The parents of an 11-year-old boy who cannot read or write are heading for the High Court trying to force Norfolk County Council to pay for their son to attend a private special school.

Emma Jones and her husband Ian, the chaplain at Wymondham College, believe their son Evan needs specialist teaching at a £19,000-a-year special school in Stowmarket to overcome his severe dyslexia, dyspraxia and behaviour problems.

But Norfolk County Council believes that Evan should be taught - with extra support - in Wicklewood Primary School.

After a series of independent tribunal hearings which ruled in the council's favour, Mr and Mrs Jones were today due to ask the High Court in London to review how Evan's case was handled.

Mrs Jones said: “This is about giving Evan the chance and the tools to determine his own future - and the chance to have some choice about his future career rather than expecting that he'll drop out of education when he's at secondary school. Sending Evan to a special school now gives him a chance of getting what he needs to learn how to read and write and a way back into the mainstream.”

Mrs Jones added: “He's a bright, articulate and confident boy. But we've consulted five educational psychologists - some of the best in the country - and they've all said Evan's condition is one of the worst you can get and that he needs to go to a special school,” Mrs Jones said.

“He's 11 years old and he's not reading and writing, even though he has a reasonable IQ.”

Mrs Jones said the family had already run up legal bill running into thousands of pounds fighting Evan's case.

Norfolk County Council said it could not comment in detail on the case ahead of today's High Court hearing.

But a spokesman added: “An independent tribunal has already considered the provision being made for Evan and found it appropriate - it is the tribunal's decision which is being contested.”

Evan has been out of school for all but a few months in the last year. The family's battle to persuade Norfolk County Council to pay for Evan to go to a special school began in September 2004, when the family moved to Wymondham from Wales.

He was initially placed by the county council at Wicklewood Primary School, but Mr and Mrs Jones took their case for Evan to be educated at the Old Rectory to an independent special needs tribunal in June 2005. After a second hearing was postponed in September, the tribunal reconvened in November and concluded that Evan should receive a mainstream education.

The Jones's case at the High Court centres on whether the tribunals followed correct procedure.

Are you fighting to get better education for your child? Call Evening News education reporter Hugh Bowring on (01603) 772447 or e-mail hugh.bowring@archant.co.uk

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