(UK) Notts: Mom sets up private special school for kids who have 'fallen under the radar'
- The end of childhood
- Jan 4
- 2 min read
Jan 3, 2026, Nottingham Post: Nottinghamshire mum sets up school for special needs children who have 'fallen under radar'
A mum is organising classes in a Nottinghamshire town for children with special educational needs who she believes have "fallen under the radar" of mainstream education.
Emma Stapleford set up 'Imagine-Nation' back in October, along with another mum, who has a child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Run from the Pearson Centre in Beeston, the enterprise offers classes in core subjects such as maths, English, science and geography, as well as art and self-defence sessions, starting from £7 [$9.40] each.
"The end goal was to create a one-stop shop to do all the learning in one place," said Ms Stapleford.
The 38-year-old from Beeston said around 20 to 30 pupils attend the classes each day, the majority of whom have SEND, who she believes should be given more support.
"The class sizes are way too big for a teacher to get adequate time and attention to pupils that need extra support. I feel really sorry for teachers," Ms Stapleford said.
"They're stretched so thin that these kids are falling under the radar. They're kids that need a bit more time and focus to see where they need to be helped.
"A boy who is severely autistic came in and within 15 minutes he joined in and the mum was really surprised because she didn't expect him to be so open so quickly."
Michelle Maud, whose eight-year-old daughter Bella has been attending Imagine-Nation since October, said the classes had "answered all my prayers".
"Her needs weren't met in the system at school. She started out in mainstream education but was struggling from day one," said the 40-year-old, who eventually pulled her daughter out of school in favour of homeschooling.
"I fought with the school for two or three years. I wanted her to have an adequate education and they couldn't provide it," she said.
"She struggles to be in a classroom with 30 children. She needs one-to-one time and a lot of brain breaks.
"There weren't enough staff to give her support. It got too much for us all."
Ms Maud, an aesthetic practitioner from Long Eaton, says her daughter has ADHD and autism and has been going through the diagnosis process since the age of two.
"We've been searching for somewhere local, but there's been nothing about," she said. . . .
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