A mum has won her battle to stop her autistic son being put in a mainstream school.

Carla Nicholson, 26, was fighting to get a place in a special school for seven-yearold son Riley, who also has severe speech and language difficulties.

Riley, from Earls Colne, had been at a specialist unit at Powers Hall School, in Witham, but is now too old to attend.

Essex County Council initially said he must go back into mainstream education at Earls Colne Primary, which he left, aged five.

But a letter from the school, dated in March, says Riley has significant needs which would not be met in a mainstream school.

He has now been off school since the end of last term.

Carla said: “My son has been left without a suitable school and I have had to take unpaid leave from work.

“My son has an educational, health and care plan for learning difficulties, autism and disordered speech and language.

“He was in a speech and language unit from reception until the end of Year 2 before the summer.

“I specifically requested specialist provision at Kingswode Hoe in Colchester.

“But they ignored this and allocated us Earls Colne, which is the first one he left.”

Riley’s care plan says he needs access to a speech and language therapist, which would not be provided at Earls Colne.

Carla was set to take the case to the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

She said: “Riley spent a year in mainstream education and the headteacher agreed it wasn’t suitable for him.

“Kingswode is 20 minutes from me, but the county council says this would cost £70 a day to get him to school.

“How difficult has it got to be to get him to the right school? He has not been seen by a speech and language therapist since he left the specialist unit.

“I am so angry I don’t know what to do next.”

The county council has been providing Riley with six hours of tuition a week while he is out of school.

His mum was waiting for a court date for the appeal.

But when the Gazette contacted the county council, it said a review had now decided Riley should go to a special school and they were trying to find a suitable place for him, although Kingswode Hoe was unable to offer the support required.

A spokesman said: “In the meantime, alternative education has been arranged for Riley, which includes speech and language therapy support.

We are also working with the family to understand whether there is any further support they need while Riley is out of school.

“Our priority is to ensure Riley returns to a suitable school placement as soon as possible.”