Bristol school place fiasco forces mum to give up work
A Bristol mum is giving up her job after failing to gain a place for her son at a school close to her home.
Tita Fancy and her family moved to Bristol last July and chose to live in Dugar Walk, off Cranbrook Road, because it was near good primary schools.
But Sufi, who will turn four in August, did not get in to Westbury Park Primary, 600 yards away, even though their home is within its catchment area.
Nor did Bishop Road Primary, 900 yards away, or Henleaze Infant, 1,000 yards away, have any room for him.
Sufi has been offered a place at Cabot Primary, in St Paul's, which is less than a mile as the crow flies but almost two miles on a walking route.
Ms Fancy, 37, said she was leaving her job as a communications director with a charity because the problems over a school place have thrown her childcare plans into chaos.
She had arranged for a nursery to take her younger child, Rezia, and for the same nursery to pick up Sufi from school.
But that would only have worked if she had been given a school place in the same neighbourhood as the nursery.
Ms Fancy and her husband Timothy Scase, 40, a vet, have so far been unlucky in gaining a place at the extra class to be added at Bishop Road School and are going to appeal.
"Had I known what I know now, I would never have moved to Bristol," said Ms Fancy.
"I would not have put my children through this.
"We were living in Cambridge, in the catchment area of a perfectly good primary school.
"We had no idea how bad the situation was in Bristol.
"We chose this house because it was in the catchment area of a good school and within striking distance of other good schools.
"We looked at all the information. No one from this road has failed to get in to Westbury Park in the past.
"We applied on time last October but since January this has caused us a huge amount of stress.
"I have had to give up my job as a communications director for a charity in Bristol because I don't know what I will do with the children next year. I will keep Sufi at part-time nursery until I can get him into a school near here.
"Meanwhile, I have lost a place at nursery for my daughter Rezia, who is two, because of all the uncertainty."
Ms Fancy has joined other parents in LAPSE – Local Access to Primary Education – to try to find solutions to the overall shortage of primary places in Bristol, particularly in Henleaze and Bishopston.
Although the council has organised additional places at a number of schools, Ms Fancy and other parents are concerned that the problems will continue for the next few years.
"The council are doing what they can to paper over what is a lack of places. They say it is a blip this year, but we believe they will be feeling the effects of this for several years," she said.
11 Comments
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by Ned, Bishopston
Wednesday, May 13 2009, 10:07AM
“Andy - what do you care about Bishopston anyway ?
You live in Bedminster with plenty of places for children in good primary schools - why be so interested in BPAC, I am confused as to why you have been infiltrating private yahoo group sites for your own purposes.”
by Andy, Bedminster
Sunday, May 10 2009, 10:45AM
“Hi Karin, I don't really care what you call it in Brooklyn - we happen to be located in Bristol England. As for community organizing - this campaign is a single issue, single class, self-centred campaign that has a single goal - to get children into nearby schools. It completely ignores any effects on other members of the community. There has been no attempt to interact with other interested parties and their concerns have been laughed at. I'm sure this is quite amusing for BPAC members who have now mostly pushed their way into these schools. They can relax and dine out on the campaign stories for years to come. I'm sure this round of summer gin and tonic soirees will be full of loud expressions of the great advances they have made for Bristol's youth.
Just going to be sick now - scuze all !!”
by Karin, Brooklyn
Thursday, May 07 2009, 11:54PM
“Getting involved, taking action, writing letters, and, yes, talking to the media: Terry, perhaps you call that whining. In America, we call it community organizing. Just ask our President.”
by Dan, Bishopston
Thursday, May 07 2009, 6:55PM
“Sorry Terry...can you give me some pointers? How do I go about becoming working class? My grandma was a skivvy at the age of 6 in the 1900's. Do I get points for that? Presumably once I've made the transition I can blissfully ignore what the Council decides to do to me and my family.
