AN AUTISTIC boy has been isolated by his school teachers and branded ‘slow’ while students get away with vicious bullying, a Solihull mother has revealed.
She also fears the school is breaking the law by funneling money granted to cater to her son’s complex needs into the school’s funding pot.
The mother, who did not want to be named, said her 12-year-old son is dyslexic, has anxiety, hearing difficulties, sensory and movement issues and has autism – which affects communication and how a person experiences the world around them.
As part of an investigation by Coventry University academics, she described her son’s experiences as he started secondary school.
“He has been crushed by other students causing rib cage muscle damage, been called every name under the sun including ‘retard’ and other students have threatened to cut his fingers off,” she said.
“The staff called him slow, deregistering him from every lesson except English and Maths – because in Year 7 he did not show enough ‘progress’ and was struggling.
“They said he would not attain a GCSE, wrote that his work was not good enough in his books and told him he needed to sit in a classroom and be quiet so that other children had the opportunity to learn.”
She feels the school has let her son down and has not made an effort to accommodate his special needs.
She added: “The school told me that it was a teething issue and he needed to learn to ignore it.
“When it involved staff I was called a liar, told I was too over protective and that I was trying to hide my son’s bad behaviour.”
Her son has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and the school is legally required to cater to the needs of her child.
EHCPs provide those aged up to 25 with a document outlining the support they need for their education – including advice from doctors and psychologists.
Schools receive funding specifically designated for the named pupil in their budget and must organise the required provision.
The mother has alleged the school is putting a portion of the £6,000 granted to her son under his plan into a general funding pot.
A report by Coventry University has suggested this practice could be illegal.
The mum says she has approached her local MP, and a special needs services to seek support.
She said she has been fined for her child’s poor attendance at school.
She added: “I told the attendance officer that if they wanted to take me to court I would put them on the stand first and ask them why under oath they refused to meet the needs of my son under legal obligation for an EHCP.”
As we reported, parents in Solihull who have experienced similar problems thanked the essential support services and charities available in the borough.
For more information about how schools are funded for SEN go to: socialsolihull.org.uk/localoffer/education/how-schools-are-funded-for-sen/
Or for information about EHCPs: socialsolihull.org.uk/localoffer/ehc-plans/
