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A family has shared their frustration after thier 12-year-old son was expelled from school, resulting in him spending the past year kicking footballs and studying at home. Riley Roberts was expelled from Haywood Academy, in Burslem, due to behavioural issues after multiple warnings and temporary exclusions.

According to StokeonTrent Live, Mum, Katey Cowans, and step-dad, Dan Walker – both aged 31 – believe Riley needed more one-to-one support in lessons, something which they say the Burslem academy wasn’t able to provide. Now, he’s been left without a school to call his own for an entire year.

Medical tests have concluded that Riley does not have ADHD. Now Stoke-on-Trent City Council is being urged to find a school place for Riley.

Dan, from Burslem, said: “He was always wanting attention and pushing teachers to the limit. They couldn’t handle him. My partner was constantly called in to talk about his behaviour. Their answer appeared to be to always exclude him – and that didn’t help his behaviour. They recognised straight away that mainstream school isn’t for him but nothing was done about it. Due to his behaviour, and how he was, I was expecting it.

“I have always said that he needs one-to-one work and a special school. It’s a joke and this should have been dealt with by now but no one is doing anything. There should have been a school board review where we sat down and talked about what’s best for Riley. This should have been done last year when he was expelled.”

Dan added: “I am convinced that he has got something. I’ve been giving him work at home and sometimes he kicks off, he is a troubled child.

“We waited eight months for a tutor to come out and they only spend an hour a day with him which is pointless. He is very immature and needs to be around people his age. He is not growing up as he is spending a lot of time with his younger brother. He needs to go back to school and be around people again. If he puts his head to it then he can do it.

“They can fine me for keeping him off school for a week – but they can keep him off for a year. I think it’s disgusting.

“He is always fidgeting and never sitting down in class. He needs to be in another place where it is more one-to-one with him. He struggles to understand so if you give him something to read he can’t understand it. They keep palming him off in mainstream schools.”

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is aware of Riley’s plight.

Councillor Janine Bridges, cabinet member for education, said: “We want all young people in the city to have the best possible start in life, the best education and the best life chances. We are aware of this situation and have been working with the family to help support Riley so he can re-engage with education.”

Haywood Academy has defended its decision.

A school spokesman said: “We can confirm that, in the few weeks that this young person was physically on-site at the academy, all agencies and support services were engaged with which far exceeded the limits of the support plan that accompanied him. There are no records of parents not being satisfied by the extensive support offered to this young person. Indeed since the final incident which led to the young person no longer being able to attend, academy staff have remained in contact with the family and the agencies to support further.”

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