My girl just wants to start at school

Craiglockhart Primary School said a “genuine mistake” two days ago had led to four-year-old Jamie-Lee Blackley being advised to come to class for the start of term yesterday despite denying her a place just weeks before.

It said a member of staff confused her name with another girl on the register, which resulted in the unfortunate mix-up.

Jamie-Lee’s mother Paula, 37, learned in May that her daughter would be on the waiting list for Craiglockhart because they lived outside the catchment area and she should seek an alternative primary school closer to their home in the Inch.

But Ms Blackley said she held out hope of winning a place at the school because her son had earned a place there at the eleventh hour in 2009.

“I had been told to keep phoning to check if there had been any changes because a place could become available right up until school started,” she said.

“So I phoned on Monday to see if anything had changed and the woman on the phone said ‘Yes, she has a place in P1B’.

“With two days to go we went out and spent more than £70 getting her uniform and shoes for her first day.

“But we then turned up in the assembly hall [yesterday] with 60 other kids who were all called away to class but Jamie-Lee was left standing there.”

Ms Blackley spoke with the school headmaster who explained the error.

“He apologised for the mix-up but I just think it’s ridiculous and this morning my blood was boiling about it.

“Jamie-Lee was really sad and I suppose you’re left feeling it’s just not fair.”

Ms Blackley said her daughter would be expected to attend the nearby St John Vianney Primary School but as a single parent with her son at Craiglockhart the morning run would be “nearly impossible”.

She now intends to home school Jamie-Lee until a place opens up at Craiglockhart.

A spokesman for the city council said: “Unfortunately, this pupil’s name was confused with another pupil early this week and this contributed to the misunderstanding about the place.

“The school have apologised for the mistake.”

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