Family's fight for dyslexic son

The Bridges say Sean has benefited from going to private school

A Leicestershire couple who want the county council to pay for their dyslexic son's private education say they may be forced to sell their house.

Annette and John Bridges, of Moira, have sent their son Sean to a private dyslexia centre in Staffordshire which costs them £12,000 a year.

They took the decision because they did not believe he would get enough support at their local state school.

Leicestershire County Council said it did not comment on individual cases.

The Bridges, who travel 120 miles a day to and from the private centre, said Sean would get only two hours a week extra help at a state school.

We've seen remarkable results in the three months that he's been there Annette Bridges, Sean's mum

But at the Staffordshire centre he uses a new pictorial system which they said was paying off.

"We've seen remarkable results in the three months that he's been there," said Mrs Bridges.

"He's settled in very well. He's not stressed. His reading has come on leaps and bounds.

"But we will have to sell the house to make funds available to continue his education."

In a statement, the county council said it was "always disappointed when it cannot reach agreement with families on how best to meet children's needs".

It added: "We prefer not to discuss the details of individual cases."

The council said it paid for five pupils with the most severe dyslexia to attend a specialist school in Lichfield but in other cases tried to offer children local support.

The case echoes that of former education secretary Ruth Kelly who has decided to send her son, who has "substantial learning difficulties", to a private school.