Mum forced to do 100-mile school run because not enough places in the 16 nearby

A mum-of-two travels 100 miles to take her kids to school – as all of the schools in her area are reportedly full.

Michelle Thomas, 36, was forced to move last summer from her home of eight years along with her two children, Jacob, four and Thomas, eight.

After a frantic search, she found a shared-ownership house in Corby, Northamptonshire – two hours from their previous home in Woking, Surrey.

But Michelle was shocked to find there were no spots available for her sons in any of the 16 primary schools around Corby.

She was offered a school five miles away, but it had no after-school club, meaning Michelle would have had to found a new job.

One space became available at a chosen school for one of her sons – but not the other – leading her to lodge an appeal with The Diocese of Peterborough – the governing body of her two preferred schools.

While she waits to hear the result on May 20, Jacob and Thomas are still attending their old school in Woking, meaning the family drives two hours there each week and stay with friends.

Michelle said: ‘We have to leave about 6.30am to get back to Woking for about 8.30 and drive home at the weekend – it’s very difficult.

‘I was told ‘everybody is moving to Corby so there isn’t space in schools’. The council isn’t going to build any more schools but there are so many new-build houses – so that’s the problem.

‘I honestly must have been in a dream world – I thought we were going to get this cheap house, keep our dog, and no one can evict us and do what we want. And I just assumed that the local schools are going to accommodate the new builds in the town.

‘I just never thought that they would say ‘we’re full.’ I didn’t even think the schools a mile or two away would be full as well.

‘I only had to do this after not being able to find a rental in Surrey. No one accepts a single mother with universal credit.

‘I got the eviction notice in June and by August I’d registered for this plot in Northamptonshire in this new development in Corby.’

After moving to Corby, Michelle said she was told the reason there was no room in the year three class is because it was a ‘baby boom’ year.

A spokesperson for the The Diocese of Peterborough said: ‘The Diocese of Peterborough is not the admissions authority for any school or academy, but we can share with you that The Diocese of Peterborough does operate an appeals service adhering to the School Admission Appeals Code, which some schools who are their own admissions authority choose to buy into.’

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