Ukrainian refugee faces four hour daily trip after rejection by Matlock school

Sofiia Stryzhakova and her mother Halyna Palko arrived in Derbyshire in late June after Alan and Sheila Long took them in via the Homes for Ukraine visa scheme.

Alan said: “They’re lovely people who have experienced the worst nightmare possible. They were bombed out of their homes twice and left with nothing, while their husband and father is still there.”

Sofiia, whose cousins are also living nearby, joined Darley Dale Primary School for the final weeks of year six and, despite speaking little English, began to make friends and a big impression with her prodigious piano talents.

But as those friends head off to Highfields School next week, Sofiia is facing a two hour journey on three buses to reach Tupton Hall School.

Alan said: “We were obviously very late applying to Highfields but the education minister had advised schools to extend capacity for children from Ukraine because of the unique circumstances.

“Highfields quickly responded to say they were full for September, and that it would be ‘detrimental to the school’ to have one extra person. It’s a disgraceful way to describe a gifted child with exceptional life experience.”

Halyna has lodged an appeal but Highfields says the earliest its panel can consider the case is September 13. In the meantime, Derbyshire County Council has offered Sofiia a place at Tupton Hall.

Alan said: “The system is letting her down. It beggars belief that Highfields couldn’t find an earlier date. We don’t know which uniform to buy, whether to keep her out of this school where she knows nobody, or how to plan ahead.

“If Sofiia goes to Tupton Hall, Halyna will have to travel with her, leaving no time to practice her own English and find work. She taught maths and physics in Ukraine. We could really use those skills.”

“We have asked the council for help with transport but that was rejected, we’ve written to the MP and councillors for help too but time is just drifting away.”

Highfields headteacher Andrew Marsh said: “Highfields is a popular and oversubscribed school and we often receive more applications than we have places. When this happens there is an appeals process.

“It is not appropriate for Highfields to comment on individual appeals which are pending but it is the case that admissions policy is followed very closely to ensure fairness for all.

“School staff have been available throughout the summer period and we have responded to any contact from involved parties by email and by phone.”

A Derbyshire County Council spokesperson added: “We are aware all Ukrainian children living in Derbyshire have been offered a school place, but there will be some children who haven't got into the school they want as they are already full, as in this case.

“The group moving from primary to secondary is very high at present so a number of the secondary schools have met their admission numbers.

“When this happens, our legal responsibility as the local authority is to offer a place at the closest school, and in this case Tupton Hall is the nearest with places available. There is an appeal process but Highfields School will deal with this, not the county council.”

They added: “Following the decision on the recent transport application, we will review this in light of the distance to Tupton from the family’s home address and be in touch with them shortly.”

Subsequently, the council has offered Sofiia a free bus pass – which Alan says entirely misses the point of the family’s request..

He said: “This does not solve the issue that the trip takes two hours and involves three buses. It is the four hours a day travel for her and her mother that is the problem, not the cost.”

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