- Christine Lote, a mother from Bristol with incurable stage four cancer, is campaigning for reforms to school admissions policies after her daughter was denied a place at their preferred primary school.
- Mrs Lote chose the school for its proximity, as she is an amputee, and its bereavement-trained staff, as she does not expect to live long enough to see her daughter finish primary school.
- South Gloucestershire Council rejected her appeal, stating their policy does not consider medical conditions, despite other local authorities having 'social or medical need' exemptions.
- Mrs Lote's MP, Claire Hazelgrove, has raised the issue in Parliament, leading to a commitment from Schools Minister Georgia Gould to review the national schools admissions code to promote fairness and better support such cases.
- While changes to local policy would be too late for her daughter, Mrs Lote and her MP are submitting to the government's consultation, hoping to end the 'postcode lottery' for other families facing similar circumstances.
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