THE parents of an autistic boy who has been excluded from school seven times in four terms say youngsters like him need more support in the classroom.

Lee and Natalie Berry, of Nelson Gardens, Rayleigh, are unhappy with the way Downhall Primary School handled six-year-old Owen’s most recent exclusion.

They say staff are struggling to meet his needs, leaving them to consider a specialist school.

Owen has a teaching assistant with him at all times at school, but still managed to get in a fight with two other pupils on Thursday. As a result, he was excluded on Friday, which meant he missed a Christmas bazaar.

His dad is especially angry at the reason the school gave for his most recent exclusion.

Mr Berry, 30, said: “We have had problems over the past year.

“Owen has been excluded several times, but I snapped when they told me the teachers needed a break from him. The teachers are being paid to do the job. It seems unfair.

“I asked the head if she could exclude him another day instead, but her reply was quite brutal. Owen is distraught. He bought his tickets to the bazaar only to be told he can’t go. He is sitting here, crying.”

Mrs Berry, 30, said: “There should be more help for special needs children in mainstream schools. There isn’t enough support for parents who want them to be there.

“At school, he has a teaching assistant with him full-time, but when there’s a problem, they call on me to sort it out.

“I don’t feel he gets fair treatment and the school should take on board his disability more, as part of his behaviour. This makes me feel pushed out, but it was my choice to put him in a mainstream school.

“I’ve looked at a special school and I think maybe it’s the way to go with him because of his behaviour problems.”

A statement from the school said any pupil would be excluded for violence against other pupils.

It added: “We take our duty of care for all pupils and staff very seriously. In this case, because of the child’s aggressive behaviour, we contacted the parent and asked for the child to be collected.

“They refused and unfortunately there was a second incident involving a pupil. The school was left with no other choice but to exclude the child.

“The school looks forward to welcoming him back on Monday and hopes this situation will not occur again.”

Owen has a younger brother, three-year-old Thomas, who has cystic fibrosis and also needs frequent care.