Mum’s relief at offer of special needs school place for Meredydd

An autistic lad is looking forward to the next academic year in a new school which better suits his needs.

Eight-year-old Meredydd Humphreys had been struggling in mainstream education for some time but due to a dearth of special-needs school places the best which Lincolnshire County Council, the local education authority, was able to offer was private schooling in Brigg, 67 miles away from home in West Pinchbeck.

Mum Rhonwen told of her anguish in The Voice in February and credits that publicity for receiving the offer of a place at Park House in Thorney within two days.

She said: “I’m delighted with the outcome because I was worried about it all.
“Meredydd is very excited and is really looking forward to going there. It looks like an amazing school.”

Meredydd finished at Gosberton Clough and Risegate Primary School before Easter and is now in one-to-one tutoring five days a week at Pinchbeck Community Hub. He starts at Park House in September.

Rhonwen said staff at his former primary school had been “very supportive” and a teaching assistant is helping Meredydd with the transition.

She added: “I’d like to thank The Voice. The LEA will say it had no bearing. I, however, think it had a lot of bearing. I got this offer within 48 hours.”

On the back of the article, Rhonwen was contacted by a support group and is now attending a monthly coffee morning at The Priory School in Spalding for parents in a similar position to her.