Primary schools case study: On the waiting list

CHRISTINA Macmillan’s daughter, Imogen, will start at Balgreen Primary School later this year after being denied a place at Craiglockhart Primary – a school closer to her home.

Mrs Macmillan had an out-of-catchment request rejected by the council, but following an appeal, Imogen, five, is now fourth on the waiting list for Craiglockhart.

Any parent who wants to appeal further can take their case to the sheriff court. However, Mrs Macmillan said she and her husband had decided to send Imogen to Balgreen and had already bought her school uniform.

“To get to Craiglockhart we walk along a main road and take a right,” she said. “It’s much more accessible, but to get to Balgreen we have to cross four main roads and there’s a big roundabout. It takes over half an hour to walk there, whereas Craiglockhart takes about ten minutes. The two schools are comparable – the reason for her being in Craiglockhart was to do with safety and geography.

“You would expect most children to be able to walk to school, but she won’t be able to do that.”