20 July
MP praises specialist school’s vital support
The MP for Waveney Valley has described Aurora White House School in Quidenham as ‘inspiring’ following a recent visit to meet pupils and their award-winning therapy dog Millie.
Green Party MP Adrian Ramsay said although Aurora White House School was just outside his constituency it provided vital support to many SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) children from across the Waveney Valley and their families.
The school offers specialist academic and therapeutic support for children aged five to 16 who have experienced difficulties in mainstream education.
He said: “The calm, supportive atmosphere at Aurora White House was inspiring, and it was clear that pupils were genuinely enjoying the experience of being at school, which for many SEND children and their families is sadly far from true.”
During his visit, Mr Ramsay met eight-year-old Millie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who has been the school’s therapy dog for the past four years.
In May, Millie was one of only three dogs to be recognised in the specialist school category of the UK School Dog of the Year Awards, which champions dogs who bring joy and support to learning across the UK.
Mr Ramsay said: “As an animal lover, meeting Millie was one of the highlights of my visit. Students and staff clearly adore her, and I'm pleased that pupils have her for support.”
Aurora White House Assistant Headteacher Beth Cubberley, who owns Millie, said she was grateful to Mr Ramsay for sparing the time to visit the school.
She said: “It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Adrian and show him around. He enjoyed meeting Millie as well as lots of our young learners. He was able to share what he does and where he works and the children were very interested, particularly as two of our pupils went to Parliament in May to collect Millie's award.”
Mr Ramsay said that during his time as MP for Waveney Valley, SEND had become an increasingly significant issue raised by his constituents.
He said: “Visits like this are a powerful reminder of why high-quality SEND provision is so important. I will continue to champion improved support for children and families, and to raise these issues in Parliament.”
