Your right to choose Local education authorities (LEAs) have to give parents the opportunity to say which school they'd prefer for their child - and the authority has to meet that preference where possible. That's because parents have the right to choose the kind of education their children have; this right is set out in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and in the legislation of most EC countries.
Of course, expressing a preference does not guarantee a place - a school may be full to capacity. The LEA/school must give parents a clear statement of their admission policies and the criteria which help them decide whether a child can be admitted to a particular school. Most children still attend their local school.
If you are not happy with the decision made about your child, you may appeal. Appeals are heard by independent committees and the ultimate authority is the Ombudsman. All LEAs have details on the Appeals Procedure.
Appealing for a school place for my son cost a lot of money - but it was worth it.
My child has been put 'on report'. What's this for?
"A baby is an alimentary canal with a loud voice at one end and no responsibility at the other." - Ronald Knox
During school terms, children can work for a maximum of two hours on schooldays and Sundays, and a maximum of five hours (13-14 year olds) or eight hours (15-16 year olds) on Saturdays.
