Why is blind college closed to my Jeremy?

Unlike the vast majority, however, he is registered blind. Jeremy was diagnosed with the rare eye condition, Stargardt's disease, two years ago and since then, 90 per cent of his vision has disappeared. He expects to eventually lose all of his central vision.

Schoolwork is becoming increasingly difficult for the teenager. And his mother, Julie Gibbon, has one wish.

"I see the blind college in Worcester every day on my way home and can't believe he can't go there," said the 42-year-old, of Barnes Way, off Bath Road.

As is so often the case, the reason is money. The Royal National Institute for the Blind's New College, in Whittington Road, Worcester, is a world leader and its fees reflect that - £23,000 a year for a day pupil. The vast majority of students' fees are funded by their LEA and frustratingly for Ms Gibbon, all but one are from outside of Worcestershire because of the county's policy on special educational needs.

"I find it very difficult to accept that we have an excellent blind college on our doorstep but Jeremy can't go there," she said. "It is also odd that we have the RNIB college in Worcester but a lot of the children are boarders from the south of England or abroad, where their councils will pay for the fees to send them here.

"I am looking at re-mortgaging my house to see if I can afford to send him."

Jeremy is currently at Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College, in Timberdine Avenue, where he receives an additional 10 hours of teaching assistant help each week. He also has weekly visits from a specialist teacher of the visually impaired, support from a mobility officer and a specialist laptop computer provided.

"The support is great and the school has done the best it could but it's not enough and he's really struggling," Ms Gibbon said.

"Jeremy will be 14 in June and he has tests coming up. He's failing in maths and if the tests go badly, I'm considering removing him from the school because it is not good for his confidence."

In an everyday school environment, Jeremy struggles with reading from the board, especially new interactive whiteboards and is very sensitive to sunlight. "The light has to be just right for him in the classroom," said his mother, a secretary for the Royal Grammar School, Worcester. "Everything has to be magnified and what most people see at 36 metres, he has to be one metre away from. It makes him very slow and I think he has regressed."

Aside from the obvious difficulties with reading textbooks and the board, his sight problem means he struggles to socialise with classmates.

"He used to be independent - now he is dependent on me and is not very comfortable when he is on his own," she added. "He goes and plays with the children at the blind college once a week so has lots of friends there. It is ridiculous that he can't attend because we live in Worcester. If we moved to another area they would pay for it."

Ms Gibbon, who is a single parent after splitting from her husband in Belgium, sent the council a 25-page report to support her son's case to be given a full statement and, ultimately, be sent to the RNIB New College. She has also written to charities to gain financial support to pay for Jeremy's college place and has contacted MP Mike Foster.

RNIB's acting vice-principal, Dr Chris Stonehouse, said it would gladly accept Jeremy, whom he described as 'bright' and 'lively'.

Ruth Chiva, head of services to schools, said they moved few pupils with special needs out of mainstream schools because of the 'excellent' additional support that was on offer.

"Many students with sensory impairments have their educational needs met in mainstream schools in Worcestershire because of the excellent support from the County Council's Specialist Support Service," she said. "Authorities which do not provide such excellent local support send their pupils out of area.

"The role of the county council, as the LEA, is to provide an adequate standard of education and we believe that is more than being met," she said.

The county council is re-examine Jeremy's case and producing a draft statement for him - though it may not fund a place at the blind college.

There are 197 'visually impaired' county pupils supported in mainstream schools, and only 10 have a statement of special educational needs.

Election forces party changes

in Westminster

LAST week's election forced changes among the leading education players at Westminster.

Education Secretary Ruth Kelly held on to her seat - and Cabinet position - but Schools Minister Stephen Twigg lost to the Conservatives in Enfield Southgate.

Also out is the Tories' education spokesman,Tim Collins, who lost his seat of Westmorland Lonsdale to the Lib Dems.

Former Schools Standards Minister David Milliband is now the Cabinet Minister for Communities and Local Government.

Extra marks please Sir, my budgie died

AN exam system offering extra marks for students who suffer personal trauma, headaches or illness is under fire for 'sending out the wrong message'.

GCSE and A-level pupils in England are given five per cent more if a parent dies close to exam day or four per cent for a distant relative.

They get three per cent if they witness a traumatic event, two per cent if a pet dies or they have hay fever or one per cent if they have a headache.The Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents England's three main exam authorities, has set the guidelines.

But Campaign for Real Education's chairman, Nick Seaton, was not impressed. "This panders to the growing attitude that there is an excuse for everything," he said. "Formalising excuses sends out the wrong message."

Exam board Assessment and Qualifications Alliance said the system was not new and tried to ensure consistency across exam boards.

"The number of extra marks available are actually rather small, and in most cases they do not change the final grade," said public affairs manager, Claire Ellis.