Court proceedings for school choice

Hello all,

My ex and I have 50:50 shared parenting and cannot agree on a school and MIAM has happened but she won't talk.

Is it C100 that I need to use to take this further?

School preference forms need to be in by 15 Jan. Are there any ways of indicating a speedy process is needed?

The issue is I want him to attend the same school as his siblings, with whom he is very close. There are no logistical barriers.

Many thanks for any advice,

Big Jim

You would need to apply for a Specific Issues Order using C100, the court fee is £215.

What is it about Mum's proposed school that you are objecting to?

Thanks Ruby,

There is a lot to it but in a nutshell my son's (for want of a better way to put it)two families are:

Father
Half-brothers aged 9 and 5
Half-sister aged 8
All residing with me ~50% of the time; all attending school A; I do school pick up and drop off 70% of the time, and my youngest son comes too (i.e. he is very familiar with School A, knows his three siblings go there etc)

Mother
Half-sister aged 13 (resides with her mother)
Half-brother aged 12 (resides with his father)

We have 50:50 split but in practice he has spent 190:176 nights with me in past year.

I want him to attend school A as his closest in age siblings all currently attend and I think it is better for him as it helps cement those sibling relationships.

My secondary reason is logistic - if he did not attend the same school I would literally have to be in two places at once - and also, the leveraged childcare arrangements are such that he would see less of his siblings if he went else where (and conversely would have much greater opportunity to bond with them etc if he attended the same school).

And so the third main reason is the missed opportunity to spend more bonding with his siblings. Going to School A means all 5 would potentially see more of him; going to school B means only his two eldest would see more of him and the three youngest would see less of him.

Her initial position was any school that is not School A(!). Lately, she has revealed she wants them to attend School B, which just happens to be 200 yards from her house.

For the sake of completeness, her 13 year old daughter attends school literally across the road from her house, and takes herself to and from school. Also, the age difference is such that my son would never be able to attend school with his two elder siblings.

(Incidentally I also oppose this school because it is Roman Catholic and none of us are)

The schools are all academically similar (and for 3 he is already counting >30, knows alphabet, recognises words etc).

There is no welfare or physical harm considerations at all.

I feel I should have drawn diagrams...!

Many thanks

Sounds like there are good reasons from both sides - all you can do is put forward a child-focused argument in court if you and your ex are unable to come to an agreement.