A mother-of-four is facing a battle to get her disabled children to school because she lives two metres too close.

Sharla Winchester, 31, of Mendip Crescent, Westcliff, has managed to get her four-year-old twin boys places in the speech and language unit at Fairways Primary School, in the Fairway, Leigh.

Battle - Sharla Winchester with children Ben, Shane, Bethanie, and Antonia Picture: ROB BROWNE

She also has a seven-year-old daughter at Eastwood School, in Rayleigh Road, Leigh, and a two-year-old.

Southend Council provides funding for transport to parents if their children live more than 1.5km from their school.

Mrs Winchester approached the council for help, but the distance from her home to Fairways was measured and she was found to be 1.48km from the school - so she was refused help.

Although she can appeal against the decision, Mrs Winchester, who does not have access to a car, said she does not know how she will get the children to their different schools when they start in September.

She said: "I've worked hard to get the boys into Fairways because they need the facilities it offers, but now I don't know if they'll be able to get there. I feel like they are being discriminated against because they are disabled."

Paul Greenhalgh, an assistant director at Southend Council's education and lifelong learning department, said: "Mrs Winchester made a request and the panel decided she doesn't meet the criteria for her travel costs to be paid.

"She can appeal to a special members appeals committee if she wants to. The 1.5km distance is a threshold and when you have a threshold there are always going to be some people who fall just short of it."

Published Friday, June 13, 2003

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