Brothers sent to different SEND schools in Newton and Lymm

With one of her son's diagnosed with autism and ADHD a few years ago, Hannah Dervisoglu had become used to the routine of taking him to Wargrave special needs school in Newton-le-Willows, and her other son to Sherdley primary school in Sutton.

Hannah managed to balance this school run alongside her work as a chef and her partner's night-time shifts, until six-year-old Atlas was taken out of mainstream school at Sherdley towards the end of the previous academic year.

With Atlas also on the autism pathway and expected to be formally diagnosed, the onus fell on the council to find alternative SEND provision for the family. However, the closest school that has been offered is the private Willow Tree Park school in Lymm.

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Six-year-old Atlas is on the autism pathway and has been diagnosed with speech and sound issues (Image: Hannah Dervisoglu)
Although it is the council's responsibility to pair a child with special educational needs with an appropriate school, there are challenges due to a lack of specialist providers in the area and limited spaces.

That is why the council undertook a wider search for Atlas, but as the two brothers are placed in separate schools 10 miles apart, Hannah is unable to take both of them to school at the same time.

And although a space has been confirmed for Atlas at the private school, which the council will foot the bill for, Hannah said there is no appropriate transport available so she and her six-year-old have been stuck at home for the start of this academic year.

Hannah and the family (Image: Hannah Dervisoglu)
Hannah, a chef and former army veteran, said: "I've been forced to choose between my sons because I physically can't be in Newton and Lymm at the same time, especially when I live in Sutton.

"The council found a place for Atlas in Lymm, but they can't provide transport because there is no passenger assistance available.

"I don't know how long it is going to take [to resolve this] and I have had to take time off work to look after Atlas. I have to work to pay the bills and this is not where I should be, or where he should be.

"Atlas is getting very upset because he sees his brother going to school and sees him making this and that, and asks 'why can't I go to school?'.

"He's already been taken out of mainstream school so he thinks he's done something wrong, and the longer it takes to sort out, the longer it will take him to settle in."

Atlas with his eight-year-old brother Odin (Image: Hannah Dervisoglu)
A St Helens Council spokesperson said: “We always try to secure special school placements that are ideally suited to families and children with special educational needs and disabilities. And we understand the difficulty that families face when this isn’t possible.

“But the demands for both specialist education and Education, Health and Care Plans have increased significantly in recent years, outstripping capacity in local schools.

"So where we are not able to place pupils in a local special school, we do have to look at schools in neighbouring boroughs that can meet the child's needs.

“We are proactively trying to bridge this gap, expanding numbers across all our special schools, with an ongoing consultation about numbers at Mill Green Special School, increasing provision in seven mainstream schools, and working together with Halton Borough Council in Widnes, where a brand-new SEN Free School has just opened, welcoming up to 64 pupils from both boroughs.”

Atlas hasn't worn this year's uniform after being taken out of mainstream school (Image: Hannah Dervisoglu)