Surrey County Council failed to provide suitable full-time education to an SEND primary school child, causing the youngster to miss valuable learning time and creating undue stress for his mother, a local government watchdog has ruled.

The county council was ordered to pay £3,900 and apologise to the boy and his mother to acknowledge the injustice caused after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman completed its investigation into the matter.

The council must pay £2,900 for the lack of education provided over a six-month period and a further £1,000 for the inconvenience, distress, time and trouble caused to his mother – including the impact on her employment. It must also provide updated guidance clarifying the legal position on complaints and appeals as well as evidence it has complied with the ruling.

The Ombudsman said it would not make further recommendations for service improvements to the council’s alternative education provision as these have been covered in “similar findings against the council in other cases in the recent past covering the same period”. Staff are also to be retrained and better records kept to “prevent a recurrence of the same fault in future cases.”

In 2020 the boy was on a waiting list for an autism assessment by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). In November 2021, his mainstream school then placed the youngster on a part-time, mornings only, timetable and by January 2022 it was assessed he should no longer attend school due to mental health concerns. 

His mother said he was then given worksheets but no online or face-to-face tuition was offered. His mother, a single parent, said she had to cut her hours at work as her son could not attend school.

In late March 2022, the council offered the family two hours per week teaching assistant (TA) support. 
Convinced her son was falling behind, his mother began paying private tutor to help for one hour a week.
Shortly after this the council increased TA time to three hours a week, and then later added one hour tutor time. By late June this was extended to four hours, increasing to seven and a half hours in September, and 14 hours in October 22.

Eventually,  the council said the boy should have access to mainstream provision for the remainder of his time at primary school but he would not be in a position to return immediately.  Discussions then turned to offering 25 hours educational provision through the county’s SEN team from September and a draft plan proposed he stay with his current school but likely to require specialist provision at secondary age.

In July, a meeting was then held with tutors, the school, and CAMHS – and an Education otherwise than at school (EOTAS) programme was suggested. His mother asked for this to be continued on an ongoing basis.

However, Surrey County Council decided he should continue with his current school in Summer 2022 and did not specify EOTAS or interim provision, or details of how he would reintegrate into the school.

His mother complained that the council failed to provide her son with proper education from January 2022 and failed to follow professional advice that he should receive EOTAS until he transferred to secondary school in September 2023 – instead proposing he be sent back to mainstream primary school for the remainder of the school year.

The Ombudsman upheld her complaint and found fault by the council in “failing to provide suitable fulltime education when a child was unable to attend school.” The report said: “This caused the child to miss out on education and caused the parent carer unnecessary inconvenience and distress. The agreed actions set out above are a satisfactory resolution to the complaint.”

A spokesman for Surrey County Council said: “We take the findings from the Ombudsman very seriously and we apologise for any distress the family experienced. We are not able to comment on any individual children specifically, however we know how important access to fulltime education is for all children to support their development and wellbeing, including when this must be provided outside of school.

“We remain committed to improving outcomes for children with additional needs so that they are happy, healthy, safe and confident about their future.”

Image – Emily Coady-Stemp

Related reports:

Surrey County failed SEND boy

Surrey to SEND £40m for special schools

The Epsom and Ewell Time Bank is launching soon and they’re having a social gathering early June 2023. If you’re interested in registering or have any questions, this is your chance to get involved.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “time is money.  But in truth, it’s much more valuable that … it’s Productivity, Freedom, Enjoyment, Friends / Family and giving back to your neighbourhood and building a stronger community,” so says David West, Founder of the Epsom and Ewell Time Bank who is launching the community project to benefit everyone saying, “It’s free to join and use, giving it’s members an opportunity to meetup and exchange their skills, experience and time.”

For every hour you help someone, you earn an hours credit, which can be spent on someone helping you.  It’s a way to meet new people, make friends, and feel more involved in your community.

David told the Times “By sharing your time you are redefining the nature and connections within your community from the bottom up.  Working together, building new relationships and creating new opportunities for the common good.” He went on to explain “We are apart of the Time Bank UK charity, using their Internet Time Bank software to match people with  the community projects and work.”

The Epsom and Ewell Time Bank was at the weekend’s Festival of Ewell and is organising a social gathering and Q&A in June 2023. If you’re interested in registering for the Time Bank or have any questions, this is your chance to get involved.

The Time Bank community is free to join and all activities are managed by Time Banking UK’s web-based software and overseen by a Epsom and Ewell Time Broker.

