Rugby star’s school f ight over decision to split up children
A FORMER Scotland rugby player plans to sue council chiefs after they refused to allow his three children to go to the same primary school.
Alasdair Strokosch, 35, tried to enrol sons Aaron, five, and Cal, three, into Eaglesham Primary School, Renfrewshire, along with their eightyear-old sister Laila.
But Laila was turned down and will now have to leave her siblings behind and travel three miles to the primary in Clarkston.
Mr Strokosch – who won 47 Scotland caps and is a coach with Edinburgh – and wife Kirsty said they plan legal action against East Renfrewshire Council.
‘School catchment areas was one of the most important things when we were buying a house,’ he said. ‘It’s going to be difficult for Aaron being away from his big sister and even more difficult for Laila, as she’ll be on her own.’
The comments come after it was revealed that 13 per cent of children at school within the local authority area live outside the catchment area.
The Strokoschs returned to Scotland after six years in France and bought a house in Eaglesham because of the area’s schools, the best-performing in Scotland.
Mrs Strokosch, a researcher at Edinburgh University, said she initially received reassurance in April that all three children would be allowed to attend Eaglesham Primary School. She told the Times: ‘Public services are supposed to be provided equally to people but it seems you can only get what you are entitled to if you can afford a lawyer. It’s ridiculous.’
She added: ‘When we reserved the house, I phoned the education department to let them know we were coming. They said, “Don’t worry about it. We’ll sort it. It won’t be a problem.” If they had told me otherwise we would not have bought the house.’
She revealed: ‘I was crying when I got the letter. They’re both good schools but that’s not the point. They’re splitting up our kids.’
Up until last year East Renfrewshire Council guaranteed a place for children in their local school, as long as they were living within the catchment area.
But a surge in popularly meant it was forced to tighten its policy, meaning some children were sent to nearby schools instead.
But it emerged last month that 2,190 pupils from neighbouring council areas were being taught at schools in East Renfrewshire. A council spokesman said: ‘Some schools at some stages can become oversubscribed and when this is the case we offer places in a neighbouring school until a place in the catchment school becomes available, often for both or all children from one family.
‘However, this can mean in some cases that siblings attend different schools for a period of time and we try, where possible, to minimise this and, to support families, we provide transport.’
‘They’re splitting up our kids’