A Dundee grandmother believes criticism of under-fire Kingspark School is out of order and comes from a group of parents with a skewed view of the difficulties of dealing with special needs pupils.
The 69-year-old has gained an insight into the workings of the school through her nine-year-old autistic grandson, for whom she is the legally appointed guardian.
The woman rejected the claims of bullying and abuse at the school, and said: “Kingspark is marvellous and I have nothing but praise for it. It has done wonders for my grandson.
“He went there as a troubled and withdrawn five-year-old.
“Through Kingspark and the great care and attention of the staff, he has come on leaps and bounds. He is a completely different child.
“The school has introduced him to a whole range of activities like swimming, horse riding and singing, and his education is coming on. I can’t believe how well he is doing.”
She continued: “I know the parents who are making the complaints. They approached me and asked if I was happy. I said I was very happy and I wanted nothing to do with them and their complaints.
“Dealing with special needs pupils is very difficult for staff because of the physical aspect of the job. The pupils may need to be lifted out of seats for a reason, or restrained to stop them from lashing out.
“If staff didn’t do this, the children could harm themselves or others. The act of lifting or restraining the pupils may cause them bruises.
“The parents who are complaining have a skewed idea of this. They may see bruises and think there is something untoward.
“My grandson has come home with bruises and each time the school has contacted me to explain what has happened.
“In fact, I get a book home every day where the school explain what my grandson has done that day. The school couldn’t do more to keep me in touch with what happens.”