‘My son didn’t get ANY of school choices’
MUM Sarah Lawrenson is one of those parents who has not been offered a place at any of her son’s preferred primary schools.
Sarah, 44, relocated to Littleborough with her little boy James, four, 18 months ago after separating from her partner.
She moved to the area so she could send James to a school near to where she works in Littleborough, and to be close to her mother.
Sarah knew getting a place in one of her preferred primary schools in Littleborough would be tough, so she made sure she was one of the first parents to submit her application.
This week she was disappointed to discover James had not been offered place at any of her first three choices.
She was denied a place at Holy Trinity School in Victoria Street, St Marys RC Primary School or Stansfield Hall Primary School.
Instead Rochdale Council have offered Sarah’s son a place at Alice Ingham Primary School towards Rochdale, which would mean a 40 minutes round car trip in rush hour traffic.
Sarah said the primary school application process is too confusing and stressful for parents who want to send their children to their local school.
Sarah, a health and safety adviser, said: “One of the main reasons I moved to my current house is because it is near to several primary schools in Littleborough.
“I wanted James to be able to make friends with children at school who also live in the area.
“I did everything I could to ensure we stood a good chance of getting a place. I even wrote to one of the headmasters.
“I was so upset when I found out I hadn’t got a place of any of the ones I wanted. I genuinely feel let down.
“It’s not the individual schools’ fault. It’s the admissions system which is so stressful and confusing for parents.
“If I have to send him to Alice Ingham it is going to mean car journey in rush hour traffic heading towards Rochdale. It’s going to be a huge inconvenience.
“It just feels wrong that you have to fight so hard to get your child a place at your local school. It doesn’t seem right.”
Sarah said she has received lots of advice and support after posting about her predicament on Facebook. She now plans to appeal the council’s decision.