THE father of a 16-year-old boy with severe learning disabilities is taking Essex County Council to court for refusing to pay to educate his son at a special school outside the county.

Colin Dawson, from Braintree, will argue in the High Court that County Hall should fund a place for son Finlay at a special school in Kent.

The 49-year-old dad claims Mount Camphill, near Tunbridge Wells, provides a level of education not given at Edith Borthwick School, in Braintree, where Finlay has been since 2014 and is not due to leave for another two years.

Mr Dawson has been trying to get Essex County Council to fund the place since September 2021, but the request has been refused.

The county Council says it is working with Mr Dawson to agree appropriate provision for Finlay, and is “committed to ensuring that every child in the county has the support they need to meet their educational potential”.

Mr Dawson says the need is even more acute given the degree of Finlay's disability.

The teenager cannot form more than a three-word sentence, cannot form any type of written word, let alone read or write, has no concept of stranger danger, and no road sense, and will simply walk out into incoming traffic.

He cannot wash himself properly and is unable to use a knife or fork, despite his father trying to teach him life skills at home.

In 2014, while on holiday in Portugal, Finlay watched his mother collapse with a brain aneurysm.

She died three weeks later.

Mr Dawson said at the time he promised to do everything to ensure Finlay receives the best education possible.

Mount Camphill’s timetables includes speech and language, working on a farm with animals, growing food, pottery, weaving, woodwork, and cookery.

He said: “It pains me to think that Finlay is ready for a school like that now but Essex is quite happy to say that the school he is at now is right for two years.

“I am not happy with just making do. I could leave him there for the next two years. But he is not going to get any further.”

He added: “My son has attended Mount Camphill School. He absolutely loved the environment, had a two-day overnight assessment and was offered a place for September 2022.

“We have accepted this placement as we know he will thrive and truly get the independence that I promised his mother many years ago, as who knows what life brings you, as I may not be here forever.”

After receiving a letter from Senco in April refusing his application for his son to start in his new school in September 2022, he has launched an appeal, due to be heard at the High Court on July 15.

A spokesman for Essex County Council said: “While it would not be appropriate to share details of an individual case, we are working with this family to agree appropriate SEND provision for this pupil."

“Essex County Council is committed to ensuring that every child in the county has the support they need to meet their educational potential, and that they receive all the necessary support and resources to meet any special educational needs or disabilities.”