David West at The Festival of Ewell

To find out more about the social gathering and stay up-to-date, follow the Epsom and Ewell Time Bank on Facebook and Instagram. For more information on Time Banking, se Time Banking UK’s website or email the Epsom resident and organiser, David at EpsomTB@gmail.com.

Epsom and Ewell Time Bank Registration – https://tol2.timebanking.org/epsomandewell

Epsom and Ewell Time Bank Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/831821940256246

Epsom and Ewell Time Bank Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/epsomandewelltimebank/

Time Banking UK – https://timebanking.org/howitworks/

How does Time Banking help? Time Bank claim:

– 85% meeting more people.
– 80% felt more part of the community than before.
– 74% made new friends.
– 74% experienced a lift in mood or reduced depression.
– 69% felt they could ask for or receive more help.
– 66% said they experienced reduced loneliness.
– 60% said their quality of life, health and wellbeing had improved.

May is the month to talk about walking, more walking and even more walking. The weather is brighter, dryer and warmer and is the best time to get outdoors as a family.

We know how important walking to school is for children’s health and the environment. It reduces congestion, improves road safety at the school gates and instils lifelong healthy habits. It’s been proven that children who do some form of exercise, especially a walk before school, do better in class because they arrive refreshed, fit and ready to learn.

The school run alone is responsible for generating half a million tonnes of CO2 nationally per year

Not everyone is able to walk to school, but there might be part of the journey you could walk. This Walk to School Week (15 to 19 May), could you think about turning rides into strides which can really make a difference? Take a look on our active travel webpage for inspiration.

Making it safe for Surrey’s children

It’s important for parents to know that their children are safe when walking along a road. This is where our Feet First: Walking Training comes in – a programme that provides school children aged 7 to 8 years old (Year 3) with the road safety skills to enable them to safely walk to and from school with their parents and carers, whilst also preparing children to travel independently in the future. The training is done in the classroom as well as using online resources, at home activities and taking children outside on Surrey’s streets for them to practice what they’ve learned in a real-world environment. It includes teaching:

• The Green Cross Code and how to cross the road safely
• Road signs and pedestrian crossings
• Recognising safe and unsafe places to cross
• Dealing with distractions and rushing
• How to cross between parked cars
• Understanding vehicle lights and sounds
• Crossing driveways
• The benefits of active travel

Last term, our Feet First: Walking Training instructors taught 3,500 pupils across 65 schools the skills they need to stay safe on Surrey’s roads. By the end of this academic year our instructors will have taught over 5,500 pupils at nearly 100 primary schools in the county.

For more information on the training visit the Walking training for schools webpage or speak to your school to see if they’re signed up.

People from across the borough joined forces with Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell (CAEE) to raise
vital funds for those at the forefront of the cost-of-living crisis.

Nearly 50 staff, volunteers and supporters went the extra mile on Sunday 14 May 2023 by walking a
self-guided 5 mile route around Horton County Park or 10 mile route through the Epsom countryside
to raise funds for the charity.

Image: Cllr Kieran Persand, Chris Grayling MP, Sue Grayling, Lisa Davis CEO CAEE, Louise Curd CAEE, volunteer Chris Bruce CAEE, Cllr Bernie Muir

Supporters who took part on Sunday included MP Chris Grayling and Horton councillors Bernie Muir and Kieran Persand. Epsom and Ewell Rotaries both fielded volunteers to help on the day plus some CAEE staff and volunteers who gave up their Sunday.

The event is expected to raise over £1,000. Anyone who would like to walk the route and donate or
even just donate, can visit the CAEE Just Giving page. All funds raised during Sunday’s event will go
directly into supporting frontline services.

One of the people CAEE has helped is Tom (not his real name), a man in his 50s who lives alone in a
rented property. He is typical of many of CAEE’s clients and their multiple (and sometimes hidden)
vulnerabilities. When Tom first came to CAEE he was defensive, lacked confidence dealing with
people and his finances and had spiralling rent arrears, council tax liabilities, water arrears and other
debts. His paperwork was chaotic and incomplete and Tom found appointments challenging.

Over a period of time, advisers at CAEE have been working regularly with Tom and he has taken
giant leaps forward and is now in a much better situation. CAEE has empowered Tom to work at a
pace that he can cope with to help him overcome some of his difficulties.

Lisa Davis, CEO of CAEE, said: “We’re so grateful to everyone who rallied together this weekend. Every day our advisers hear from people who are stressed, isolated and frightened as they try to deal with the cost-of-living crisis. We’re working flat out to help people find a way forward. But we’re a charity and our services are stretched. All the funds raised by the people of Epsom and Ewell will help us get crisis support for those who need it.”

