Don't send our children to different schools!

This picture shows Emily and Melissa celebrating the end of Year Two with their mates. It makes me laugh because Emily (in the white top, arms raised) and Melissa (just behind her, arms in the air, mouth wide open) look so enthusiastic about the start of the holidays.

There's lots to consider when multiple birth children start primary school, and this blog will explore these issues many times, I'm sure.But for now, I want to raise the thorny question of twins being allocated places in different schools before they can even start. No that isn't a joke, it really does happen.

Here's a press release from 2003 urging that it should be stopped.

Tamba is calling on the Government to ensure parents of twins, triplets or more, are not told to send their children to different schools.

Its Honorary Consultants have raised the issue after six families got in touch to say their local authority had told them they must send their twins to different primary schools.

The consultants secured reassurance from the Department of Education and Skills that multiple birth children should be given priority in oversubscribed schools.

Tamba director, Helen Forbes explains: “It has come to our attention over the last couple of years that a growing number of families has been told their children will have to attend different schools.

“Because of the 30 children in a class rule, twins are being separated. No consideration of the fact that the children are from the same family was taken into account by the local authorities in question. These cases were eventually resolved on appeal but nevertheless meant months of anguish for a families faced with what would be an impossible situation.” 

DfES School Admissions Officer Karen Lumley wrote to Tamba’s Honorary Consultant Pat Preedy: “There is no reason why admission authorities cannot ensure that multiple birth children are given priority in oversubscription criteria provided the arrangements are accurately described in order to allow parents to make a realistic assessment of their chances of securing multiple places.”

Raising the issue of multiple birth children being told to attend different schools is just one way Tamba is helping to “smooth the way” through school for twins, triplets or more.

Tamba continues to offer advice and support to multiple birth families who have questions or problems relating to their unique challenges within the education system.

The biggest issue parents are faced with is whether to keep their children together in class or separate them. Tamba has a wealth of experience in advising families on this issue.

Parents wanting to discuss whether their children should be together or apart can contact Honorary Consultants and other parents through Tamba. There is also a range of relevant publications available.

The expert Honorary Consultants can also help with other questions from how to ensure multiple birth children are treated as individuals at nursery or playschool to how they cope at exam time.

Tamba also holds annual Education Roadshows with contributions from its Honorary Consultants. This year’s event will hear from Janet O'Keefe, a speech and language therapist,   primary teacher Anne Thomas, head teacher Pat Preedy, and secondary teacher Diane Galloway.

The organisation has a lot of information to hand for parents hoping to help their children get the most out of their school days.

Publications include Twins, Triplets and More - The Primary School Years which is the most up-to-date guide available on the issues facing multiple birth children, their parents and teachers from reception year onwards. Topics covered include choosing the right school, when to separate twins at school, handling rivalry and competition, primary school life and preparing for secondary school. Twins in School is based on research carried out at La Trobe University in Melbourne and produced in association with the Australian Multiple Birth Association. Includes chapters on Twins in Pre-school and Helping Twins With Reading. 

Multiple Birth Children Starting School is a questionnaire for parents and professionals to complete to help assess how the needs of multiple birth children can best be met when preparing for school entry and A Teacher's Guide to Twins, Triplets and More in School has been written with school staff in mind - helping them identify with parents and understand the demands of a multiple birth family.

Pat Preedy has also written a set of guidelines called School Policy for Twins & Higher Multiples. More information is available form the Tamba office or on the website www.tamba.org.uk

Says Helen Forbes: “Tamba has a proud record of achievement of helping families with older children. We are not just a charity for the families of babies and toddlers. We want our membership to know they can call on us as their children begin the important journey through school.”

People who read this post also read: Click here for more stories connected with education.

Comments

[Joanne Frith]

Yes, this happened to my girls last year. ITV/BBC news, local press, The Sun and Daily Mail took our story on board and I did eventually get the girls in to the same school.

It was an incredibly distressing time - how can this happen when it is published by the LEA's that siblings have priority. I was more angry at the fact I had done everything I could have to highligh the fact my children were twins and would attend school together yet they were still allocated place 17/17 for one school and 30/30 for the other! I can laugh now but the two letters even came in the same envelope!!!!!

Girls are incredibly happy and settled at the same school - hurray!

On the note about splitting them up - I dont think I would have been happy if they had been put in separate classes in year R hence my choice of small schools however their class teacher makes sure they do things individually, they dont sit together and she encourages them to reprimand anyone who calls them "the twins" which I am extremely happy about. As they progress through the school and so long as they are comfortable I am fine with them attanding different classes.

Whilst I was fighting for their school places I kept highlighting to the LEA and schools involved that statistically multiple births are on the increase due to older mothers/fertility treatment etc and really they only need to put a "tick" box on the addmissions application form to highlight a multiple family and therefore ensure that they are assessed as a unit when places are allocated - too simple isn't it!

[Linda]

Hi Joanne, that sounds a great idea re the tick box - has anything happened with this as yet? It sounds as if you got the right result in the end, but what a ridiculous situation to get into in the first place. Well done for shouting so loudly about it.

[Joanne Frith]

I suggested the "tick" box directly to the head of the LEA last year in a meeting we arranged - after checking with mums this year would appear nothing mentioned on the admissions form this year. Apparently there is something in place regarding multiple families and schools admissions now so I sincerely hope that I dont hear of anyone in Essex (or countrywide for that matter) having this ridiculous situation imposed on them.

As for shouting loudly - how could I not, I am please it was picked up by the TV and press both local and national and I will continue to shout loudly if I need to.

[kate mcsweeney]

Just been offered one place at our first choice school and 2 somewhere else. If we accept the one place and another does not come up before September then we have to separate the children which they do not want to do, and who could blame them at 4 years of age. If we turn down the place then the children will not be able to go to our first choice school as we will be off the list. This seems a little unfair that the LEA will not hold the first place for us until a second becomes available.