Mother of disabled girl protests at ‘ban’ from sports day race

A PRIMARY school allegedly asked the mother of a disabled pupil to leave her daughter’s sports day after she helped her cross the finish line at last year’s event.

Lynn Harrison, from Cambourne, Cambs, claims staff at Jeavons Wood school told her she was not allowed to help her six-year-old daughter Tammy, who has cerebral palsy, join in with a race against her classmates.

Last year, Ms Harrison lifted Tammy out of her wheelchair buggy and carried her between her legs in a race so that she felt more involved during sports day.

However, at this year’s event, the mother of four said she was told she could not repeat her actions.

She claimed staff told her “insurance” and “child protection” issues meant she was prohibited from helping her daughter. Ms Harrison told Cambridge News: “When I got to the school they said to me I can’t help Tammy. They told me I couldn’t help her because of insurance and child protection, so obviously I wondered and asked how she was going to take part.

“Last year she was able to come out of the buggy and walk with me carrying her. When she does that she feels like she’s joining in and she enjoys it more. It also gives her more exercise, which is really good for her.”

Ms Harrison claimed other parents described the school’s behaviour as “disgusting” and that she was asked to leave the event by a member of staff.

Sue Wright, Jeavons Wood head teacher, said in a statement: “If a parent is upset by a decision taken by the school, then we have procedures in place to address those concerns.

“We always try and solve any issues informally but there is a clear complaints procedure to follow if they are not resolved. No parent has contacted the school informally or formally to make a complaint about sports day.”