Brownie leader Mary Zoeller from Epsom has been recognised for her outstanding volunteer work by Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Led by Queen Camilla, the Royal Voluntary Service has recognised 500 outstanding volunteers from across the UK with a Coronation Champion Award. The awards celebrate and recognise the tireless work of volunteers around the country, which formed a key part of the coronation celebrations for His Majesty the King.

Mary received the award for her work volunteering with Girlguiding and other local charities. Over the past thirteen years she has inspired girls to have exceptional experiences as leader of 1^st Ewell Village (St Mary’s), as well as being Epsom division and assistant county commissioner for Surrey East.

The Coronation Champion Volunteer Awards were judged by a panel consisting of specialists in the volunteering field and charity leaders. Mary is one of only 500 people in the UK to be awarded a Coronation Champion Volunteer Award.

Mary attended the Coronation concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May in recognition of her award.

Mary said: “I’m very shocked but absolutely delighted to be named a Coronation Champion. In Girlguiding, we all work hard to make a difference to girls and young women’s lives and it’s wonderful when our volunteering efforts are recognised. Attending the concert on Sunday was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, one which I will always remember.”

Brownie in 1^st Ewell Village (St Mary’s) Libby, aged 9, said: “All the brownies are so excited and happy that Brown Owl won this award. When she told us about the award, we clapped really hard. Brown Owl deserves this award for always making sure we have the best time at Brownies every week. Brownies is so much fun, Brown Owl always helps everybody with a big smile.”

About Girlguiding 

Girlguiding is the UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls, with around 370,000 members. Girls can do anything. We help them know that, whether they’re 4 or 18 or in between. All girls have a home at Girlguiding – whoever they are, and wherever they are. We show them a world of possibilities, big and small. We help them think big and be bold in a space where they can be themselves, get creative, explore, and have fun. We’re a powerful collective voice – with girls, led by girls – changing the world for the better. 

We’re 300,000 Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers, who come together to laugh, learn, explore and have adventures, in communities across the UK and virtually. We’re 70,000 volunteers who make guiding happen by giving time, talent and enthusiasm. Registered Charity No 306016 girlguiding.org.uk 

A new national research facility could significantly improve our understanding of infectious diseases, ageing and cancers, leading to novel treatments and vaccines. 

The University of Surrey’s SEISMIC facility will offer scientists access to technology that enables them to pick up single cells or even parts of cells and measure the spatial position of biomarkers like proteins, metabolites and lipids. 

Funded by £2.8 million from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and industry, SEISMIC uses an advanced type of microscope manufactured by Yokogawa Corporation.  

Professor Melanie Bailey, Director of the SEISMIC facility at the University of Surrey, said: 

“Thanks to SEISMIC, we’ve made a breakthrough in measuring lipids in individual mammalian cells. This new technology is a game changer because it allows scientists to measure important biomarkers while keeping track of where they are in the cell. This is important for understanding how healthy cells work and how infections or cancer can affect them.  

“We’re really excited about this because it will help us better understand how cells communicate with each other, and this knowledge could lead to new ways to fight diseases.” 

SEISMIC enables single-cell and sub-cellular analysis, which will help scientists understand what happens under defined conditions and how cells signal to each other. 

Dr Dany Beste, Senior Lecturer in Microbial Metabolism at the University of Surrey, said: 

“The new facility is free for academics working in BBSRC-funded areas and also available to scientists in industry. We are confident SEISMIC will enhance scientific training in single-cell work and overcome some of the challenges in this area.”  

SEISMIC is the University of Surrey’s third national research facility with the Ion Beam Centre and the Environmental Flow Laboratory.  

Prof Bailey said: 

“The combination of SEISMIC, the proton beam facility and the Ion Beam Centre are a boon to Surrey’s scientific and business communities and could allow us to understand the interaction between cancer cells and radiation in more detail. This has enormous potential and we are excited to welcome researchers to use our new facility.” 

Surrey University News.

For over 35 years a close friendship has existed between the 1st Cuddington Sea Scouts in Epsom & Ewell District and the Karel Doorman Zeeverkenners Groep of Bergen Op Zoom in the southern Netherlands. The roots of the relationship go back to the 2nd World War, Arnhem, disrupted schooling and a Royal Navy Admiral.

The relationship centres around reciprocal visits on a 3 or 4 yearly basis; and 2019 saw the last pre-pandemic visit. The Groups kept in touch over lockdown (and they had a brief joint paddle-boarding session with a motorcycling leader in 2020), but there was incredible excitement when at the end of April 2023, 74 Dutch Sea Scouts and leaders arrived in a double decker coach for their 12th visit.

