THE parents of a Year 10 student at a school near Taunton said their child has been “neglected” after an autism diagnosis.

They said Heathfield Community School in Monkton Heathfield did not support their child who was diagnosed with ADHD, autism, and sensory processing issues diagnosis.

The parents, who said the school was “negligent”, then contacted the Board of Governors and their complaint was upheld.

The school’s Interim Executive Board said they “know improvements are required and have identified five key priorities for our School Improvement Plan, which includes supporting children with SEND”.

The schoolchildren’s parents also said: “We tried to get help from the school and they promised that they would put through the relevant measures, but they didn’t.

“We need to know what help we need to get for her GCSEs. Because of all this, we decided to complain, and our complaint was upheld by the Board of Governors.

“Once we got the diagnosis, we let the school know. We ask to support her diagnosis and get support on how she needs to be treated in the classroom and they have done none of that and they didn’t agree with the diagnosis.

“The Board of Governors, which has been great, said they have been ‘negligent’.

“The Board of Governors agreed on all the actions that need to be in place.

“She has a good support network around her at home but her mental health has been all over the place and I just worry for other children who do not have this support – if they feel like this, where will they be?

“She has been neglected, she is not getting support for her disabilities and all this is having an impact on her education.”

A spokesperson for the Interim Executive Board at Heathfield Community School said: “At Heathfield, we know improvements are required and have identified five key priorities for our School Improvement Plan, which includes supporting children with SEND.

“We do not comment on individual cases, but we are working with parent/carers, and where appropriate the Local Authority and other agencies, to identify and meet the needs of all children.”