Children left in limbo after being refused places at Waverley school
Keeping the children at their former schools in Thurcroft would mean four bus journeys a day costing more than £10.
A mum is teaching her two children at home after they were refused places at the only primary school on their estate, as plans for a second Waverley school are formally abandoned.
Kellie Sinderson applied for Freddie, aged four, and Faith, seven, to attend Waverley Junior Academy after the family moved to the estate at short notice.
Both were refused places and Kellie says she is still waiting for dates for their admission appeals.
It comes after Rotherham Council approved the removal of a proposed second primary school from Waverley’s development agreement, despite 83 objections.
Kellie moved to Waverley in July after spending time in temporary accommodation beforehand.
She does not drive and said keeping the children at their former schools in Thurcroft would mean four bus journeys a day costing more than £10.
“I’d get back from dropping them off at around 11 o’clock, then I’d have to leave at about half one to pick them up,” she said. “It’s just not possible.”
She has also applied for places at Catcliffe Primary School but said she had been told they were unlikely to get in.
Kellie is now teaching both children at home.
“My children keep asking me when they can go to school,” she said.
“When we moved here we were really looking forward to a fresh start. The kids practised walking to school over the summer.
“They say how important education is, but what about my kids?”
Waverley Junior Academy opened in 2020 and was later expanded by 210 places to a capacity of 675.
A second school was included in Waverley’s development agreement but was only required if the development exceeded 3,250 homes. It is now expected to contain 3,022.
Ward councillor Jamie Baggaley said other families were going through admission appeals, with some facing journeys of around half an hour to schools elsewhere.
Rotherham Council’s Service Director for Education and Inclusion, Niall Devlin, said the academy was responsible for its own admissions and the council continued to monitor demand for places.
He said: “There are spaces available in other local primary schools and our Admissions Officers support applicants in identifying these where needed.”
The council said it could not comment on individual children or family circumstances.
Waverley Junior Academy and developer Harworth did not respond to requests for comment.