We have all learnt so much from Harry

Many of us remember just what a big step it was, making the change to a big secondary school – learning our way around, navigating the busy corridors, starting new subjects, meeting lots of teachers and finding new friends – among fellow pupils who seem so much bigger, and older, then ourselves.

But one Swindon schoolboy says he is not nervous at all and is ready for the challenge. Harry Flynn, who will be 11 at the end of August, has just finished Year 6 at Red Oaks primary school and is heading for the Commonweal School at the end of the holidays.

“I feel very comfortable there,” he said.

Harry’s is an extraordinary story of determination and achievement, from his family, teaching staff and most importantly, from himself. He is the child with the most physical disability to be in mainstream education in Swindon. Born deaf and with cerebral palsy, Harry has gone on to confound expectations across the board.

Mum Hilary said: “I was told he might not survive, and that if he survived, he would never be able to sit up or feed himself.”

Yet, nearly 11 years later, Harry, who lives in Abbey Meads with his mum, his dad Paul and a younger brother, has achieved the national expected level in all his SATs – in reading, writing, maths, science and SPaG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) – setting him up in a strong position for the next stage of his education.

Hilary said: “We’re so excited. The school is all wheelchair accessible and really inclusive.”

The Commonweal School has Specialist Resource Provision, which enables children to make progress in a mainstream school on the mainstream curriculum, while providing them with a specialist intervention programme to meet their individual needs. A part of the school for 25 years, the SRP can support 20 students with an education health care plan for physical disabilities, with the help of a team of 21 specialist teaching assistants and bespoke personal care facilities.

“The physical inclusivity is really important, but it’s the attitude and experience of the staff that make it,” Hilary said. “In lessons, trips and after school clubs. Because they do it all the time, it’s second nature to them. It means we can focus on helping Harry with his classwork, and that aspect of his education.”

She paid tribute to Red Oaks, Harry’s primary school, for all they did to support him to success, particularly as Harry was the first pupil using a wheelchair in the school.

“Red Oaks were fantastic. It’s been a real learning curve for them.”

Even though none of his school friends is going to the same school, Harry says he feels confident about the move.

“I’ve already met a few pupils on the transition days,” he said.

Harry, whose favourite subject is maths, says he is a fan of music and would like to be a singer one day – and since Commonweal is a performing arts academy, he will be perfectly placed. He has benefited from a thorough transition process, which has included visits by staff from Commonweal to his primary school, chance to meet his new teaching assistant and days to visit and explore his new school. While Harry says he is expecting to get more homework in his new school, he is looking forward to new subjects and lessons.

Harry has cochlear implants, without which he is profoundly deaf. He had the first when he was two and a half and the second when he was in the reception class at school, aged four. The implants enabled him to learn to speak. He had managed at primary school in year one to use a communication device, but gradually his spoken communication skills developed and expanded.

“The change from starting at Red Oaks to now has been phenomenal,” Hilary said. While Harry started at Red Oaks in their special resource provision (SRP) for deaf children, he was able to move into their mainstream in year three.”

Red Oaks has an SRP run in partnership with Swindon Borough Council for severely and profoundly deaf children, who require specialist sign support to access learning, who would otherwise be unable to access an age-appropriate mainstream curriculum.

“We had to choose whether to choose Harry a primary school with a physically disabled or deafness SRP, but we thought, if he can’t communicate he can’t learn. These are the challenges you face when you have a child with complex needs – you are not just thinking about one thing,” Hilary said.

The family have lived in their current home for 16 years and it has been adapted using a Disabled Facilities grant, so it has a ramp access, wider doors, an accessible bathroom and a wheelchair lift to Harry’s bedroom. He loves playing videogames like the SIMS and is looking forward to a family holiday.

“Harry is so self-motivated and determined,” Hilary said. “When I have to fill in forms at school and they ask what my goals are for Harry, they are that he is happy and independent. Harry wants to be independent.

“I want him to find a job he likes and the be paying his way. I know he will do the best he can.”

She said to Harry: “Red Oaks has learnt a lot from you – and you have a lot to give a school.”

This was a view endorsed by Red Oaks headteacher Rachel Surch and assistant head and special educational needs coordinator Kathy Clarke.

“In the four years he’s been in the mainstream provision, I have learnt so much from him,” Kathy said.

“He is a very clever boy,” Rachel added. “He had a bespoke funding package for two teaching assistants funded by the local authority. Kathy and I have both said that his high aspirations and achievement challenge all the stereotypes.”

They said he had been accepted and welcomed by pupils and treated just like everyone else. Rachel also said Harry was inspired by Paralympic tennis ace Louise Hunt, a former pupil at Commonweal, who went into the school to give a talk.

“Harry was captivated,” she said. “He thought, if she can do it, so can I.”

They said liaison with Commonweal, to smooth Harry’s path into secondary school, had been excellent with extra visits so staff could find out how best to support him.

“I am confident he has the right attitude and with the right support in place, he has a great foundation to build on.”