Their journey had taken them via a day trip to Canterbury and they arrived to meet the 1st Cuddington team who were cooking dinner. Over the course of the week they had a week with joint boating at the Warspite Water Activity Centre on the Thames; a hike down (and up) Box Hill with Warspite Scouts and Explorers, London Zoo, a day of boating at the Dockland Scout Project in central London, kipping on a ship in the West India Dock, exploring London, swimming in Guildford, widegames with Explorers, joint discos and much more.

Neighbours at 2nd Cuddington provided accommodation for the girls whilst the Dockland Scout Project supplied both accommodation and a day of boating in the shadow of Canary Wharf; there was also support from Scout partners at Ajax Sea Scouts

About Scouts

• Scouts, the world’s largest youth movement, was founded on 1 August 1907.
• In the UK, Scouts is supported by The Scout Association, enabling 7,000 Scout Groups across the country to provide opportunities to over 475,000 young people aged 6-25.
• There are now more than 638,000 individuals actively involved in Scouts in the UK.
• All genders, races and backgrounds are welcome at Scouts. Every week, it gives almost half a million people aged 4-25 the skills they need for school, college, university, the job interview, the important speech, the tricky challenge and the big dreams: the skills they need for life.  
• Scouts helps members gain these skills by encouraging them to ask the big questions and listen with wide open minds. It helps them to take a deep breath and speak up, think on their feet, ignore the butterflies and go for it. With Scouts, young people don’t give up – they get back up and try again, often with the support of the friends they’ve made there.  
• Over 200 activities are offered by Scouts around the UK, from canoeing and caving to coding and community projects, made possible by the efforts of over 163,000 adult volunteers.
• Worldwide, Scouts has over 50 million members, both male and female, and operates in nearly every country in the world.
• UK Scouts has over 250 Scout Activity Challenge badges. These require participants to achieve a level of understanding and skill realistic and appropriate to their age range.

Even Al-Jazeera’s global reaching website is plagued by pop-ups. Your local quality news service, The Epsom and Ewell Times, is determined to resist its website being used to generate income. We say “No” to irritating advertisements, pop-ups and other uninvited interferences with your reading pleasure.

The Epsom and Ewell Times has been in full operational mode for one year and we have not charged readers a penny. We want our service to be available to everyone. The 2019 Report into the Press of Baroness Caithness sets out, with substantial evidence in support, the vital role quality local news services provide local communities: Improvements to participation in local affairs: Council business and politics, community events and volunteer activities.

Our efforts have been recognised by the BBC permitting us to print the reports of its local reporters. The BBC does not provide any financial support.

We still have a long way to go to extend and improve our service and with your support we can continue to build.

Today The Epsom and Ewell Times appeals to all our readers to make a modest donation for us to cover our running costs. All our contributors are unpaid volunteers. However, there are fees to pay for regulation, subscriptions for the use of images, website hosting fees and other unavoidable expenses.

For donors giving us £20 or more there is an option to be entered into a draw for two free passes for the upcoming Satisfied Eye International Film Festival. 26th to 28th May Bourne Hall, Ewell.

We would be very grateful for any donation you can kindly make.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR DONATE FORM and help the Epsom and Ewell Times maintain its service for another year.

Epsom and Ewell’s own international film festival is coming. The Satisfied Eye International Film Festival, now in its fourth season and consistently rated in the top film festivals in the world, is already acknowledged for its high quality programme. This year, due to Co-Vid delays, the Festival has two year’s worth of submissions from over 50 countries; so the organisers could cherry pick even more for an extra high quality programme.

SUPPORT EPSOM AND EWELL TIMES AND WIN TWO FREE FILM FESTIVAL PASSES

To celebrate the first year of Epsom and Ewell Times donors supporting our advertisement free quality news service can choose to be entered into a draw for two full free film festival passes. Click HERE to donate.

The Festival takes place at Ewell’s Bourne Hall in Spring Street between Friday 26th and Sunday 28th May.

There will be more Oscar nominees than ever before, with European and UK premieres and some of the best up and coming directors, producers and other talent from around the world.

The People’s Choice screening this year (Friday 27th … films chosen from the programme by local filmgoers) is probably the strongest they have ever had, with an Oscar nominee, an Oscar winner and a real battle to see who picks up the People’s Choice award.

The Festival is part of the sci-fi rebranding of Bourne Hall this year so there will be some extra fun treats in store for film and TV fans.

