Boy with half a heart needs new classroom

Without a portable classroom, Vinnie will be forced to have lessons via video-link on his own, away from his friends

A school in Birmingham is trying to raise £80,000 to help one of its pupils, who was born with half a heart.

Seven-year-old Vinnie Holliday, from St Alban's Catholic Primary School in Kings Heath, Birmingham, has a complex congenital heart condition, where one side of his heart did not develop fully in the womb.

He needs a downstairs classroom at school if he is to stay with his friends who will otherwise move upstairs into a Juniors classroom - but it will cost £80,000 to build a new portable classroom.

A fundraiser started by St Alban's headteacher Rebecca McKinney to build the classroom has now reached £13,000.

To reach the upstairs classrooms, Vinnie would have to climb two flights of stairs, which a cardiologist and heart charities have told his family would significantly impact his health.

Vinnie's mother Claire told BBC Radio WM that without a portable classroom outside, Vinnie would have to learn downstairs via video-link while the rest of his class learned upstairs.

"It's the only way to keep him at school at the moment," she said.

"It's not ideal, but it's either he doesn't go to school at all or we do this now in hope we raise the funds for a portable classroom in the playground where Vinnie will stay until he leaves St Alban's.

"We've explored lots of options, this is really the last resort."

Vinnie would be unable to climb two flights of stairs several times a day

Vinnie's class could not stay in a classroom downstairs due to the early years facilities and the rooms being too small for junior classes.

While the school has applied for a lift through the Physical Difficulties Support Service at Birmingham City Council, the waiting list can be up to two years and due to asbestos in the walls of the building, it would make the work very costly and challenging.

A stairlift also poses challenges due to asbestos, and also Vinnie's mental health.

"Imagine how awful and degrading that would be for Vinnie," his mother said.

"He's not leading the average life of a seven-year-old and I really feel passionate, as does Miss McKinney, about protecting him.

"[It might make him] not want to come to school, which would be a huge shame."

When asked how it would make him feel if he had to learn in a separate classroom to his friends, Vinnie said: "I think it would make me a little bit sad."

Vinnie has a complex congenital heart condition, as one side of his heart did not develop fully in the womb

Ms McKinney said: "Vinnie's resilience and unwavering spirit continue to inspire all of us at St. Alban's.

"Despite facing difficult odds, Vinnie has shown incredible determination and a positive attitude that have touched the hearts of everyone around him.

"Concerns about Vinnie's wellbeing have prompted us to seek support for a crucial cause."