School admissions: Yorkshire parents ‘frustrated’ by the place allocation process

Yorkshire mum-of-two Gabriella Batley, 26, whose son, Louie, 4, has autism, knows all too well how big a change school will be for him.

Yet despite Tuesday [April 19] being the date most families expected to find out whether they'd got into their first choice, Louie still hasn’t been allocated a place.

“I'd like to know if he's continuing at his current school or whether we are going to have to suddenly transition him,” said Gabriella who is pictured here with Louie and her other son Noah, 2.

She said she feels “frustrated,” after being told she has to wait until next week to hear.

“I was originally told I didn't have to apply through the normal route due to my son having a school named on his EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan).

“However someone told me this was incorrect and that I still had to apply. So I did through the online portal,” explained Gabriella.

But when she woke up Tuesday to check, her portal had been blocked.

“I then phoned school admissions who said it was nothing to do with them as he has an EHCP. I said well can I get my account unblocked please so I can view it?

“They said that couldn't happen and to phone SENART (Special Educational Needs Assessment and Review Team).

“So I phoned SENART who looked at my sons profile and said that a school hadn't been allocated to him and to phone back next week,” explained Gabriella.

Gabriella, who lives in Havercroft, West Yorkshire added that after her son’s EHCP was changed last year without her consent, she doesn’t “really trust things anymore.”

Mum Alexis Ragaliauskas, 39, from Belle Isle, is also sceptical about how the system works as her four-year-old son Arnie who missed out on his first choice - the school attached to the nursery he has been attending.

“I'm a bit annoyed that they don't take into account where they already go to nursery, said Alexis.

Arnie was offered the nearest school instead.

“It will likely be more of a difficult transition for him. But as he doesn't have any special requirements there's no point appealing.

“I do wonder if they even take people's preferences into account at all or if it's all just based on distance and needs,” added Alexis.

Inbaal Honigman, age 48, from Holmfirth is certain that the process is “devoid of empathy and common sense.”

The mum-of-four who has witnessed the impact of her siblings being separated, said: “The entire Admissions process is tightly ring fenced, no one can touch it, and the council gate-keepers of the Admissions process are entirely devoid of empathy and common sense.

“They'd rather see a five-year-old child wet himself daily, than admit a 31st pupil into a 30 pupil class, citing 'class size' as a higher value than kids mental health, education or development.”

Five years ago, Inbaal’s second child, Vigo, was refused admission to the same primary as his big sister.

She believes that in Kirklees, "catchment is above siblings in the allocation criteria.”

Ingaal said that a July 2016 appeal failed, and Vigo developed complete mutism as a result, which is an anxiety disorder, and he never made a sound for six months.

“Even when he cried, he was totally silent,” said Ingaal who was successful in appealing for the second time which meant Vigo moved schools, and started speaking again.

But then a year ago they learned that Ludo, their fourth child, was then refused admission to his siblings school.

Ingaal appealed but failed and has been requesting a second appeal all year.

She said that a 7-page psychologist report from December recommended that Ludo is moved immediately.

“Kirklees Council chose to ignore the expert. “They refused our request, and when a space became available, they admitted another child instead,” claimed Ingaal who said that she is now suffering from depression.

“Ludo is struggling emotionally as the psychologist report states.

“One of the brothers developed severe OCD,” said Ingaal.

The children are missing 30 minutes of school each day so the family can juggle them all.

“Their schools admitted in writing that they're concerned about the situation, but failed to act to help them catch up or let them be dropped off early to their classrooms.

“If we wanted to place them in wraparound care, the lowest quote we obtained was £5400 a year.”

Their school run is 25 miles a day and takes an hour and a half each day by car.

A spokesperson from Kirklees Council said:

“We want all of our children and young people to thrive at school, achieve well and fulfil their potential.

“School admissions are regulated by a national code which, to ensure fairness to all parents, states places can only be allocated in line with published admission criteria. We consult on our admission criteria on an annual basis.

“If a parent is not allocated the school they prefer, they have the right of appeal. All appeals are heard independently – not by the local authority – and the decisions they reach will take account of all circumstances.

“In Kirklees, almost 100 per cent of families are matched to one of their preferred schools on national offer day. When this doesn’t happen, the child will be allocated a place at another school, we advise on alternative schools and we are happy to support parents if they wish to pursue an appeal. It is important to stress, however, that the final decision of an appeal does not lie with the council.”