A MOTHER-of-three from Weston says she is 'gutted' that her special needs son has been told his chosen secondary school isn't 'appropriate' for him

A MOTHER-of-three from Weston says she is 'gutted' that her special needs son has been told his chosen secondary school isn't 'appropriate' for him.Rachel Clapham, of Moorland Road, says Broadoak Mathematics and Computing College has written to her son's teacher to say 11-year-old Simon Pritchard cannot start at the school, which is three roads away from their house, in September.However, the school says it won't be making any firm decisions until March.Simon, who currently attends Uphill Primary School, suffers from learning difficulties including dyslexia, as well as problems with his co-ordination and stance.Rachel, a 38-year-old nursing home manager, who also has a daughter Aimee, and a two-year-old son Stephen, says she is even more disappointed because the local authority had already written to her to say Simon had been accepted at the school in Windwhistle Road, Weston.She said: "We had a letter from North Somerset Council on December 12 to say a place had been reserved at Broadoak for Simon but that the council had to consult the headteacher, Linda Heaven-Woolley, to see if she was aware of his problems."At a meeting yesterday Simon's teacher showed us an email which said Broadoak is not an appropriate placement for Simon."Simon is devastated as all his friends are going to Broadoak."A North Somerset Council spokesman said: "It would be inappropriate for us to comment on an individual child or school's case.