Belfast mum's frustration as SEN son unable to start school due to delayed building works

A mum from South Belfast has voiced her frustration as her son with Special Educational Needs (SEN) faces further delays to start primary school.

The mum, who wished to remain anonymous, said her son is one of the 19 children due to start school at Oakwood School in Saintfield, but building work at the site has not yet been finished. Building work was required to create more classrooms for pupils with SEN.

Her son was due to begin Primary One in September, but delays to the building work means his start date has been pushed back, with the family now told he will be starting on Monday, November 4.

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The main campus of Oakwood School is in Belfast, but there is a satellite site in the former St Mary's Primary School in Saintfield. It comes as there has been an increase in demand for special school places in recent years, with numbers rising by more than 50% between 2017/18 to 2023/24.

For this school year, the Education Authority previously stated it is establishing more than 1,450 new and additional places across both special schools and specialist provisions in mainstream schools.

Speaking to Belfast Live, the mum said: "There's 19 children that aren't in school yet and my son is one of them and it's really frustrating, it's not fair. They should be in school, they're being denied education.

"We have been told our son will be starting on Monday, 4th November - that's great, all I wanted was to have a date to work towards. We've been in limbo all summer and most of September, so having a date now is great.

"I was talking to the transport escort for my son and they said some of the children are starting on 4th November while some aren't starting until 11th November. Nothing is set in stone."

She said the past few months have been a "rollercoaster", but said the school have been brilliant throughout the issues. When teachers became aware building work wouldn't be finished in time for the school term, they began home visits and play sessions at the school for the students impacted.

"The school teachers and principal have been absolutely amazing. They're trying their best, and they're trying to see the children every week so they get to recognise them," the mum added.

"We've had home visits and a stay and play at the school, which lets the children play and run about and see the school and their classmates. When the teacher comes out to visit, she stays for about 45 minutes or so. One week is a stay and play and the next is a home visit, and they're going to keep this up until they start school."

Throughout the delays, the mum said she's frustrated as her son is out of routine, as he has now finished at a private daycare he had been attending for the past two years, as it was thought he would be at primary school by now.

She said: "My son's being denied the right to the education he deserves and is entitled to. He has severe learning difficulties and is non-verbal, he needs routine and he's out of it now. He was in a private daycare on and off for the past two years and I've taken him out now as I was expecting him to have started school now.

"I'm just trying to keep him busy every day. We do have a bit of a routine as I bring my younger daughter to nursery, so we still get up at 7 in the morning and he still gets dressed and comes with me to drop his sister off. He just needs that routine and stability.

"My friend whose son is in the school already has been there for two weeks, and the progress he's made is just unbelievable. I know my son is really going to benefit so much from being at school, but it's just a waiting game to get him into that."

The Education Authority have confirmed the date the building works will be completed. In a statement, a spokesperson for the EA said: "The Education Authority can confirm that all works will be completed by the 11th October 2024. Thereafter, opening of the facility to pupils will be a matter for the school to timetable"

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