A mum has slammed a school for 'allowing her son to explode' as his timetable of lessons has been reduced to two hours a day.
Harrie Kaye, 31, said her son Rex has been on a reduced timetable at Caldecote Primary School in Cambridge, since the end of October.
The mother has been left concerned that her child is not being supported by the school, as her six-year-old has special educational needs.
Ray has an education, health and care plan (EHCP) in place after traumatic experiences as a young child impacted his development and behaviour, Ms Kaye says.
But his behaviour worsened after starting school in September 2022, the mother claims.
Rex's behaviour improved while he was at home, but Ms Kaye claims the school does not 'step in' to help when it intensifies again, Cambridgeshire Live reports.
Ms Kaye said: "They allow my son to get really angry and frustrated and they don't step in to try and coach him through his emotions.
"They just allow him to sort of explode."
Ms Kaye claims the school told her they "can't manage" his behaviour, which is why he is still on a reduced timetable after seven months.
She added: "He has been massively let down by the education system."
Another parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said she had moved her autistic son to another school following a negative experience at Caldecote Primary.
She said her son told her he "didn't want to go to school", adding that children with special educational needs are treated in a "dismal way" at the school.
Although some measures were put in place to support her son, she said these did not seem to be effective and she had struggled to arrange a meeting with anyone at the school to discuss her son's situation, adding: "The school says they have an open door policy but in actual reality, it remains firmly shut when you ask for help."
A third parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said her dyslexic son was "six years behind" after his time at Caldecote Primary. She said only one of the four conditions on his EHCP to manage his dyslexia had been implemented.
All three parents criticised the leadership of the school, describing it as old-fashioned.
Ms Kaye claimed children with special educational needs like her son are being discriminated against at the school. She has contacted her MP, Anthony Browne, about the issue, and started a petition to "stop the discrimination against SEN children in mainstream schools".
Mr Browne said: "I'm troubled by the reports I have received from parents, who made me aware of their concerns last week, and I’m committed to supporting them as they seek solutions from the school and County Council. Every child deserves to have the same educational opportunities, but there is no denying that schools in Cambridgeshire are historically underfunded.
"I've visited many of our local primary schools, meeting with headteachers from all areas, and special needs funding requirements are of particular concern. We must all ensure children develop the foundational skills and knowledge they need in a safe and happy environment."
Commenting on the claims, joint headteachers Karen Stanton and Becky Snelling at Caldecote Primary School said: "We are disappointed that these claims have been made against the school, and would encourage parents to approach the leadership team at any point if they have concerns. Several of the accusations levelled against the school have come from a single parent.
"SEND children are not being treated poorly. We work closely with all SEND services – including the local authority's specialist teaching team – and always follow and act upon their advice. Following an inspection of the school in October 2022, Ofsted said SEND children were making steady progress against their personal targets.
"All senior leaders are highly trained and maintain their knowledge and understanding of education. One mother of a former pupil described the headteacher as a bully but provided no evidence. Children's behaviour has not become worse. Behaviour throughout the school is good, confirmed by Ofsted who said: 'There is very little disruption from poor behaviour'."
They added: "There is no evidence that children are scared or worried about coming to school. Attendance rates are 95 per cent – higher than the national average. Children arrive happily each morning, corroborated again by Ofsted inspectors who stated: 'Children really enjoy attending Caldecote Primary.'
"Prior to this week we have not received any complaints in relation to such issues via the complaints process, and a member of the senior leadership team is on the playground every day. We have a parent forum and parents are invited into school on Wednesday mornings, but no related concerns have been raised.
"Pupil numbers are currently the highest they have been since 2014 and have increased by 30 this year alone. Very few pupils leave the school mid-year."
