A frustrated mum fears a school's failure to admit her daughter will worsen her health anxiety.
Maria Pearce, from Hull, says it is essential that her 11-year-old daughter Yazmin, who has germaphobia, gets into a secondary school in September within walking distance of their home.
Yazmin, who currently attends Sidmouth Primary School, has severe anxiety and mental health issues which make her unable to travel on public transport, Hull Live reports.
She has suffered anxiety since the age of six and going on buses makes her feel "physically sick" - and sometimes results in panic attacks.
But her mum fears she has missed out on a place at St Mary's College, their first choice - meaning she will have to walk to a school 30 minutes away every day.
"If she can smell that someone’s been smoking on a bus or in a taxi she can’t get in. She needs to be in walking distance of everything," Maria, 34, explains.
"People behind her have to be let passed as she cannot deal with being followed. This results in a panic attack."
Maria had hoped that Yazmin could attend St Mary's as it is just a 15 minute walk from the family's home in Melbourne Street.
However, she has instead been allocated a place at Kelvin Hall, which is around half an hour away.
The family are still waiting on a letter of recommendation from Sidmouth Primary - even though Maria claims other children have received the document.
"Kelvin is just too far," Maria continued.
"I’m just angry, all the letters should have been handed out at the same time to prevent this can of worms.
"They should give them at the same time so we’re all treated equally. We’re all mums, we all talk."
Maria explained that in Yazmin uses art as a form of therapy and after visiting St. Mary’s College she was immediately drawn to the school’s art and design apartment.
She said: "She just instantly felt calm safe and at home there.
"She said to me ‘mummy this is where I want to go.’
"The art and design side was very appealing as she uses art as therapy."
Maria praised the support the family receive from the Early Help Family Support team and Mind who provide Yazmin with counselling but cannot understand why the school have not provided them with a letter of recommendation.
She said: "They’ll say pupils don’t need a letter until they have an appeal date but in that case why did they get one for another family?"
A spokesperson for Yorkshire and the Humber Co-operative Learning Trust said: "It would be inappropriate to comment on any family’s private interaction with the Headteacher.
"However, I can state categorically that all of the parents who have requested a letter of support will receive one as soon as possible.
"This has been the Headteacher’s approach with all parents in previous years who had also requested such a letter.
"In terms of the process of appealing for a place at any school, the School Admission Appeals Code must be followed by all schools.
"This sets out both the process and timeframes, with parents presenting their own case for admission at a Hearing in front an independent panel.
"The panel’s decision to admit or not is reached by balancing the parents’ case on its individual merit against the school's Admission Policy and the admission criteria that the school applies.
"As such, a letter of support from any Headteacher could be said to be immaterial to this process.
"Appeals for students to start Year 7 in September have always been heard late in the Summer term. Letters of support will be with parents well before this time."
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