Where exactly do you get off criticizing people because of your narrow impression of their background? The council represents everyone, and it's people's own responsibilty to make their voices heard. If your twisted ideas are typical of Labour thinking, no wonder it was so difficult to get anyone to listen. You bleat on and on about people being under-represented and alienated, and then dump on them when they make an effort to get involved. Pathetic.”
by Merriel, St Werburghs
Thursday, May 07 2009, 1:14PM
“Dear Terry - It would be nice if those in control of budgets and policies aimed for perfection and then failed, rather than let substandard ambitions and the acceptance of shoddy as the norm formulate planning. As for your views about about the "vociferous middle-classes" and "bleating whiners", they have never been worth bothering with..I'm proud of what we have had the courage to do.
Let's hope that this year's crisis at least gives impetus for an improvement in performance to occur next year. I'm sure you would agree that a raising of standards would be a good thing.”
by Terry C, Southmead
Thursday, May 07 2009, 11:57AM
“I think you'll find that most parents in Bristol have far greater problems with childcare, nurseries and primary schools than Tita Fancy. Her complaints should be kept in perspective and compared to many others in far worse situations. The vociferous middle classes have managed to spin this Bishopston admissions story out of control and divert attention from the plight of others who do not have the ear of the Evening Post. Get a grip you bleating whiners and accept the fact that the world is not a perfect place.”
by Jo, Bristol
Thursday, May 07 2009, 8:36AM
“We were in the same position last year and I felt enormous pressure at work and home as the uncertainty dragged on well into the school year. So feel for this woman. On top of that if she recently moved here it is unlikely she has the help of family to draw on which I did have. Without my mother's help we would never have gotten through this period.
The question is not whether there are enough nursery places - it is whether you can find a nursery that will do a pick up from your school. This is very very difficult to find and usually requires months' of preparation. A working parents' life is a delicate and constantly challenging balance - and when you do not have family or friends who can help out, one major piece falling out can bring the whole thing down like a house of cards.
Those who comment about snobs or not understanding 'real' people's problems should look at their lives and all the support they get to help raise their children before they judge others. We do not treat schools or nurseries as babysitters - but rather are aware that this is sometimes where our children spend more time than they do with us. So we must do everything in our power to ensure that it the best for our children and indeed for ourselves. This is what being a good parent is about.”
by Natalie, Bristol
Wednesday, May 06 2009, 7:03PM
“Have a heart people...
You have no idea how stressful and depressing it has been to be at the mercy of Bristol City council since January of this year. Being told there are no school places for 3 months, then getting an offer of place in areas of Bristol we do not know or have any links with is awful.
All children deserve to go to school with their friends/ peers in their own locality to become part of their community. The department for children (DCSF), headed up a study which concluded that children educated our of their own community are put at a disadvantage. This also includes huge problems for parent having to drive in YOUR rush hour traffic and polluting our lovely City.
Is this what you want? It has ramifications more thatn just one family not being able to get to a school out of their area.
All involved in Bristol City Councils education/ admissions department should hang their collective heads in shame and resign immediately.”
by hannah, bristol
Wednesday, May 06 2009, 12:15PM
“What a load of cobblers! There are loads of us who have to travel a distance to take our children to school. Many people don't live this close to a school anyway.
I think perhaps Ms Fancy should have waited to see which school her son was allocated before making arrangements. Schools are not a babysitting service for working parents. I put it to Ms Fancy that she is simply too snobby to send her child to a school in St Pauls. I would also like her to know that there are plenty of excellent nurseries in Bristol with places for her other child. I am not sure why she 'lost' her place?! I agree with the other 2 comments - she is sulking as she has tried to buy her way into a school and has not succeeded. She is desperately trying to make a headline out of her decision to leave her job, which obviously was for another reason as schools don't return until Sept.”
by John, Southmead
Wednesday, May 06 2009, 10:47AM
“It appears that those with enough money to buy houses in the catchment areas of good schools are now complaining that there is too much competition from others wealthy enough to adopt the same strategy.
Welcome to the real world - those of us who can't afford to move into these popular areas deserve some thought too.
This whining self interested group should spare a thought for the majority of Bristolians who are not so privileged.”