'All I want for Christmas is to go to school' says Kettering 11-year-old with no classroom place

Bailey Wilson has been kept at home since September waiting for a space to come available at the schools nearest to his home in Ivy Road – and join his friends.

He had wanted to be allocated Kettering Buccleuch Academy (KBA), but not only was this application unsuccessful, he was not allocated Latimer Arts College or Kettering Science Academy (KSA).

Mum Freya Sturdy said: “When I asked him what he wanted for Christmas, all his reply to me was ‘to go to school’.

“This has affected all of the family beyond belief. Bailey watches his friends travel to and from school daily and gets so upset that he cannot be with them or even have a chance at any school in Kettering, it’s really affected him.

"I’m so worried if we don’t get him into a school soon how he is going to carry on – he’s missed three months of school already."

Freya had waited up until midnight to find out which school Bailey had been allocated but was dismayed to read he had been given a place at Montsaye Academy in Rothwell – more than seven miles away.

North Northants Council has offered Bailey a bus pass for travel from Kettering to Rothwell.

Although mum Freya would be happy for Bailey to travel to the Kettering schools, she and partner Russ do not feel it is safe for Bailey to have to walk into Kettering to catch the bus up the A6 – a journey that NNC has estimated would take one hour and six minutes every morning and the same again in the evening.

The couple have three other younger children who need to be taken to school and nursery in the mornings, making a trip to Rothwell impossible.

Having exhausted the appeals process, the family are hoping that a December re-set of the waiting lists could see Bailey allocated a place in Kettering.

During the most recent conversation with NNC’s admissions team, Freya was told there are 110 pupils waiting for a space at KBA, and 40 at both KSA and Latimer.

She said: “When I spoke to admissions last week, I was told the schools were all full and over subscribed, but just this week we have been told a girl who was previously in Brambleside who was allocated Southfields has just been given a place in KBA. How is that fair?

"Bailey is absolutely heartbroken. He wants to know why he’s not important, why he’s being missed and not a priority, and I have nothing to tell him.”

The family has been in touch with their local MP and councillors to try to help find a solution.

Meanwhile Bailey is trying to keep in touch with his friends through football training and with sleepovers. He is using revision guides to go though core subjects of English, maths and science.

Bailey said: “I want to be able to walk to school. At first I thought ‘hooray, I don’t have to go to school’, now it’s mid-school year and people are getting into friend groups.

"All I want for Christmas is to go to school.”

MP for Kettering Rosie Wrighting said: “The lack of school places in Kettering is something that has been raised with me by a number of constituents and I understand the impact this is having on local families. Every child deserves an education that will give them the best possible start in life and I have written to North Northamptonshire Council about Bailey’s case. I am in conversation with the government about steps to improve the wider issue of school places and will continue to fight for investment to improve education locally."

North Northants Council has been asked for a comment.