Mum’s anger over daughter’s 6-mile round school trip
PARENT DESPERATE FOR HELP WITH TRANSPORT
A HESSLE mum has spoken of her despair as her daughter faces a six-mile round walk to school every day, which is “tiring her out”.
Amy is desperate to get councilarranged transport to take sixyear-old Olivia (not their real names) to Penshurst Primary School in Hessle.
However, East Riding Council has declined her application for council transport service three times as Penshurst Primary is not her daughter’s nearest available school.
Amy said: “I’ve applied online three times, but have been told we’re not entitled to it and they point to the distance to the nearer school.
“Basically, I do not want to put her in that school. I do not want to take her out as she’s thriving at Penshurst.”
Amy and Olivia moved to Hessle to escape domestic abuse from her ex-husband.
Amy enrolled her daughter at Penshurst Primary School in time for when the new term started in September.
She chose Penshurst, which is approximately 2.5 to three miles away and not the nearest available school, on the advice and recommendation of other parents.
Walking the six-mile round trip with her daughter Olivia had become more difficult lately due to the worsening weather.
Amy said: “We’ve come home absolutely drenched and she’s got cold and more tired.
“It’s gotten that bad that I’ve seriously been considering taking her out and home schooling her, though I don’t want to.”
Amy does not drive and her parents live too far away to help.
“There is a public bus service about 20 minutes away, but I’m very uncomfortable taking her on public buses due to an accident on a bus I was on about three years ago,” she said
“They can’t expect a sixyear-old to walk six miles a day.”
After the last application was rejected, Amy said she called up to explain her situation, but the council’s policy to only provide transport to the nearest school available was simply repeated to her.
Online guidance on eligibility for school transport help in East Riding also clearly includes this criteria.
An East Riding Council spokesman said: “The council’s home to school and college transport policy states that free home to school transport will be provided to pupils who have not been able to secure a place at either their catchment or nearest school and the school allocated by the council, for a pupil in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 is over two miles away.
“If, as in this case, a parent has made a preference for a school that is neither catchment or closest and the parent is successful in gaining their preference regardless of distance, the responsibility for the school journey lies with the parents. “Parents are advised to consider how their child will get to and from school when making their preferences.”
Amy confirmed she was looking at moving eventually closer to Penshurst Primary, though that wouldn’t solve the issue immediately.
“I’m already looking at swapping houses to be nearer, though that takes time,” Amy said.
“Staff at Penshurst Primary have been supportive of me and also called the council.
“They’ve been absolutely brilliant. My daughter could not go to a better school.”
It’s gotten that bad that I’ve seriously been considering taking her out and home schooling her
Mum Amy