A FATHER of four who recently moved to Stroud, is struggling to get his children into school.

Nicolas Heaton and his family moved to their home in Ebley last Tuesday but he is having real problems getting his three daughters Georgia, 9, Lucy, 8, and Grace, 7, into primary school.

Nicholas has already tried four schools in the area including Cashes Green, St Matthews and Foxmoor but claims to have had very little help from the schools or Gloucestershire County Council (GCC).

He said: “The treatment I have received by all the school except St Matthews is appalling and a really negative process.

“I went directly to the schools and they told me to go to the council, I went to the council and they told me to go to the schools, it’s going in roundabouts.

“The person I dealt with at the council was belligerent and obnoxious and did not want to know, Neil Carmichael’s office has been more helpful.

“Finally two of our girls have been offered places at Cashes Green but our middle daughter Lucy still doesn’t have any options.

“We were offered a place at a school they send children who have been excluded, we politely declined.”

GCC clarified that it is up to schools to sort out admissions.

Lisa Mullis, admissions manager at GCC, said: “The allocation of places during the school year is dealt with by schools, not the council.

“Parents have to apply directly to these schools and they will then be offered a place if any are available.

“There will be spaces available at schools in the area and we have given Mr. Heaton a list of the nearest schools that they can contact them to make applications.”

Nicholas who lived in Australia for 25 years before moving back to England, relocated to Stroud from Bradenstoke.

He works at a hair salon in Malmesbury and his wife Carolyn work as a nurse in Gloucester.

However, if he knew the trouble he was going to have finding schools he might never have moved.

“I feel like I’ve been sold a house under false pretences, said Nicholas. “Selling family home should not be allowed if it’s this much trouble finding a school.”