School Transport

[Bob]

I've posted this elsewhere as well looking for advice, I'm really struggling to get hold of an actual human being at the Council and currently been on hold for over 40 minutes, seriously getting nowhere fast.


I’m after some advice regarding School transport, we fall under another school area which is a first/middle school system. My child has been offered a place at the closest middle school but this is not the catchment school. This school is 7 miles away.

My child has been refused transportation on the basis that there is a primary school closer, this primary school feeds into the Stafford school system so they say my child will need to attend a new school with no peers or pupils know to us, for two years (Y5 & Y6) before then again being uprooted to attend the closest middle school (where we currently have a place) and start all over again 2 years after current intake and be the new pupil again. From the primary all other classmates will probably attend the Stafford school and we will have no entitlement of place or transport eligibility for.

This seems like a flawed, unfair and cruel system from the point of view of the child and impossible for me as a parent with two children of different ages, I cannot be in two places at once every morning and afternoon. Their criteria is 3 fold – school age (5-18) YES – not live within walking distance, YES- and be catchment or closest suitable school, I deem this to be the closest suitable school - due to the upheaval of an unnecessary additional school change and potential issues settling, loss of all friends feeding into a school even further away when attending the primary, do I have grounds to appeal?

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[proactive]

Could you not drive her to school?

That's what we had to do.

 

[Bob]

I can but I have a younger child attending a different school 8 miles from the first. I can't be in two places at once 5 days a week for the next 15 years.

 

[proactive]

I can but I have a younger child attending a different school 8 miles from the first. I can't be in two places at once 5 days a week for the next 15 years.

Fair enough.

Can't see the council being any help I'm afraid.

 

[Alee]

does your youngests school not offer breakfast club?

Have to agree with proactive about council.
It's highly unlikely they will make any exceptions .

 

[Bob]

They would expect her to attend a primary school for two year - though we are in a first/middle school system not a first/primary/middle school system, they would provide transport for this primary school, being rural this would be a taxi and God knows how much cost, then expect her to be uprooted after two years to go to the school they wouldn't transport her to in the first place even though the bus passes the end of our lane anyway.

Yes there is breakfast club and afterschool club so I have to be out of pocket and have to choose whether my five year old gets to endure an additional hour in school or an hour of traveling each day - it doesn't seem right.

She ticks every box of their criteria - age - not within walking distance - and attending the closest suitable school.

As far as I'm concerned, the primary school for two years is NOT a suitable option. I cannot see anyone deeming that to be a suitable option.

 

[Gareth]

Did you choose the school/s that have been allocated as your first options ??

 

[Bob]

Did you choose the school/s that have been allocated as your first options ??

I didn't - like an idiot I accepted it when we were told it was oversubscribed so I chose the catchment as first choice and added to a waiting list after the allocations.

We've been very seriously considering moving house as we're all out of options on school, catchment is in special measures and has a terrible reputation. My daughter loved school, she loved her friends, enjoyed her work and we had no issues, when we moved house 18 months ago I was worried about the little one but eldest has struggled where she is, she instantly became a target for a boy with his own set of issues and when he moved from that school last year a girl in her class decided to take up the school bully position.

There is only one other (very nice little girl) moving to this other school and it's a fresh start, I don't want her to spend her school life being bullied and if she goes to the catchment school she's going to be used to make the bully and her cronies feel better about themselves. I'm hoping for a good dose of Karma for that little so-and-so when the pond and the fish get bigger - I just want my little girl as far away from that as I can get her.

 

[EasMid]

I know from xperience the council will help, IF there's already a transport route in place & if there's space on the bus. Once you get the place allocated you've got it as long as you need it. If you need special t a sport arrang mints then that would be a problem.
Good luck with getting through to them though. If I can find any contact details I'll let you know, all I can find at he moment is auto generated emails about transport cancellations for school closure, snow days.
P. S. Have you been in touch with the school re the bullying? Most decent schools are very hot in anti bullying now. You've got to be really persistent though. At first it's literally one word against another &, of course, the parents of the little shit causing the problem either don't believe their little angel could be capable or they're just arseholes that don't care.

 

[Bob]

I know from xperience the council will help, IF there's already a transport route in place & if there's space on the bus. Once you get the place allocated you've got it as long as you need it. If you need special t a sport arrang mints then that would be a problem.
Good luck with getting through to them though. If I can find any contact details I'll let you know, all I can find at he moment is auto generated emails about transport cancellations for school closure, snow days.
P. S. Have you been in touch with the school re the bullying? Most decent schools are very hot in anti bullying now. You've got to be really persistent though. At first it's literally one word against another &, of course, the parents of the little shit causing the problem either don't believe their little angel could be capable or they're just arseholes that don't care.

Thanks!

