Our experience with the school was disappointing.

We felt that the school was too quick to categorise normal age-appropriate behaviours as requiring one-to-one support, rather than managing them within a mainstream classroom. Despite no formal diagnosis requiring individual support and clear evidence of my child's progress throughout the year, the school continued to insist on a parent-funded Learning Support Assistant (LSA).

Throughout the process, we felt that our concerns, supporting clinical feedback, and the progress my child was making were given very little weight. Rather than reconsidering its position, the school remained firm that an LSA was a condition for my child to continue into subsequent terms and ultimately for re-enrolment into the next academic year. This left us feeling pressured into appointing an LSA and incurring significant additional costs on top of the annual tuition and transport fees.

Inclusion should be about supporting children within the mainstream school environment wherever reasonably possible—not shifting the responsibility and financial burden to parents for behaviours that many young children naturally display. I hope the school reflects on its approach and works more collaboratively with families before making such significant requirements.