Mum's concern for vulnerable children after Northumberland County Council unable to provide teaching base

A mother has raised concerns over education provision in Northumberland for special educational needs children unable to attend school.

Lesley Leeson's son Noah attends Northumberland County Council's Education Other Than At School programme (EOTAS). Noah has autism and extreme anxiety, meaning he struggles in a normal school setting.

Previously, the programme had been located in Alnwick, but the council planned to move it to Morpeth at the start of the academic year. However, this plan hit a snag when it was realised that planning permission would be needed to use the chosen site for EOTAS.

This has meant 16-year-old Noah and his five classmates have seen the first two months of their GCSE year disrupted, with online learning and a temporary alternative venue used. However, Noah finds it difficult to engage with online learning.

Mrs Leeson, who lives in Rothbury, said: "Unfortunately the kids that go to EOTAS are on the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities register and online learning doesn't work with my son's needs. My son is weeks into his last school year, they need to find an alternative venue before his exams.

"The class have been using a site in Cramlington for the last three weeks, but there is no provision for after half term. I'm really mad - they have had two months to resolve these issues.

"It's a really short year for these kids - they've got their GCSEs in May. I have no idea how long this is going to take - we have been warned it could take months.

"We're talking about six kids - we just need an empty room."

Mrs Leeson described Noah as "extremely intelligent", pointing out he has already achieved two GCSEs early. She added: "He's really bright and he wants to go to a good university.

"School is quite difficult for him - he has issues with noise, touch and crowds. He was supposed to go to King Edward VI in Morpeth, but it was just too overwhelming. He was just too dysregulated.

"This has been really disruptive - it would have been for any child, but then you add it onto kids that find change very difficult. What they are doing is making their physical and mental health worse by not providing a premises."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted Northumberland County Council for a response on the issue. Officers have now assured families that a suitable venue has been found and will be ready in the near future.

A spokeswoman for the council said: "We fully understand the parent’s concerns and we are working very hard to rectify the situation. We have written to the family this week to provide reassurance that face-to-face teaching in a suitable venue is to start shortly after this half-term holidays.

“The team is working with other officers at the council to prepare two new teaching venues, one in Shilbottle and one in Bedlington and we expect both venues to be ready, resourced and welcoming to pupils by the week beginning November 11.

“The proposed Morpeth venue was in a residential area and required planning permission for EOTAS to use as a teaching base. It was explored fully as an option but that process was going to take too long and so we have found another venue that would be available much sooner.”

Mrs Leeson commented: "I really hope this is true, and there will only be one more week lost in our kids' education in this crucial year."

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