A MOTHER has pulled her special educational needs son out of school after ‘disgusting treatment from the council’.

Camilla Phillips said she felt she had “no choice” but to home school her son after he was constantly put in isolation and ignored by Dorset Council for over a month.

George Phillips, 13, struggles with ADHD and was previously given one to one support in middle school but “had no support whatsoever” when moving to secondary school.

George, from Ferndown, took a taxi everyday to Queen Elizabeth’s School in Wimborne after his mother believed it was the best school for him.

However, Camilla said, unbeknown to her, the school told Dorset Council that it was unable to accommodate George’s needs.

After a month of struggling with the school environment, and constantly being put in isolation, Camilla contacted Dorset Council on October 1 seeking help.

She said she attempted to ring the council around 50 times but the provision leader never responded.

By November 12, George’s mental health was suffering and Camilla said she had no choice but to pull him out of school.

“If this is how SEND children are treated, it’s pretty disgusting,” said Camilla.

She added: “My son feels let down and I feel let down for him because kids with special needs, they’re not everyday kids, they find school a struggle anyway.”

Paul Dempsey, executive director for children's services at Dorset Council, said: “Every family deserves to feel heard and valued, and we regret that the family feels this hasn’t happened in this case.

“We have since reached out to them directly and have put a plan in place to ensure that this child receives the support they need moving forward.

"We’re committed to working closely with schools and all families, including this family, to make sure children thrive in education.

"For many children, their local school is often the best place to meet their needs, surrounded by their friends and community.

“In such cases, schools use a “graduated approach,” which involves making thoughtful, incremental adjustments within the mainstream setting to better support the child’s needs. 

"If you are concerned about your child and their experience of school, you can get in touch with the team using the Family Support and Advice Line at 01305 228558 you can also email the team at letstalksend@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.”

A spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth's School said: “Whilst it would clearly not be appropriate for us to comment on individual students, we work hard to ensure that we can provide the support that our students need.

"We remain committed to inclusion and collaborative working with all partners to achieve this.”