We're worried school appeal will be a 'show trial', say Bristol parents

Sarah Peat and Michael Bresalier chose to live in Redland when they moved to Bristol from Cambridge because they wanted somewhere they could walk to work and be part of the community.

Four years later they have been told their son Max cannot go to school in the area where he has lived all his life.

The couple previously lived in Canada and say they had no idea about schooling in England, but are shocked that "parental choice" does not mean what it says.

Ms Peat, who works in television, and her husband, who works at Bristol University, live in Redland.

They were turned down for a place for Max at Westbury Park Primary, 440 metres from their home, and also for Henleaze and Elmlea Infant schools. Instead they have been offered Badock's Wood Primary in Southmead – just under two miles as the crow flies, but nearly three miles by road and in the opposite direction from their workplaces.

Ms Peat said: "We have been here for four years. We have no plans to move. This is where our son has grown up. We want our son to go to school in the area where he belongs, where he knows people and people know him. I do not feel comfortable taking him across the city to a neighbourhood he does not know. 'As the crow flies' is no good to us as we don't have a helicopter."

The couple will go to appeal, but fear it will be a "show trial".

They are concerned about the poor academic record of Badock's Wood, which was in Ofsted special measures between 2005 and 2008.

"We value education," said Ms Peat. "We want our son to enjoy it. We want it to be a lifelong experience. Starting out this way, having to fight for basic access, is really discouraging."

The family have lobbied councillors and Bristol West Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Williams.

Ms Peat said: "The council should have done more and made better predictions. Schools are not oversubscribed, but under-supplied. It is something the council has known about for years and failed to address."