A boy hailed as a national Child of Courage may be kept out of lessons in a row over the support he receives at school.

Teenager Adam Metcalfe from Tyersal received the award for his bravery after being born with no arms. He is also a former T&A Children of Hope winner.

But his disability means he needs help with everything, from getting in and out of the taxi that takes him to school, to carrying meals, going to the toilet, working in the science lab and getting changed for games.

Now his dad David is threatening to keep him out of some classes if his support assistant's hours are cut.

Up until the Easter holidays, 13-year-old Adam, who is keen to go to university, received full time support, which amounted to 32 and a half hours each week at Lowerfields Middle School, Fenby Avenue. But that could be cut to 23 hours a week.

"The education authority has allocated him so many points which equate to hours - but I don't class my child as a point," said David Metcalfe.

"Adam needs full time assistance. It's staring you in the face. He hasn't got any arms.

"I don't want special treatment for him, but I need him to be safe.

"If the support assistant's hours are cut to 23, that's the time he will spend in school. Originally it was going to be 19 hours but it's been increased. This is very worrying for us."

He added: "Adam will say he wants to be the same as everyone else but he can't be - it's as simple as that."

Bradford Council senior special educational needs officer Dennis Palframan said the system for funding children with special needs was changed at Easter and Adam was allocated 58 points in December, in preparation for the change.

But he added: "We had a later review about two months ago and we are now looking at adjusting Adam's units because his parents and the school feel the existing number is not adequate. This is not unusual in cases of children like Adam.

"Some make progress, others do not and some stay as they are, so they are reviewed and the level of support may or may not vary accordingly."

Mr Palframan said the long term object was to make youngsters with special needs more independent as they got older, to prepare them for later life when they would not have an adult present all the time.

Headteacher Roy Pallas said: "The school is funding full time support for two weeks to give time for the situation to be resolved.

"We have taken that decision in Adam's interest, despite the fact we have a deficit budget situation. It's not something we will be able to maintain."

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