Mum with cancer refused closest school for child

Christine has an incurable cancer diagnosis and had to have a leg amputated

A woman whose leg was amputated because of a rare bone cancer was given her third-choice school for her daughter - despite telling the council she would be unable to walk the extra mile to it.

Christine, from Stoke Gifford near Bristol, asked for her condition to be taken into account after experts told her she may only have a few years left to live.

But South Gloucestershire Council offered four-year-old child Sophie a school double the distance away of her first choice.

"We sympathise with the family's situation, however the school place application process is governed by laws outside of the council's control," the council said.

Sophie was offered a place at Little Stoke Primary, rather than the closer St Michael's.

"I was about six months into my cancer diagnosis and the medical team had told me that five years to live was optimistic," Christine said.

"Obviously my concern was that I wouldn't be able to see Sophie through that school.

"So I needed to make sure I could futureproof her care by placing her in the best school possible," she added.

Christine also wanted Sophie, and later her younger daughter Chloe, to go to the closer school because staff there had experience with helping children cope with bereavement.

"A pupil there and a member of staff had unfortunately passed away, so they had trained counsellors at the school and we felt that would have been in Sophie's best interests," said Christine.

Christine raised nearly £11,000 by taking part in the Tour de 4 cycle race around Glasgow with Sir Chris Hoy last month for people living with Stage 4 cancer

Christine and her husband filled in their application form just before Christmas, but in April this year found out they had not got their first or second choice, but their third - Little Stoke Primary.

The family appealed to the council on medical grounds, but were not successful.

"I had to submit details of my medical history. We were appealing on the basis that I am an amputee and have exceptional medical need," said Christine.

Unlike some other local authorities, South Gloucestershire Council does not include family health in its decision-making for allocating places when classrooms are over-subscribed.

"(However) we will be taking the opportunity to explore what changes might be made, to prevent the same outcome in the future," the council said.

Christine is calling for a rule change so families in her situation do not encounter the same problem, adding the authority should be more "human".

"This is about trying to change the situation for people who are now going through this process within weeks," she said.

"There'll be open days around schools in the area and they'll be starting that process," Christine added.

She said "perhaps a bit more common sense" could help other families in the same situation.

Local MP Claire Hazelgrove is lobbying the government for changes

Christine contacted her local MP, Labour's Claire Hazelgrove, who wants to raise the issue with the Department For Education.

She said Christine's case was "incredibly impactful" but added there were "no grounds to be able to overturn the appeal decision" until the council changed its policy.

Christine is disappointed any changes will come too late for her family.

She said: "If my experience can help, even one other family, then it's worth speaking out about.

"It's incredibly emotional. This whole experience has marred what should be an exciting milestone for me and Sophie".