'Kids shouldn't have to travel two hours to get to school' (2025)

"Children should have the chance for their children to be educated in an appropriate school close to where they live, rather than a school that would take almost two hours to get to on public transport," said the MP

An MP is calling on schools and councils to expand the number of secondary school places after a mum revealed her twins will be sent to lessons miles apart.

The mum is fuming after her twin boys were allocated secondary school places more than five miles apart from each other, the Manchester Evening News reported this week.

Now, Connor Rand - the Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West - says parents are being left ‘angry and concerned’ as they battle for places at oversubscribed schools.

Noah and Nate Vick, both 11, attend primary school in Altrincham, close to their home in Hale.

Mum Karen Walsh expected her children would once again be enrolled in the same school, or at least schools close by. Instead, one of the boys will face an epic journey in order to get to class.

"It would be two bus rides for Nate to a school," Karen told the Manchester Evening News. "I don't even expect him to be given the same school as Noah now but I did expect to get a school in our local area.

"Nate has been really upset, his twin is really upset, his friends are. We're in limbo. Nate is a really nervous and anxious child. This is probably the worst child this could happen to and it's happened to Nate."

The MP says he is raising the issue with colleagues in Parliament.

"As a dad with a young son, I understand the anger and concern parents have about the issues with school places locally," Mr Rand said. "They should have the chance for their children to be educated in an appropriate school close to where they live, rather than a school that would take almost two hours to get to on public transport.

"I'm organising a meeting with affected parents to hear their concerns, and I'll be writing to Ashton-on-Mersey school about expanding the number of places they offer, and to local grammar schools about their admissions policy. I continue to support active efforts to increase secondary school provision in the area.

"Almost every local school had its budget cut under the previous government, so I know the extremely difficult position Trafford council has been in on secondary school places for several years, but I’ll be working with them and the new government to explore every option possible to resolve this problem."

Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE

Noah has been given a place at Wellington School in Timperley, which mum Karen says has a specialised unit for children who have autism.

Meanwhile, Nate for what Karen describes as 'no reason on Earth' has been placed at Broadoak School in Partington. The two schools are more than five miles apart, with Wellington School 1.1 miles from the family home, and Broadoak School more than eight miles away, according to the stressed mum-of-six.

“It’s more pressure, more worry, I can’t stop thinking about it. Having raised four children already, I know how the high school you go to can affect the rest of your life," said Karen.

"There’s not one other child from his primary school that has been given this school in Partington. We were hoping that, at some point, the twins will be walking home, and gaining independence and confidence."

Last year 75.6 per cent of children in Trafford got a place at their first choice school, compared to a national average of 82.6%. For children starting high school this September the figure rose to 79pc in Trafford.

Competition is so tough the council has taken to publishing what amounts to a disclaimer on the application forms. "All secondary schools in the Altrincham and Sale areas are significantly oversubscribed," it reads.

"It is frequently the case that some catchment area children do not achieve places in their preferred schools."

Trafford's seven highly-sought after grammar schools admit almost a third of their pupils from outside the borough. Meanwhile, council figures show that over the last three years an average of one in six Y7 pupils across all secondary schools lived outside Trafford, the M.E.N. has reported.

Education chiefs also describe an 'unprecedented increase' in recent years of children moving into Trafford midway through their education, creating 'significant pressure' on school places. And there's also been an influx of mainly wealthy Hong Kong nationals to the area, attracted in part by the top class schools.

Mum Karen Walsh continued: “I told Trafford Council’s admissions department, ‘where’s the common sense?’ They told me ‘we don’t work to common sense’.”

“The only reason they could give to me was that all the other children given a place at Wellington live less than 1.1 miles away from the school. I know that’s not true because there are families who live in Wythenshawe and other areas who have been given places.

"And even so, why is Noah’s twin brother who lives in the same house not been given a place?"

A spokesperson for Trafford council says the family did not list enough schools on their secondary school applications, working against them: “This year 93 per cent of Trafford parents were offered places at one of their top three choices of schools but we recognise the distress for those that did not receive the school of their choice.

“While we are sympathetic to the family in this case, we did issue specific advice for parents living in the Sale and Altrincham areas, which included guidance to follow when it comes to selecting their preferred schools because they are oversubscribed.

“We asked parents to list five schools on their application form and those families who followed our advice stood a much better chance of having their children placed in their school of choice. We understand the family’s frustration and can advise them where necessary of the appeals process should they wish to proceed."

Mum Karen claims she listed three schools in Altrincham, including North Cestrian School, which one of the twins' elder siblings attended. The M.E.N. understands applications received by the council featured two schools.