Parents of a girl with autism and development delay say she has been given a new school without them knowing about it. Scarlett Severn, 6, lives in Kirkby-in-Ashfield and currently attends Morvern Park Primary School.
She is approaching the end of Year 2, and due to her special educational needs, teachers at the school told Scarlett's parents a new school would have to be found for the new academic year. This is because the school can no longer meet her requirements. She is on medication for her autism, which her mother describes as "severe".
Mother Sallyann Prosser, 45, who works for a domestic cleaning house and commercial company, said the family was fine with the change, and submitted Bracken Hill School in Kirkby-in-Ashfield as their preferred option. The family was asked to submit four schools but submitted just one.
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But the family was told Year 3 at Bracken Hill was already full, and Sallyann says the case was then left. She says a case worker from Nottinghamshire County Council eventually submitted an application for Scarlett to attend Redgate Primary Academy in Mansfield.
The case worker then accepted the offer on the family's behalf, says Sallyann. But she says her and father Winston Severn, 53, a machine operator for Eurocell, were not told that school was accepted on their behalf, and thus parental consent was not obtained.
Sallyann says the family received notification from the case worker on the day she left the council, and says they have been left in limbo and have no idea what to do going forward. She is adamant that Scarlett will not attend Redgate. It was recently taken over by Diverse Academies Trust and was rated 'good' by Ofsted in an inspection that took place on March 29 and 30 this year after previously being in special measures.
Sallyann said: "I've said Scarlett is not going there. I'm a bit lost on what to do.
"I've given up work because of it because I've got so many meetings, one after the other, I don't know whether I'm coming or going. At this rate she'll be staying at home with me.
"It wasn't done with our consent, we haven't agreed to anything. We knew that she would have to move schools soon, but we didn't realise how much of a hassle and stress this would be.
"My best case would be for Scarlett to go to Bracken Hill. If I have to go to Mansfield for her school, I'll have trouble picking her and her eight-year-old sister up, who goes to Morvern Park."
Father Winston says all he wants is "to see my little girl be happy".
He said: "I'm just disappointed really, it's difficult for a girl with special needs and I feel as though we've been messed about and we've been going around in circles. All I want is to see my little girl be happy.
"We knew it was coming she had to go to a different school, but we've had this other school forced upon us. Scarlett will not be going to that school."
Laurence Jones, Service Director for commissioning and resources at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: "A child's education, health and care plan assessment may determine that a special school is the most appropriate education setting. Where a school is identified in the plan, but parents are not satisfied, they can appeal to the SEND tribunal to ask for a different school.
"Parents are also able to request a mainstream rather than special school if that is their preference, with additional support made available in that setting. There is currently no record of an appeal or a mainstream placement request being received but we have received a request to look at whether a placement at another local academy special school might be possible.
"We will now consult with them to see if they have places and feel that they could meet the child's needs."
