WALTHAM ABBEY: Autistic pupil 'targeted for expulsion'

5:30pm Tuesday 8th July 2008

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THE parents of an autistic boy have slammed his former school, claiming his expulsion was the result of a "targeted campaign".

Jeff and Yvette Bennett, of Homefields, in Waltham Abbey, claim their ten-year-old son, Tom, was deliberately forced out by staff at Harlow Fields School, in Harlow, after they made a complaint against a teacher.

Tom suffers from autism and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and his parents admit he has some behavioural issues.

But they claim the school was already well aware of that when they agreed to teach him.

His father, Jeff, said: "Every single medical or behavioural issue Tom has was explained to the school in depth before he started attending. He was at the school for 16 months and behaved really well."

The situation came to a head last September when Thomas was restrained by staff after running out of a classroom.

Mr Bennett said: "We were shocked when he came home from school, as he was really bruised.

"We were so angry - it's badly affected all of us. My youngest daughter is now scared to go to school in case the same thing happens to her."

Following a probe by an independent panel including police, the county council and welfare officers it was decided last October that staff had not used unreasonable force.

But Mr and Mrs Bennett say the board did not see pictures of Tom's injuries and so could not have made a complete judgement.

Desperate to keep Tom in the school at which he was now comfortable, they attended a reintegration meeting with school staff.

But the meeting was largely unsuccessful, say his parents, and Tom earned another six exclusions in just seven months.

Mr Bennett criticised staff at Harlow Fields saying: "We feel let down. We now have to send him to a school 30 miles away because it's the only place that caters to children with his needs."

Mrs Bennett said: "We fought for two years to get him into Harlow Fields and he's shown that with the right support he can do really well. We intend to fight for him to stay there."

Harlow Fields head teacher Sue Davies said she could not to comment as the decision was still under review.

She said: "I have made the decision to expel a pupil permanently from the school. However, the decision is to be discussed at a meeting of the governors. It would be inappropriate to speculate on the outcome in advance."

Ms Davies said a date had yet to be set for the meeting and that governors "will have to ratify or reject the decision".