MP Richard Ottaway tells Tillie, four, to cycle three miles to school
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD refused a place at her first-choice school has been told to get on her bike by MP Richard Ottaway – literally.
Little Tillie Johnson hoped to start at Roke Primary School – which backs onto her home – in September, but was only offered a place at Byron Primary School, about three miles away in Old Coulsdon.
Her unemployed father Paul does not drive, but when he took Tillie's plight to the veteran Croydon South MP last Friday, he was told to buy a bike.
Cycling from the family home would mean riding down the busy A22 – one of Croydon's most dangerous roads and the spotlight for a high-profile road safety campaign.
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Mr Johnson, of Little Roke Road, said: "We were having no luck with the council and it took three weeks to get an appointment with Mr Ottaway.
"I pointed out the dangerous journey from our home and the expense it would cause to go by bus and he just said there wasn't a lot he could do and that I should get Tillie a bike.
"I thought he was joking at first. To cycle would mean going down Godstone Road, one of the most dangerous roads, around Purley Cross and down the Brighton Road.
"I asked him if he was suggesting I put my four-year-old on a bike by herself, to which he suggested maybe I get a tandem bike.
"It would be dangerous enough with me but when I get a job and Tillie is left by herself, then what?
"For a four-year-old to ride on her bike during the dark winter nights and mornings just isn't practical and is downright dangerous.
"I left his office completely incensed and utterly bewildered. I think for an MP to make these sorts of suggestions is absolutely outrageous."
Tillie's mother Sharon Dunbar is a full-time early years educator in Thornton Heath and is also unable to supervise the school run.
Taking public transport would mean catching two buses and spending £500 a year in fares – an expense Mr Johnson says the family cannot afford.
Tillie was rejected for a place at Roke School, despite her attending its nursery from the age of three.
She is currently having to stay at home, while her friends enjoy the start of school life.
Mr Johnson added: "We have to shut the curtains every day because Tillie sees all her old nursery friends walking by in the morning and doesn't understand why she can't go.
"It's really affecting her."
Mr Ottaway was out of the country this week, but the Advertiser contacted the MP's parliamentary secretary – also present at the meeting – who said: "Mr Johnson had indicated his concerns about the time and cost of bus travel and Mr Ottaway wondered whether he had considered cycling or learning to drive.
"I am sorry if Mr Johnson did not find the discussion helpful.
"However, Mr Ottaway has written to the executive director for children, young people and learners [at Croydon Council] to raise Mr Johnson's concerns."
Update: Tillie has now been offered a place at Roke Primary School
Comments
by GuySM
Thursday, November 10 2011, 3:16PM
“I wonder what people expect Mr Ottaway to do about this?
He can't force a school to provide a place for anyone else don't you think he'd have thousands of disgruntled parents outside his door each year?
I'd imagine MPs get a lot of people coming to see them expecting miracles when MPs don't hold the levels of power to change a great deal. In fact most members of the public would not like the reality of having an MP able to wade into school selection procedures and enforce change autocratically.
As to his suggestion the family involved look to alternative travel arrangements, how is this wrong? What is the alternative? The child doesn't go to school forever?
Perhaps it would be better for MPs to simply say "sorry can't do anything, good luck" when confronted with these problems, rather than offer any advice at all.
Society does not owe anyone a school place of their first choice, nor does it owe us all the same income, financial strength and opportunity (so Mr Ottaway's house, income and holidays arrangements are irrelevant to these sorts of issues).
MrJohnson is on a low income, that's unfortunate, but it does not mean he is deserving of special treatment over other people on low or higher incomes simply because he raises an issue with his MP and local newspaper. No one owes him the cost of driving lessons or a car, nor do they owe him the cost of a bus journey.
Mr Johnson has to take responsibility for his own family and income the same as everyone else should and he should stop expecting everyone else to provide him with things he is unwilling to pay for himself.
Last point, the most direct route between the Roke area and Byron is not down the Godstone Road to Purley then along the Brighton Road, so a number of people including Mr Johnson need to buy a map.”
by EverardEdbutt
Saturday, November 05 2011, 3:29PM
“I wish he would get on his bike!”
by purleymag
Saturday, November 05 2011, 1:30PM
“Typical of Ottoway. A true member of the nasty party. He only cares about the rich in this constituency - oh, and of course the expenses that he squeezes out of the country from his big house in the country and his home in Central London. Maybe he'd like to pay for a bike?”
by tbabygib
Friday, November 04 2011, 4:03PM
“Poor little love, she'd be knackered before she gets there and too knackered to get home after a days schooling. After all shes ONLY 4.....”
by Dollydreamer
Friday, November 04 2011, 3:51PM
“Ooops apologies to the Johnson's for spelling your daughters name wrong :)”
by Dollydreamer
Friday, November 04 2011, 3:45PM
“I work on Godstone Road and it is a death trap, too narrow with huge lorries belting up and down it all day, if Tilly and her father do decide to cycle they would have to use the cut through roads which are all uphill. So on a positive note and presuming that they live to see the end of the year out, Tilly should have thighs the envy of any Olympic shotputter by the time she reaches year 1.”
by Ivor_Shed
Friday, November 04 2011, 3:39PM
“perhaps someone should investigate (a reporter perhaps) why Tillie didn't get a place at the school. Did her parents apply, and was it before the deadline?
The government website says that most local authorities set a deadline for applications at some point in the autumn of the year before the child is due to start school, when they are three or four years old.
It also says that since most local authority areas now have a reception year for four year olds, it's a good idea to start enquiring about primary schools well before your child reaches their fourth birthday.
It further states that If your child is not offered a place at your preferred school, you will find details of how to make an appeal in the local authority's admission letter outlining your offer. The letter will also specify a deadline that you must meet if you want to appeal. In some areas, you may be able to submit your appeal online.
Appeals are heard by an independent appeal panel of three to five members of the public - not by an MP - have Tillie's parents followed these procedures and what was the result of the appeal?
More FACTS please from the reporters.”
by Green_System
Friday, November 04 2011, 3:17PM
“Bless her, the poor little girl! Godstone Road is awful, seems to me the vast majority of people speed down it. You would think Richard Ottaway would know this road, given it's probably the most dangerous in his constituency.”
by CuppaTeaPlz
Friday, November 04 2011, 2:32PM
“Perhaps people should tell ottaway to get on his bike eh?”
by tbabygib
Friday, November 04 2011, 2:13PM
“So "Out of the Country" Wonder if Ottaway went by BIKE?”