A mother has been left “tearing her hair out” after getting nowhere trying to move her son to a school that can deliver the SEND support he needs.

Jenny Roughton says Future Academies Watford, in Horseshoe Lane, North Watford, doesn’t have the resources to deliver on her child’s education plan for his dyslexia, due to a lack of specialist teachers.

Despite this, efforts to move him to another school that is more able to offer the support he needs have stalled for months because she claims Hertfordshire County Council has repeatedly ignored her.

Please support our independent journalism, and get access to exclusive news and sport stories, by signing up to a Watford Observer digital subscription today.

The mum said: “He is nowhere near mainstream. I’m trying to change his school because it hasn’t allowed him to develop.

“Because he has an education plan, I can’t just go through the normal channels. I have to talk to someone and they refer me, I can’t do it myself.”

Although her son's attendance has plummeted and she says he is "drowning" at the school, Ms Roughton feels like she hasn't been allowed to look into other options.

Despite apparently being told at various times that various people at the council were responsible for helping her with the process the single parent feels she consistently ends up at a dead end.

“Hertfordshire County Council don’t follow up,” she added.

“I am constantly phoning people who don’t phone back. I’m tearing my hair out and at the end of my tether.

“I feel like I’m being told to lump it as there is no school for my son."

A spokesperson for Future Academies said: “While we are unable to talk about individuals and their specific circumstances, we have been in regular dialogue with this family.

“We are doing all that we are able to do to support their immediate needs, and will continue to work with them as they consider their child’s future education.”

A council spokesperson said: “We’re aware that unfortunately there have been some delays in this case, and we’d like to apologise to the family for this.

“We are now working with the family to resolve this situation.

The council added that since 2019 there have been more pupils with education plans and it has invested in the SEND system to support them.