A TEACHER is one step closer to ensuring the voices of children with additional needs are heard across the country.

Kierran Pearce set up the Multi Schools Council in 2012, a project bringing mainstream and special needs children together.

Driven by a desire to ensure every child’s voice is heard no matter the challenges they face, he now wants to roll the project out across the country.

The teacher at Market Field School in Elmstead Market is celebrating as the Multi Schools Council has just received community interest company status.

He said: “It allows us to apply for funding that will directly impact the ideas of the children.

“We know if we want to create a sustainable change within education this can’t be a flash in the pan idea and a community interest company status gives us the platform to build on.”

He has also been given a full-time contract to work on developing the Multi Schools Council and will start this role in September.

Mr Pearce said: “It is amazing to see how far we have come since four schools were involved in 2012 but we are not even half way on our journey.

“Eventually I want every county in England to be involved in the council and the Department for Education to support us.

“Education is for everyone, or at least it should be, and

unless we create a better

understanding around special educational needs and mental health we will never create

the environments children need.

“We should always be responding to the pupil voice because it is their voice that matters the most.”

He thanked Essex County Council and Market Field School for sharing the same vision.

In the summer he will be walking to the 18 special educational needs schools around Essex - the equivalent of a marathon a day - for five days.

To find out more about the challenge and support Mr Pearce, visit his fundraising page at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kierran-pearce.