British parents fight to get their daughter with dyslexia into a different school

From BBC News:

The parents of a girl with special needs are fighting a Kent council's decision not to fund a place at an independent school.

Penny Oliver (pictured), 11, from Rochester, has severe number dyslexia and language difficulties and left Walderslade Girls School after struggling with lessons.

Her parents want to send her to Trinity School which they say has the necessary resources to support their daughter.

Medway Council said Walderslade school was "well placed to support" Penny.

Penny's mother, Tabitha Marshall, withdrew her from Walderslade school after six weeks.

She said an educational welfare officer and psychologist had provided the council with reports stating it would be detrimental for Penny to return to the school.

But the council has refused to offer Penny a place at at the independent Trinity School, a mile from the family home, because it said Walderslade was better suited to support her.

Ms Marshall said: "We're really angry, we can't believe that that's what they've said.

"Penny needs to go to a specialist school where there are specialist staff that can deal with the problems she's got."

Medway Council said Penny left Walderslade before an assessment of her needs was completed.

In a statement Medway Council said: "We believe that Walderslade is well placed to support her.

"In addition, we believe its facilities and curriculum range are far greater than could be offered at Trinity."

The council also said that in other circumstances it had provided children with places at independent schools and that their decision was not based on the budget.

Ms Marshall said the family would continue to appeal the council's decision until a suitable school place was found.