‘My son wants to start secondary school, like any 11-year-old’

A mum whose son with complex needs has been unable to start secondary school because building work has not been finished has said he is missing out on vital support.

Daniel, 11, was due to start at Foxfield School in Woodchurch, Wirral, in September, but construction of new classroom space had not been completed in time, meaning the school could not accommodate him and several other pupils.

His mum Siobhan took part in a protest outside a Wirral council building on Friday to highlight the shortfall in school places for children with special educational needs.

The council said the works would be completed by January, and all of the children affected had been offered alternative provision.

Siobhan said Daniel was entitled to start secondary school in September, along with other 11-year-olds.

“Foxfield is the largest school that can offer accommodation to severely disabled children on the Wirral and this is the problem, in that the school is full,” she added.

She said the local authority should have anticipated an increase in demand at secondary schools by examining how many primary pupils had Education Health Care Plans.

Siobhan said it was her view that a whole new school was needed to meet demand, rather than “tweaking and putting little extra classes in other settings”.

Daniel was born with idic15, a rare chromosomal disorder causing profound learning disability and developmental delay. He uses a wheel chair and has severe epilepsy.

Siobhan said “he has a smile that makes you feel like you’re the most important person in the world” and “he’s very popular, a very happy child”.

Daniel is currently being looked after at a youth centre in Birkenhead by staff from Foxfield.

But she said: “I can tell he misses school.”

Officers from Wirral Council told a meeting earlier this month that the works were part of a £3m investment in Foxfield School – that “unfortunately” weren’t started as scheduled during the summer holidays but were now taking place.

The council apologised to parents for the delay and said alternative space during this period had been provided and the pupils educational needs were being delivered.