The school won’t see it for what it is, head says my daughter is making it up. It’s a very small school and my little girl was the only girl in the class not invited to two parties, the bully and her sidekick, they all pick on another girl my daughter is friends with then try and turn this other girl against her for 10 minutes at a time just to get a reaction, bully’s mum works at the school and from the Little I know of them have a dubious lifestyle. I mentioned party and how school missed such and exclusion and how that was bullying and just got told that the ‘incident’ was in January, it doesn’t matter now. It doesn’t to be fair but that’s a prime example, and as a parent why would you allow your child to single out another to exclude, these are 8 year olds, it’s unhinged! I just want my daughter well away from it.

I’ve sent an email to transport at lunchtime ish , I’m awaiting a response.

Edit* I've just reread above post, bullying isn’t limited to the party, I wish to God it was, my daughter is miserable on a daily basis, it’s not one major thing but hundreds and hundreds of little things, the party was just something factual the school couldn’t argue with but they have regardless.

 

[bunique]

There is usually an appeals process for eligibility for school transport which culminates with the local government ombudsman.

 

[Bob]

Hopefully.

I've emailed transport explaining how the Primary school is in no way an acceptable option and I believe she meets all of their criteria to have transport provided, I have asked them to reconsider their decision and I just need to wait and see now. Fingers crossed they come to the most sensible decision.

 

[Gareth]

The council can help and there is normally an appeals process around all things admissions.

I know some that have been successful some have not, depends on circumstances of yourself and the application, I am sure you don't want to divulge all on here.

Check the attachment on the following link (2nd) that contains criteria for transport, who you can contact by area and appeals.

https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/education/schoolsandcolleges/Schooltransport/Under-16s/home.aspx

And policy

https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/education/schoolsandcolleges/Schooltransport/policy.aspx

 

[EasMid]

@Bob
I've sent you a message ( at least I think I have) with contacts for transport. If you don't get it let me know.
As for the bullying, try telling the school you're reporting the situation to the police. My niece had similar problems with her daughter a year ago. The mother of the little shit was very much in the school's "in crowd" & the school didn't really accept the problem. As soon as she mentioned involving the police & education authority they soon changed their approach. It's not completely solved but things are a little better. I think it's something that will never be cured due to the attitude of the parents & once a twat, always a twat. The good thing in her case is when she goes up to the academy she'll have a couple of cousins & other friends there who'll sort it if necessary. Karma indeed

 

[Bob]

I got the message, thank you @EasMid

I've had no luck getting through to a human being all week but I've put that down to it being allocations week and hopefully by Monday things should be a little calmer. I've had no response to my email yet either, I'll chase again on Monday and contact those on your message.

 

[Gramaisc]

As for the bullying, try telling the school you're reporting the situation to the police.

Sometimes, those in authority need to know that you know what they should be doing...

https://www.gov.uk/bullying-at-school/reporting-bullying

 

[Bob]

It's a rock and a hard place situation, eldest child has begged for me not to go into school again, her little wise beyond her years self is telling us she wants to finish this school and go to another one where this other girl isn't next year.

The school have committed to watching the situation they refuse to admit exists and I want to respect my daughter's wishes so she keeps talking to me the last thing I want is for her to not tell me what's gone on, I need for her to feel in control as much as is possible.

She's got less than a term left there and then she never has to see the horrible little madam again.

Littlest one is very happy at the school, she's settled and has friends and is progressing well, aside from this situation it's a nice school, I think involving the police would upset both my kids and do more damage than it would good, I'm not sure what the police could do, all are under 10 and it's not been physical, it's name calling, exclusion, ridicule, taunting and other general horridness. It breaks my heart.

 

[Gramaisc]

It would seem reasonable to ensure that those in external authority over the school could not claim to be unaware of their (lack of) response.

https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/education/schoolsandcolleges/ComplaintsandComments/home.aspx

 

[Gareth]

Bare in mind the local authority no longer have a role in complaints against schools and academies, so do not go wasting your time with them

If you think it is a safeguarding issue then it could be reported to their first response team according to their website.

You must follow the complaints process- head teacher then governors and dfe, if you don't you will be sent back to the beginning.

The school MUST have a policy for handling bullying, ask to see this.

Copy in your local mp if you feel the head and governors are fobbing you off or not doing their job

 

[Bob]

Thanks Garath

Having spoken with the head again only a couple of days ago and with my daughter not wanting any more fuss, for now I'm happy - wrong word entirely - accepting, of the decision to see if it can improve with the teachers watching and my daughter staying away from her as much as possible.

I need to focus my energy on her next chapter, away from this girl, unfortunately every school has at least on bully, some people will always try to claw their way to the top with a trail of devastation and there is no avoiding this and at this point with such limited time, the end in sight, it's just about getting her through it until she can leave and making sure it doesn't happen again.

I'm so proud of my baby girl and how mature she's been at only 9 years old, she's handled it all brilliantly considering the affect it has had on her. I hate that she's had to endure this and I'm hoping 6 months from now she will have settled well and made some lovely new friends, stronger to be out the other side.

I just need to work out how to get her there and back again!