School welcomes first pupil

The first child has started lessons at Hope House School, Barnby Road, Balderton, which has been set up to help autistic children.

The project is the brainchild of businesswoman Mrs Terri Westmoreland of Lowfield Lane, Balderton. She has been inspired by her two grandsons Hugh (12) and Harry (6). They both have opitz syndrome, a rare genetic condition related to autism.

Mrs Westmoreland believes autistic children learn most effectively in a classroom on their own with one-to-one tuition where there are no distractions.

She would like Hugh, who is at the Orchard School, Balderton, to be able to go to Hope House School and feels that Harry, who is at Chuter Ede Primary School, Balderton, would also benefit from time there in the future. But Nottinghamshire County Council has said it will not pay their fees as their needs are being met.

Mrs Westmoreland is determined to do all she can to get that decision changed.

Details of the school and its aims have been sent to councils in the area.

As a result a 12-year-old boy from Melton Mowbray, who has aspergers syndrome, is being taught science at the school two mornings a week at a cost of £600 which is being met by Leicestershire County Council.

Mrs Westmoreland said Derbyshire County Council had also expressed an interest and she hoped other local authorities would follow suit.

The school is run entirely by volunteers. The boy is being taught by Mrs Westmoreland who used to teach science at Newark Technical College.

A special needs teacher from Lincoln, Annie Templeman, has also agreed to work at the school as a volunteer when needed.

Mrs Westmoreland said they had a pool of 25 volunteers who help with the project.

The school is on the Hollies site, a former hostel for the homeless, which is owned by Newark and Sherwood District Council.

There are two classrooms, a sensory room, office, kitchen and bathrooms. It has been registered with the Department of Education and Skills and can take up to three pupils.

Work is being carried out on the other buildings on site to make them watertight so they can be converted when needed and money is available.

Mrs Westmoreland is due to sign an agreement with the council next month to enable her to continue to use the buildings rent free for the next six months. She will then be charged rent or have the option to buy the school.

So far the charity, registered four years ago, has raised about £150,000 but it will need another £200,000 to carry out the work on the other buildings.

Mrs Westmoreland’s ambition is to be able to help up to 40 children and offer some residential places.

The cost of sending a child there would be about £100,000 a year because of the need for the one-to-one tuition.