Anyone who likes a good photo op can come and have their picture taken in the Game of Thrones’ Iron Throne, get a selfie with the Back to the Future DeLorean and a whole lot more during the festival.

And there’s scheduled to be a live performance after the screening of Finding Her Beat. The film is a joyous, uplifting documentary that follows the struggles to launch the first concert for women taiko drummers … something reserved normally only for men.

There will be free screenings for children throughout the weekend at Bourne Hall, Spring Street.

This year sees the first ever Emily Davison Award for Best Female Director. The association with Epsom and Ewell being obvious with the statue to the famous suffragette in Epsom’s Market Square.

The family of a former Epsom school caretaker has paid tribute to an ‘amazing’ husband and dad after lawyers recently secured them a settlement in connection with his asbestos-related cancer death.

Colin Bradley, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung associated with exposure to asbestos, often decades previously.

Following his diagnosis, Colin, from Epsom, instructed asbestos-related disease specialists at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his illness and help him access the specialist treatment and care he required. However, he died aged 75 before he could see his case concluded.

The case was continued by Colin’s son Darren Bradley, 53, in his dad’s memory. His legal team has now secured a significant settlement from Surrey County Council in connection with Colin’s mesothelioma.

Colin was employed by the local authority as a caretaker at Cuddington County First School from 1976 to 2003. The school is now Cuddington Primary School, run by the Howard Partnership Trust, who were not involved in the case against Surrey County Council – the defendant in the claim.

Surrey County Council admitted that the exposure Colin had to asbestos dust should not have happened, and conceded liability in his claim.

For this year’s Workers’ Memorial Day of 28 April, Darren joined the legal team to warn people of the ongoing danger posed by asbestos and to pay tribute to an ‘amazing’ dad who was taken from his family due to exposure to the hazardous substance.

Paul Ramsay, the asbestos-related disease specialist supporting Darren and his family, said: “The past few years have been incredibly difficult for Darren and his family. To face the distress of Colin’s diagnosis and declining health due to mesothelioma has taken its toll on all of them.

“Colin was determined to get at the truth of his asbestos exposure and while nothing can bring Colin back to his family, the conclusion of the case and settlement gives them some closure and the answers they were looking for.

“However, Colin’s death is also a stark reminder of the dangers still posed by asbestos, including in public buildings. While many people associate the use of asbestos with heavy industry its use was much more widespread, including in schools, hospitals, leisure centres and offices.

“Our own research shows that the presence of asbestos in public buildings, including schools continues to be a real concern throughout the country. In speaking out, Colin’s family hope to make others aware of the risks of this material. This year’s Workers’ Memorial Day is an opportunity to remember workers like Colin and pause to reflect and remember all those who have been lost.”

Before his death Colin believed he had been exposed to asbestos in the boiler room and various service areas whilst working at the school.

Colin had always been in good health and did not drink alcohol or smoke but began to feel unwell in August 2020, with a loss of energy and appetite.

After consulting his GP and being sent for tests, mesothelioma was diagnosed in December 2020. Colin began chemotherapy on 13 January, 2021, but his condition continued to deteriorate. He died six months after his diagnosis, on 22 June 2021.

Colin was married to Lorraine Bradley, 65, who is step-mum to Colin’s sons, Darren, Mark and Simon Bradley.

Darren said: “All of our lives changed the day of dad’s diagnosis. As he’d always led such an active and healthy lifestyle, it was hard to accept anything so serious could be wrong. The speed his illness progressed shocked us all.

“Dad was the central figure in our family, always there encouraging, supporting and looking after us all, even long into our own adult lives.  His loss has left a huge void – and it is especially upsetting to see Lorraine left widowed and alone when they still had so much to look forward to in their retirement – but I take some comfort knowing that he would have been proud that we secured an admission of liability from his former employer.

“It’s hard to imagine you could come across such a dangerous substance in a school environment and it’s shocking to think it could still be there in other schools, posing a risk to others.

“I hope that by speaking about my amazing dad, we can reflect on how much we miss him every day, but also warn others of the dangers that still exist by coming into contact with asbestos. If we can help keep another family together or help make the argument for asbestos removal, dad’s death won’t have been in vain.”

Workers’ Memorial Day on 28 April remembers those who have died as a result of their employment, and campaigns to improve health and safety standards in the workplace and increase protection for employees.

Research undertaken by Irwin Mitchell suggests more than 4,500 public buildings across 20 of the UK’s largest local authorities still contain asbestos, averaging at 225 buildings per authority.