in front of the governors. Not sure what to expect as I dare not think that they would have asked to come knowing that there is no chance for that child being admitted as they cannot afford the school fees.

I work in a private school and we are taking a number of Ukrainian refugee children. I don't know but I strongly suspect there is some sort benevolent fund that is being used to pay for their schooling and they are not expected to pay. So, do explore the private sector too.

It’s appeal season now. I would suggest she appeals for any school that she would be willing to accept.

I’m assuming this is for Y1 or Y2, in which case infant class size rules apply. That means that, to win, she will need to show that’s there’s been an error which has cost her child a place (and nothing you’ve said so far suggests that) or that the decision to refuse is so unreasonable that no reasonable person would have made it. Much will depend on the strength of the school’s case not to admit, but I expect many appeal panels would be open to the argument that expecting a 6 year old child who’s escaped a war zone to travel alone in a taxi to a school miles away is too unreasonable to accept; and that they need to be in a local school to make local friends and settle in the community. Feel free to PM me.

Thank you so much Panel I am just in a midst of bedtime, if I can pm tomorrow I will very much appreciate it!