Autistic boy turned away from college after starting course

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A teenager with autism was left in tears after he began a course at a further education college only to be told days later that he was not allowed back.

James Parker, 16, who is described as having high support needs, enrolled at City College Norwich (CCN) on Monday last week for a one-year pathways course and enjoyed “the best week of his life”, his mother said.

Then on Friday his mother, Emma, received a letter from the college telling her he had been enrolled in error and asking her not to send him back to college.

Emma Parker posted the letter on Facebook on Friday saying she was heartbroken. “This has been the story through all his educational years. I’m taking this further. How dare they do this.” Her post has been shared more than 14,500 times.

It reads: “My son is autistic and was told [at the] beginning of [the] year he had to find a college for September as he couldn’t stay on at his autistic school. So we applied and went for [an] interview at the city college. He was over the moon to hear the lady say: ‘Yes, 100% James is on the course.’ So he started and enrolled Monday – had the best week of his life. He even said: ‘Mum, I could cry happy tears.’

The college said it would review its application processes but said James’s needs had been assessed earlier in the year as part of his education, health and care plan (EHCP) and it was decided he needed a higher level of support and a different learning environment from that which it could provide.

“As had been determined in March, the college had already assessed that we were unable to provide the level of right support and environment needed, but this only came to light when we cross-referenced enrolment and additional needs funding records.”

The college apologised, adding: “We are clear that this very unfortunate and isolated incident should not have happened. We are now reviewing our application processes to make sure that something like this cannot happen again. We are also working with Norfolk county council to help find the right provision for James.”