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Mother: How I'm keeping my child at home...
Tim Ross, Education Correspondent29 May 2009
Mother-of-four Nadia Garvey today criticised admission procedures after her four-year-old daughter Sylvia was refused a place by three
schools near her home.
Mrs Garvey, who lives in Olympia, tried in January to get her daughter into the three primaries but was told they were “oversubscribed”. She now plans to keep Sylvia at home until Kensington and Chelsea council provide a suitable place.
The 36-year-old, who suffers health problems and is a carer for her disabled son Sami, 10, said Sylvia had attended a nursery school in Ladbroke Grove, but it was very difficult to get there.
“I wanted a primary school in walking distance from home, but I got a letter saying
they had no places,” she said. “I am very angry and upset. It is not acceptable. I want to find out where these other parents are from because
I think they are coming in from farther away — places should be given to local children.”
Mrs Garvey wanted Sylvia to go to St Barnabas Primary School in Earl's Court, like her other daughter Lena, 11. She said: “I don't want her to go to a failing school. She will stay at home.
I'm not worried about getting into trouble but of course I worry about her education because she is missing out, but I have no choice until a
suitable school near my home becomes available.”
A Kensington and Chelsea council spokesman said: “Our schools are extremely popular and many are oversubscribed which does, unfortunately, mean that there will be disappointed parents and children.”
