Boy, 11, missing school as plea made for place
Education editor AN 11-YEAR-OLD boy hasn’t been to school for two weeks because his parents say there are no places near enough their home in Cardiff.
Youssef Seddik is becoming withdrawn and depressed because he hasn’t been able to start secondary school, said his father Mody.
“We are very worried. It is a horrible feeling.
“My son has spent two weeks at home now. He is starting to get depressed and not talk.
“He is afraid because he says he will go to school and everyone will already have made friends and he’s losing his education.”
A new job meant the 34-year-old accountant and his wife Maryana Soliman, 31, who works in catering, had to move the family from Swansea to Cardiff in July, leaving it late applying for schools.
They have been told the catchment secondary, Llanishen High, is full and say they cannot accept places offered at Cantonian and Cardiff West Community High because they are too far away – six and 11 miles.
While Youssef ’s brother Martin, eight, got a place at St Philip Evans Primary, spaces had gone at all secondaries near their new home in Springwood, Llanedeyrn, by the time they moved.
They also applied to Cardiff High, Corpus Christi and St Teilo’s but were told there were no places.
They have now applied to Cathays High but have been warned that’s full too.
Mody says his son cannot go to the two schools he has been offered a place at by Cardiff Council – Cantonian and Cardiff West – because it would mean bus journeys of up to an hour and a half including changing buses.
“I just want my son to have a place in a school and transport. He’s just 11 and it’s not safe to take long busy journeys and change buses on his own,” he said.
“It would take an hour and 15 minutes to get to Cantonian by bus and 90 minutes with changes to Cardiff West Community High.
“Cantonian is six miles from where we live and Cardiff West 11 miles.
“I called the council and they said it’s not legal to not accept a place.
“We have now applied to Cantonian but have heard nothing. I keep ringing the council.”
Youssef, who went to St Joseph’s Cathedral Primary in Swansea, had to turn down his place at one of Wales’ best schools, Olchfa Comprehensive, when the family moved.
“He is a top student and got above average marks in tests in primary. He loves school,” said his father.
Neither Mody or Maryana can drive their older son to school because both work and also have to drop Youssef’s brother Martin, eight, at primary.
“I work in Newport and my wife in Llanishen and we have another son to pick up from school.”
Cardiff Council said of the 12 community maintained secondary schools in the city, there are still places available at Willows High, Ysgol Bro Edern, Cantonian High and Cardiff West Community High.
The Council provides free transport to any pupil living three miles walking distance from their nearest available school.
A spokesperson said: “When applying for secondary school places parents are advised to read the information made available on our website for school admissions.
“We ask them to make full use of the five school preferences available to them. This way if their first choice is unavailable, their second choice will be considered and so on until a place is confirmed.
“We will try to offer parents their first choice preference, but this isn’t always possible. By putting more than one preference parents are more likely to get a place at a school that they want.
“Late applications are considered in accordance with the council’s admissions criteria and where an application has been refused the child will be placed on a waiting list. In the interim parents are advised to accept a place at an available, alternative school.
“Faith schools operate their own admissions policy and the allocation of placements is the decision of the school’s governing body.”