Angry Duffryn mum refuses to send daughter to school

4:00pm Thursday 6th September 2012 in News By Keiligh Baker

Caitlyn with sisters Kacie, eight and Chloe 10 with mum Tammy and dad Rob Caitlyn with sisters Kacie, eight and Chloe 10 with mum Tammy and dad Rob

AN ANGRY mother is refusing to send her daughter to classes after missing out on a place at her chosen school.

Epilepsy sufferer Tammy Sheehan, 29, from Duffryn, says she has been told she may now face prosecution for not sending her youngest daughter, Caitlyn, 4, to Maesglas Primary school.

Mrs Sheehan is unhappy because Newport City Council said there is no room for Caitlyn at Duffryn Infants, despite both her older children attending the adjoining junior school. She says the council is now threatening to send a welfare officer to their house.

Mrs Sheehan said: "My eldest two are at Duffryn Junior, so obviously I applied for Caitlyn to go to the infant school. Having gone to Duffryn nursery, Caitlyn had already made friends with most of her class.

"But the council said they didn’t receive my application letter. They asked me to fill out a late admissions form. By the time they processed that there was no room in Duffryn Infants, and they told me Caitlyn would have to go to Maesglas Primary instead."

"I can’t drive because of my epilepsy, and my husband is a full-time lorry driver and leaves at six every morning. It’s a 20 minute walk from where we live to Maesglas. They have seen my medical records and are fully aware of the medical situation"

Mrs Sheehan added: "I’m not going to send her to Maesglas, because it’s not an option physically. On top of it all we are now worried the eldest might also have epilepsy. What can I do if she has an epileptic fit and I’m in Maesglas?

"The council have said they are sending a welfare officer, and I’ve told them quite frankly I would like a welfare officer to visit, so they can see how hard this situation is.

"It’s not me stopping my daughter’s education, it’s the council. They are saying they will fine me if I don’t send Caitlyn to Maesglas. But even if I sent her to Maesglas everyday, I’d still get fined in the long run because she would be late every day."

A spokesman from Newport City Council said: "The only application form the council has a record of was received after the closing date and was therefore considered late. By this time all places at Duffryn Infants School had been allocated."

Comments(4)

fieryspartacus says...
4:42pm Thu 6 Sep 12

Dare I say I believe the council?! Message of this story: GET YOUR FORMS IN EARLY!

That said, I do think there's a lack of info from schools in general explaining recent changes to pupil eligibility criteria. Someone could live on the same street as a school, but are no longer guaranteed a place, as they may have been previously. It's now on a first come first served basis. I believe most local authorities now work in this way.

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ElleceJ says...
5:12pm Thu 6 Sep 12

Stories like this always make me angry. Sometimes, in very few situations, it is genuinely unfortunate that there were not enough places for a child to get into their desired schools.

However, in situations like this, it is not unjust but selfish and childish of the mother to keep her child from an education that she deserves in a 'blowing raspberries' gesture to the council.

Firstly, whenever an application is sent for the school, it's common sense to check if the application has been received. A quick phone call and there you have it, conformation on whether or not they have received the application. It's then a smart idea to ask for written evidence that the application has been received, just in case situations like this arise. Clearly, this family did not do any of the above.

Secondly, I don't understand how the medical issues raised have any serious effect on the 20 minute walk to school. I'm sure the family walk further to the super market or to town, considering they don't have any transport when the father is in work. And what's wrong with public transport? These are all issues parents deal with every day taking their children to school as its now very rare for parents to be within a 5 minute walk to the school their children attend.

Basically, to end my rant, a child is missing out on an education here because of her parents immature decisions. We are forgetting that there are many, many other families who are in the same situation that got denied for their chosen school too but are smart enough not to keep their child out of an education they deserve.

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keysha says...
6:46pm Fri 7 Sep 12

I think many people will all have different views on this article.. and in my opinion the title of the article doesnt do it any justice because you will look at it and point your finger at the mother and it is autimatically her fault when in right fact why would you want to put your child through the stress and emtional factor of not being in the same school as her sisters. I think some people need to look at this article from the child's point of view and wonder what she would be thinking and putting the child frist which is what this mother is doing for her child as she dont want her thinking that she is different from her sisters as this can emotionally effect her development! This poor little girl must be feeling unwanted as she would be able to understand why she aint going to the same school as her sisters! Correct me if I'm wrong but aint it in the Children Act 1989 law that the welfare of the child is paramount and that all the childrens need are ment to be put first, it is a poor excuse that there is no room for her and that they did not recieve the application, it is not impossible for documents to get lost! Also how many parents would ring up and ask for written evidence to say their child's application has been recieved?? I believe not many... and if the family in duffryn then i do believe the supermarket would be less than a 5 minuet walk to get to and that the town is available on the weekend... Also knowing that maesglas school made some alterations this summer to add another reception class because there were children coming from St.Davids primary and duffryn because there wernt enough spaces to accept children into their school. I understand that there are many more people in this predicament and more should stand up too and say about it to get this sorted out sooner rather than later!

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AndrewCollinsSunflower says...
1:22pm Mon 10 Sep 12

I know Mrs Sheehan very well and I can confirm that her medical condition hinders her very much. In regards to the second comment, I find it insulting that you would take such a harsh judgment on someone whose situation you have no idea about.

She lives very close to Asda in Duffryn, hence less than a five minute walk. I am deeply offended by your comments. Mrs Sheehan is not selfish person I know and your comments are derivative and hold no means of truth/knowledge. I suggest that comments like these best be kept to yourself, as they can easily offend. Given her situation, I would love to see how you cope with the ordeal. I am not happy how the reporter has angled this story, as it causes immediate judgment on the family, in particularly against her.

I hope you can see that you made no sense at all wi your comments, as they was drawn from a place where you have no real knowledge of the family and their situation.

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