The Milton Keynes boy, 10, deemed 'too difficult' for school

Meet Bakary – the 10-year-old boy who has been refused a place at every primary school in Milton Keynes.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The youngster has been forced to stay at home for the past eight months because he has been branded too difficult for schools to cope with, say his family.

But they say the branding is wrong – and are still reeling after Bakary was excluded after an incident at the Pupil Referral Unit in Bletchley.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They branded the allegation against their child as "ridiculous".

The incident at the unit happened in March. Bakary had been sent there after he was excluded from New Chapter Primary School on Coffee Hall for punching a teacher.

Karen said: “We warned the school not to corner him and to treat him carefully because he can't control his emotions. He likes everything in order and gets in a state if things don't go exactly to plan. We're convinced he's on the autistic spectrum.”

She said Bakery, who lives on Netherfield, was “bored stiff” at home, where the council provides a tutor for two-and-a-half hours a day.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“He's desperate to go to school and make friends. He keeps asking why he can't go and promises that he'll be good,” said Karen.

“We keep asking the council special educational needs department what is happening, but they say they can't find any school in Milton Keynes that is willing to take Bakery.

“They said they'd also contact schools in the areas surrounding MK – but none of those could take him either.”

The family says Bakary is a bright boy, who, when handled correctly, is polite and affectionate.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We just feel he's been branded a monster because of this silly allegation,” said Karen.

"He's had a lot of problems. His mum was ill for a long time and they were homeless. He's currently living in temporary accommodation provided by the council, waiting for a permanent home. He just needs some care and understanding."

Karen and Bakery's parents say they made the decision to name Bakary in the hope it will help find him a school.

"We thought very carefully about it. We just want to show people he is not a monster," she said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesperson for Milton Keynes Council's Children and Families department said: “Special Educational Needs (SEN) teams will continue to work with this family. We will ensure that a place is offered at an appropriate local school.”

He added: “Milton Keynes Council has a specialist outreach team that works with children and young people who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and require additional support. This includes any child or young person not accessing a formal school place. Our experienced team provides direct intervention, including community-based activities and tuition provision.”