A PORTHMADOG school was taken to tribunal after a disabled pupil missed nearly four weeks of education because there were not enough specialised staff to look after him.

A family from Porthmadog won the tribunal against their local primary school, Ysgol Eifion Wyn, after their son missed 19 days of school.

The pupil, who has Prader Willi syndrome which affects his muscles and development, as well as complex epilepsy, requires a trained assistant to help with his studies, but the school failed to provide one for him for a prolonged period, failing in their statutory duty.

Gwynedd Council and Ysgol Eifion Wyn have accepted the ruling and said they have fully implemented the recommendations.

They added that more staff have now been trained to help the pupil.

In a joint statement Gwynedd Council and the school stated that they “noted the case tribunal’s ruling during the 2016/17 academic year, and that any recommendations were fully implemented”.

The boy had attended Ysgol Eifion Wyn with no problems for several terms but, after his main assistant became ill and the supply assistant was dismissed, there was no-one to help at school.

The council and the school added: “Ensuring that every one of our pupils receives the support they need to be able to reach their full potential is our priority. As part of this commitment, the Education Department is working with schools to ensure that every pupil has access to any specialised support that is needed.

“Whilst it is not possible for us to discuss the details of this specific case, we can note that the school and the council have worked closely to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place and that staff who have been fully trained can provide specialised support for pupils of the school.”

Gwion Lewis, familiy barrister, said: "A big part of the problem in this case is that the school was put in an almost impossible position by the financial pressures put upon them that all schools acrss Wales face during this period of austerity."