Kaitlyn, 11, facing 32-mile school trip
AN 11-year-old girl is facing a 32-mile round trip each day after failing to land a place at a school near her home.
Kaitlyn Mooney, 11, was hoping to get into Hollingworth Academy or Wardle Academy, which are both a short distance from where she lives in Smithy Bridge, and where many of her friends are going after leaving primary school in the summer.
But mum, Stacey Mooney, 32, was shocked when despite filling in these schools as Kaitlyn’s first choices, the youngster was allocated a place at Todmorden High School, in Calderdale.
Stacey said she only put Todmorden down last choice as she claims she advised by the council to enter four options.
The school is 16 miles away, and one hour on a bus, meaning if Kaitlyn would have to go there, she would be spending hours on public transport a day, and would struggle to join in with extracurricular activities. Stacey also believes this is a safeguarding issue, and is now appealing the decision with Rochdale Borough Council,
She said: “We live between Wardle and Hollingworth.
“Todmorden isn’t even in our district, it’s in Calderdale. Sometimes, public transport isn’t always available. We have no family or friends in that area.
“If there’s flooding again there’s no way of getting public transport - it will be cancelled, and the walking distance is nearly three hours.”
Kailtyn, who has a younger brother, Lewis, eight, has also never used public transport.
Stacey added: “She’d be travelling home in the dark.
“There’s no direct school bus. She’s 11 and has never used public transport, puts her safety at risk.
“A lot of her school friends have been given places at Wardle or Hollingworth because of having siblings there.
“We’re appealing it, but we’re not sure what will happen. It’s a bridge to cross when we come to it,”
Kaitlyn has been devastated by the news.
Stacey said: “She was really upset when we told her.
“She’s been crying, and she’s scared because she doesn’t want to travel all that way alone.
“You want your child to go to a local school.”
The family will find out the result of their appeal in May to June, but Stacey also believes the process is misleading.
She added: “The advice online is to decline the place if you’re appealing, but if you lose the appeal you have no place.
“But, if you speak to the council they will tell you to it accept it.” Headteacher at Hollingworth Academy, Darren Randle, said: “Hollingworth is a highly oversubscribed school and sadly we are unable to offer places to all of the children who would like to join us.
“We set our admissions criteria which are similar to all other comprehensive secondary schools in Rochdale. The administration and allocation of pupil places is undertaken by the Local Authority.” Rochdale Borough Council have been contacted for comment, as have Wardle Academy, which is an academy outside LEA control .
A council spokesman said Todmorden High was listed as one of the family’s preferences.
“Where a place at the first preference school could not be given due to the school’s criteria, a place at their other preference school was given. We are confident that the admissions process has been followed in a fair and correct manner and that the respective schools’ admission criteria has been applied consistently to all applicants. Parents do have the right to appeal the decision where it will be looked at independently.”