Hundreds of Norfolk children without school places

Becky, with Joshi (R) and Gethin (L), says her son is being denied a proper education

The mother of a nine-year-old boy has discovered that more than 200 children in a county have no school placement.

Becky, who lives in Gorleston, put in a Freedom of Information Request (FOI) because her son receives home tuition.

She said she was shocked the response showed 141 of those children without a school placement had education health care plans (EHCPs) in place.

Norfolk County Council said it had "put the right measures in place for those who need them".

Becky says she was shocked by the results of a Freedom of Information Request that she submitted to Norfolk County Council

Her FOI request revealed that 202 children were currently waiting for a place to be allocated, via either an admissions or Special Educational Needs (SEN) team.

She found 141 of them had EHCPs in place.

In Great Yarmouth, 48 children did not have a school place, her request revealed.

"The results were shocking," she said.

"Looking at those figures it is apparent that SEN children are discriminated against."

'Needs of the child'

Her son, Joshi, who has autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), does not attend a mainstream school and has an EHCP.

"The education system discriminates against children with disabilities, especially those that are less obvious," Becky said.

"Failing to provide the correct schooling for an autistic child is exactly the same as failing to provide a child in a wheelchair with a ramp."

Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for Children's Services at Norfolk County Council, said: "Most children with special educational needs and disabilities have their needs met in a mainstream school or nursery.

"In some instances it is more appropriate for a child to learn and grow in a specialist school.

"When a child is not attending school we are required to put appropriate interim measures in place while looking to secure a new school placement.

"These arrangements will be based on the needs of the child and not the funding a school would receive for a school placement. This allows us to put the right measures in place for those who need them."

She said the authority would continue to deliver a £100m Local First Inclusion programme to "improve support in mainstreams schools and develop more specialist places".

The Children's Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has declined to comment.