Tears of boy, 10, facing 30-mile daily round trip to school in Crawley

A little boy has been left in tears after being told he will have to make an almost 30-mile round trip to school every day.
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Education chiefs have allocated 10-year-old Ellis Thorne a secondary school place at Thomas Bennett School in Crawley from September - despite the fact that he lives almost 15 miles away in Southwater.

His mum Claire is now appealing against the decision and has written in protest to Horsham MP Jeremy Quin.

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Claire is among scores of parents in the Horsham area who were informed on Friday that their children had not been allocated places at any of their three preferred secondary schools.

Claire Thorne with son Ellis, 10Claire Thorne with son Ellis, 10
Claire Thorne with son Ellis, 10

She said Ellis was extremely upset on learning that he was the only one of his current primary school classmates who would have to travel to Crawley to school. “He’s been crying in class and asking why he is the only one who is going to have to go to school in Crawley.”

Claire said the situation was ‘not on at all’ and that Ellis would have to spend three hours a day travelling by bus to get to school. “Our catchment area is Horsham.”

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https://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/angry-parents-blame-housebuilding-boom-for-lack-of-horsham-school-places-1-8833599|Parents blame housebuilding boom for lack of school places|Parents blame housebuilding boom for lack of school places}