Must do better
Family slam education chiefs after their daughter is blocked from local school
A school pupil who was told she couldn’t move to a nondenominational secondary from a Catholic primary has been offered a place after a threat of legal action.
Glasgow City Council were being taken to court by the girl’s parents, who discovered she was not automatically entitled to a place at Hillhead High School.
The 11- year- old St Charles’ Primary pupil lives in the catchment area for Hillhead but council rules mean she is classed as being outside it as she went to a faith school.
High demand at the busy and popular Hillhead school meant the girl found herself at the bottom of the application pile and was told in April she had missed out.
Her parents appealed but were unsuccessful and decided to take legal action, claiming the council’s education policy was discriminatory on the basis it breached the Scottish Government’s education strategy and the UN Convention on Human Rights. The girl’s mum said: “She was offered a place at St Thomas Aquinas High School, which is a 40 minute commute away.”
“Last Wednesday, we got a call to say a place at Hil lhead had suddenly become available. As soon as we receive written confirmation we will withdraw from legal proceedings.”
Family solicitor Aamer Anwar said: “It seems the Education Department rely upon families not having resources to go to court, while they’re instructing and funding corporate lawyers even though they have in-house lawyers.”
A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “This is not related in any way to the impending legal action.”