It’s a big moment in every child’s life.
Youngsters at Rowley Lane primary school in Lepton were buzzing with excitement as they visited King James’s high school in Almondbury in readiness to move up.
The excited 11 and 12-year-olds are posting their photos and stories all over social media.
All, that is, except for two of the 58 school-leavers. Daisy McLoughlin and a schoolmate are heartbroken that they will not be joining all their year group at King James’s as there is no place for them.
Daisy, 11, and her classmates attended Rowley Lane Junior, Infant and Nursery School being told they were a ‘pyramid school’ for King James’s and believing their future there was guaranteed. They have regularly attended sports, science and maths days at the secondary school.
Daisy is devastated. Her mother Amanda Richardson said: It’s a nightmare. Daisy is crying, vomiting and can’t sleep. She doesn’t want to go to school anymore.”
Amanda claims they have been “led down the garden path.”
Initially, Daisy, who lives in Scopsley Lane, Whitley, near Dewsbury, was offered a school place the other side of town at Manor Croft Academy in Earlsheaton, which would involve two bus rides.
Amanda lost the appeal, despite having several letters of support – including one from Rowley Lane headteacher Jenny Shore. Kirklees said they live too far away.
They offered a place at Kirkburton Middle School. But Amanda fears that if no places are guaranteed, Daisy could face the same crisis in two years’ time.
She says Kirkburton opposed Daisy’s admission on the grounds that the hall, dining room, corridors and other shared areas were too full, the same grounds as King James’s. However, the appeals panel were able to offer a place at Kirkburton.
Amanda, who runs a building company with her husband, said: “It is horrendous to separate children like this.
“We were told Rowley Lane was a pyramid school for King James’s but Kirklees say there is no such thing.
“I think Kirklees is inconsistent, they don’t seem to have any set guidelines, it just depends on the appeals panel on the day.
“We want to know just what their policy is regarding catchment area schools and the criteria for appeal.
“There were 23 appeals for King James’s and only three children from the catchment area schools didn’t get in.”
She added that numerous letters by herself and the family of the other Rowley Lane girl not offered a place have been repeatedly ignored by the Kirklees Admissions office.
A Kirklees Council spokesman said: “Rowley Lane’s Catchment/Priority Admission Area (PAA) is part of the King James’s PAA, however, there is not a feeder school system in this part of Kirklees. This means the primary school a child attends does not give them priority for the high school they apply for a place at.
“The only feeder school admission arrangements that exist in Kirklees is in the Kirkburton and Shelley area and this is because of the nature of the three-tier system, where children transfer from a first school to a middle school, then Shelley College.
“If you apply for a primary school outside your priority admission area, you do run the risk of not gaining a place at the secondary school in that area because of distance.
“The policy for King James’s is clearly stated in the Guide for Parents on the Kirklees Pupil Admissions website or on the school’s website.”
