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Burnley boy (4) faces 40-minute walk to school: school admissions latest
Joanne Elliott and her son Josh (4) is disgusted at Primary school refusal.
A BURNLEY mum has been left disgusted after her asthmatic son will be forced to walk 40 minutes to get to school.
Joanne Elliott (29), of Barden Lane, was not offered any of her three school choices for her four-year-old boy, Joshua Lee Elliott-Richardson, during the primary school admissions process.
Now, after losing her appeal, Joanne, who wanted Joshua to go to Casterton Primary School, St John’s Primary School or Higham St John’s Primary School, has been offered a place at Stoneyholme Community Primary School, in Oswald Street.
With neither her or her partner, Duane Richardson, able to drive, Joanne has estimated Joshua will have to walk about 40 minutes every day. Had she been offered her first choice of Casterton Primary School, the route would have been a lot easier and, according to Joanne, would have taken less time.
The mum-of-one, who works as a waitress, said: “The thing I am most mad about is that Joshua has got asthma. He shouldn’t have to walk 40 minutes.
“In winter, what will we do? He has quite bad asthma, and in the last month has had to go up a dose.
“I got told one in five children have asthma, but one in five children won’t have to walk to school for 40 minutes.
“I’ve really fought it, and he is on the reserve list for each one.
“We can’t do anything about it. It doesn’t make sense.
“All his friends from nursery are going to Casterton and he has grown up with them.
“You look forward to them starting school. You don’t want to feel upset.”
This is one of a series of cases covered by the Express regarding primary school appeals.
Last month, it was reported Nicole Blackwell (39), of Thirlmere Avenue, was left devastated after her four-year-old twin daughters, Hayley and Nicole, were refused places at St Leonard’s CE Primary School, Padiham.
At the time, Paul Bainbridge, admissions officer, advised parents who have been unsuccessful to keep their child’s name on the waiting list for any preferred schools and check with the Area Pupil Access Team.
He said: “We understand parents’ disappointment when an appeal has been unsuccessful.
“Schools have strict criteria for admissions to ensure the process is fair and transparent for everyone and the appeals process is there to ensure the criteria have been applied correctly.”
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Weather for Burnley
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
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