A PARENT has had her child’s exclusion from a Horwich secondary school quashed.

Michele Donnelly is the second parent to contact The Bolton News after successfully appealing against her child's expulsion from St Joseph's RC High School.

Her 14-year-old son, who has additional needs, was expelled from St Joseph’s RC High School in March after an incident in class which the school said was a "serious breach of the school's behaviour policy" and centred around what the school said was an assault on a member of staff.

Mrs Donnelly said her son was sent out of the class and when he tried to walk back in 'to learn', the teacher blocked his entrance and as he tried to fit through the gap, pushed past him and 'contact was made'.

In its judgement, the appeal panel stated it had concerns about the witness statements in terms of ascertaining the level of severity of the incident.

Mrs Donnelly, aged 49, said she was inspired to fight to have the order overturned after reading about Emma Logan in The Bolton News, who successfully appealed against her son’s exclusion order at the same school. The independent review panel in that case recommended the governing body ‘reconsiders it decision’.

Mrs Donnelly, who lives in Westhoughton, sought the help of retired lecturer Joe Whittaker and took her fight to the independent review panel.

Her 14-year-old son is now said to be ‘thriving’ at pupil referral unit, Youth Challenge, and working towards sitting his GCSEs.

A report from Youth Challenge stated the teenager was always 'polite and well-mannered' and 'looks shocked when other pupils misbehave'.

The independent review panel in its judgement said the panel had “decided to quash the decision to permanently exclude the pupil”.

Reasons included the sanction was ‘overly severe’ and concerns about 'the witness statements in terms of ascertaining the level of severity of the incident'.

The panel stated: "The fixed five-day exclusion used immediately prior to the permanent exclusion was sufficient in this case."

The panel also felt that the behaviour policy from 2015 needs to be reviewed in “terms of the clarity of the referral process, reference to the behaviour ladder and specific consideration of SEN — special educational needs — and EHCP — education health and care plan — matters."

Ms Donnelly — who says she had not heard from the school until The Bolton News contacted St Joseph's RC — said she did not want her son to return to the school but wanted to have the order wiped clean from his record – and she called for greater understanding of the needs of the vulnerable children.

She said: "It saddens me to think that in 2017 vulnerable children are still being let down under the education system. My son’s EHCP is for Emotional Behavioural Difficulties, something that he struggles with on a daily basis. The EHCP should have given him the support he needs in helping deal with difficult situations.

"Schools need to change in their attitude towards the disadvantaged students — instead of concentrating on the academic pupils who will help them achieve their targets, they should be made accountable for the failings in their treatment of the vulnerable.

"My son is now at Youth Challenge waiting for a school placement, which because he is in Year 10 and in the middle of his GCSEs, is proving difficult to find.

"That said he is thriving as at last he is having his needs met by professionals who completely understand how to support children with these types of issues."

No one from the school responded to repeated requests for a comment from The Bolton News.