A PRIMARY school that refused - due to lack of finance - to accept a boy who has not had any formal education for four months has been told he must be allowed to attend.

Halcon Community School, Taunton, declined to take Edward Neal, four, who has a condition that makes him turn violent when stressed, after his parents removed him from another school.

Mike and Sam Neal claim Halcon head teacher Vanessa Coles told them the school was oversubscribed, so they went to appeal, which ruled that Edward could go there.

But they say that when they asked when Edward could start, Mrs Coles said there was insufficient funding for him to take up his place – despite winning the appeal.

Somerset County Council has now told Mrs Coles “an appropriate plan” is being drawn up so that Edward, who has sensory processing disorder, can start at Halcon.

Mr and Mrs Neal said they removed Edward from St James School, where he started in September, after he became violent in class.

“We took him out for his own safety and the safety of other people,” said Mr Neal, of Moorland Place.

“He was initially refused at Halcon, which they said was full, but we appealed and won.

“Edward was happy – Halcon’s near us and he’s got friends there.

“But we’re in limbo since Mrs Coles told us they didn’t have the money to cope with Edward.

“He hasn’t been to school since mid-October. He needs to be in school because he’s way behind. He’s five next month, when he has to be in full-time education.”

Edward, who gets around in a buggy, has ‘flight and fright’ – if he hears a sudden loud noise he bolts, as he did once in East Reach on his way to St James, when he charged across the road after an ambulance went by.

Mrs Neal said: “He gets aggressive when he’s frustrated – he’ll scream, shout and kick. He’ll run around, throw things, try to smash them.

“Then he’ll cry, ‘I’m sorry, my brain’s hurting and playing funny tricks on me’.

“He needs lots of care, but he needs to be in school.”

Mr Neal said Halcon yesterday (Wednesday) contacted him to arrange a meeting to discuss a possible part-time start date, adding that they need to recruit another member of staff before Edward can attend full-time.

Mrs Coles declined to comment.

A County Hall spokesman said: “Following an independent school admission appeal hearing, Edward has been allocated a place at Halcon.

“We’ll now be working with the family and the school and we expect Edward to start school as soon as an appropriate plan is in place.”

Richard Pitman, chief executive of Taunton-based Compass Disability, said: “We’d be concerned if young children with disability are missing out on school if it’s down to the securing of funding that covers their support needs.”