A boy has been stuck at home for five months after being expelled from school at just four years old.
Laura Jordan said her son Zac, now five, was permanently excluded from school after spending just five weeks in reception. She says he has now spent so much time in the house that he's scared to go outside.
Laura, 36, was shocked to discover that councils are not required to get kids back into school if they are expelled before their fifth birthday. Her son was kicked out of Holly Hill Church School, in Rubery, Worcestershire, in October after a number of incidents, including attacks on other pupils and staff.
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But his mum believes he has undiagnosed special educational needs that can't be dealt with in mainstream schools. Worcestershire County Council has since apologised for failing to find a suitable school for Zac and said it is working with his mum to get him back into education.
Laura, from Redditch, told the Mirror : "Zac started reception in September and within five weeks he had been permanently excluded. Ever since he's been out of school as he was only four and the compulsory school age is five. It's very rare for this to happen to a child his age.
"It's pure discrimination, the whole thing. I don't think it's morally right he's out of school when people the same age as him are able to go to school. He's been left behind and offered no alternative schooling provision. This is going to affect him for the rest of his life."
Laura said Zac has become increasingly isolated following his exclusion last October. She added: "I can't even get him to leave the house. I have to force him to leave just to go to the shops.
"He used to be happy outside the house. Now he doesn't want to leave and that's because he's not mixing with kids his age."
The mum-of-two does not deny that her son has issues, accepting that he attacked other children and staff at his school. However, she believes he has autism, ADHD and speech and language problems which make certain situations "overwhelming" for him.
She added that Worcestershire County Council has to find Zac a new school by April after he turned five in February.
Laura continued: "It's down to the local authority to find an alternative school for him. They have requested two special needs schools but they said they are full.
"The council now want him in a local mainstream school. If the school accepts him, he will have no choice but to go there. I fear he will be excluded again if he is chucked into another mainstream school and we will be on this never ending cycle of him going to schools and getting excluded."
Laura now thinks the UK's compulsory school age should be lowered to four-years-old so children cannot be expelled and left at home once they have started education.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Suspensions and permanent exclusions should only be used as a last resort, but we back headteachers to suspend or exclude pupils where it is necessary and helps maintain calm classrooms.
“We are consulting on changes to behaviour and exclusions guidance to make sure this is used in a fair way, and the cross-government SEND Review will further consult on how children with special educational needs and disabilities are supported by the system, including in alternative provision.”
Worcestershire County Council's cabinet member for education Marcus Hart said it can be "challenging" to find the right school place for a child's individual needs.
Mr Hart said: “Parent carers have a statutory right to ask for a particular educational setting and support for their child but it can at times be challenging to find the right place that has capacity and can meet a child’s individual needs.
"The law requires all children to start full-time education by the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday and we are working with Ms Jordan to find a suitable and appropriate school that meets Zac’s assessed needs, ready for him to start school in April.
"We are sorry that we have been unable to source an educational provision for Zac that has been able to meet his needs for this period and we acknowledge this is unacceptable for Zac, indeed for any child.
"We are continuing to work alongside Ms Jordan and relevant healthcare providers and partners to ensure that we have a high quality, lawful Educational Health and Care Plan in place for Zac, that will help to ensure he receives the tailored help and support he needs at all stages of his educational journey.”
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