Apr 27, 2023, Northwich Guardian: St John's Pre-school Winsford strives to keep Roxanne in class https://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/news/23482832.st-johns-pre-school-winsford-strives-keep-roxanne-class/
NW England
A PRE-SCHOOL in Winsford has bent over backwards to keep an autistic four-year-old girl in class, despite her needing full-time, one-to-one care.
Roxanne Tidmarsh goes to St John’s Pre-school in Winsford, and though she has has all the same behaviours as her three of brothers and sisters who have ADHD and autism, she can't get a official diagnosis because she’s too young.
Children with a diagnosis have legal rights to make sure they get a proper education, but doctors are sometimes reluctant to diagnose children under five because at that age, kids develop at very different rates.
Staff at St John’s have worked with Roxanne's family to get a personalised funding package from the government, meaning Roxanne now has a dedicated, full-time, one-to-one staff member that means she can stay in nursery with her classmates.
Dad-of-five Matthew Tidmarsh was emotional when he said how much nursery staff had done to make sure his daughter gets a proper pre-school education. …
“They’ve had a reshuffle, and now Miss Threadgold is Roxanne’s one-to-one full-time teacher.
“They’ve got a very limited number of spaces, but the service they provide is way above and beyond what you would expect."
Roxanne is five this year and due to start at primary school in September this year.
When that time comes, Matthew doesn’t know what’s going to happen, but has high hopes things will be simpler once she gets her diagnosis.
Roxanne Tidmarsh now has one-to-one support every day (Image: Matthew Tidmarsh)
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