A Nottinghamshire family is in limbo with their 11 year old still waiting for a more convenient school place a month after finding out she was allocated a place at a school miles away from her home. Whilst other families were celebrating getting their first or second choices, Mike Chinery, of Ruddington, explained he was shocked to find that his step-daughter had been given a place at a school 15 miles away.
He explained that the family had listed the nearby West Bridgford High School and Rushcliffe Spencer as their top two preferences, but as neither school had places left their daughter was allocated to the closest school that still had available spaces, which was Hall Park Academy in Eastwood. Nottinghamshire County Council recommends that families list for three or four preferences to help them get places at a preffered school, but the family claim there was an error with their third choice of South Wolds Academy and it did not register.
For the past month Mike has been searching for a school closer to the family home with spaces, as for his step-daughter to get to Eastwood it would take her two hours each way and she would have to take a total of four buses each day, which he doesn't feel is safe for an 11 year old. He has been in talks with the council and various schools, but feels "the system doesn't work."
