Fight for parental choice on schools

A petition calling for parents to have more choice over where their children are educated has been launched at a conference being hosted by the Scottish Conservative Party in Edinburgh.

Paul Fraser and his wife Una were among a group of parents who successfully challenged South Lanarkshire Council in the courts over rejected placing requests.

Mr Fraser wanted both his daughters to attend the same primary

"We found ourselves faced with a problem when our youngest daughter Rebecca, five, was due to start school," Mr Fraser said.

"Her older sister, Rachael, eight, was already a pupil at St Brides Primary in Cambuslang, which was outwith the catchment area for where we live so we had to submit a placing request for Rebecca."

Despite the fact that Rebecca already attended the nursery within St Bride's school, the family's placing request was rejected by South Lanarkshire Council who claimed the lower school was full to capacity.

The Frasers faced the prospect of having to send their daughters to separate schools or move Rachael to a new one.

"Rachael was only ever at that school because of an error by the council.

Five-year-old children don't understand why friends they have been playing with at nursery are going to a different school, or why they can't shop for uniforms or take part in induction days

Paul Fraser
Parent

"They accepted her by mistake four years ago, but by the time it came for Rebecca to join her she was settled in, had made friends and was doing exceptionally well, so we didn't want to uproot her," Mr Fraser said.

"However, the idea of having two daughters at two different schools was completely impractical.

"My wife doesn't drive and I am away on business sometimes which would make getting them both to school for nine o'clock in the morning virtually impossible and mean my wife would have to give up work."

The Frasers appealed South Lanarkshire Council's decision but again faced rejection.

"It was at this point that we decided to take our case to court," he said.

"We felt we had been misled by the council. They said they would have to erect temporary accommodation and employ another teacher if they were to admit one more child.

The government wants to further reduce class sizes for P1 - P3

"We knew the school roll was actually falling and there was an empty classroom not being used for teaching."

The case went to court at the beginning of August, just days before the new school term was due to begin.

Mr Fraser said South Lanarkshire Council's legal representatives asked the sheriff to find against the local authority on the basis that it had no legal argument or legislation to back up its maximum class-size policy.

"If I am honest I did shed a tear. We were just so relieved, " Mr Fraser said.

"For four months it was a huge, emotional, physical and mental rollercoaster."

He added: "The fact that the council knew they had no case to defend but still insisted on taking it to court was like cruel torture.

These recent court decisions serve to highlight the difference between the policy aspirations of the council and the national government when compared with the statutory position.

South Lanarkshire Council spokeswoman

"Five-year-old children don't understand why friends they have been playing with at nursery are going to a different school, or why they can't shop for uniforms or take part in induction days."

Mr Fraser is now supporting calls for parents to be given more say in their children's education and more freedom of choice when it comes to deciding where to send them to school.

A spokeswoman for South Lanarkshire Council said: "In the past four years the council has received 5,546 placing requests. Of these, 5,094 have been granted.

"We firmly believe our policy of staffing schools to accommodate 25 pupils in primary one, for catchment pupils, is in the best education and social interests of the children. The council will continue to apply this policy.

She added: "These recent court decisions serve to highlight the difference between the policy aspirations of the council and the national government when compared with the statutory position.

"It is important that this inconsistency is addressed before the start of enrolment for session 2010."