A mother who fought to get her son a place at a £7,500-a-year 'alternative' school has spoken of her anger after being told it could no longer support him.

Sarah Olive battled the local authority to secure her 10-year-old son Samuel a place at the Norwich Steiner School, where he has attended for two-and-a-half years.

But just days into the new academic year, the school emailed the family informing them they were giving 28 days notice to end his provision - and that after this period he would no longer be a pupil.

The school is a fee-paying independent education setting, which encourages learning through play, imagination and creativity - with considerably smaller classes than mainstream education, less structure and even its own labyrinth.

It was the class sizes that attracted Mrs Olive originally, due to Samuel having autism and struggling with loud noises.

After challenging Norfolk County Council, she was able to secure him a place at the school in Hospital Lane, Lakenham. The family paid £3,500 for Samuel's first term and, since then, the council has funded his place.

But after more than two years, the school has reneged on providing the youngster with a place - leaving the family facing uncertainty over Samuel's future education.

Mrs Olive, of Ingham near Stalham, said: "We were told with an email that was only around three lines long and gave no real explanations.

Eastern Daily Press: "He's been at home ever since - it just feels like he has been cast aside.

"I had to fight really hard to get him a place and now we've just been left adrift - there is just no real support out there."

The school, which was formed in 1998 and is based on a three-acre Victorian site, declined to comment.

But an email to the family seen by this newspaper reads: "We are ceasing his placement at the school because, in the past term in particular, it has become apparent that even if more funding were available, the school is no longer able to safely meet his needs.

"We are sorry for any disappointment this may cause."

Samuel previously attended Dickleburgh Primary School until he reached Year 3, but it became clear that mainstream school did not meet his needs.

Meanwhile, his older brother Jacob has been without a placement for similar reasons for the past three years.

Mrs Olive added: "There is just no understanding of how hard it is to get SEND children the help they need - and how hard I fought to get Samuel his place. 

"Now I'm back at square one. It is just not right."

A spokesman for Norfolk County Council said: "We are aware that the Norwich Steiner School has taken the decision to serve notice on one of its pupils.

"We understand that this is unsettling for the family and the child and we are working closely with them to ensure the child has an alternative school place.

"The notice period is 28 days and we will do all we can to find another place in that time.

"If that is not possible, we will put in place alternative education to ensure that the child does not miss out on any learning."

It comes after stark figures revealed that bosses at county hall have spent more than £1.2m in the past two years on legal fees to fight parents over education placements.

Mrs Olive added: "I cannot just go to any school and ask for a place - I have to go through a big process and it could lead to Samuel being out of school for a year.

"He is a confident boy who will take on anything but he has regressed a lot."

What is a Steiner School?

Steiner Schools are very particular education settings which emphasise preserving childhood.

The first was founded in 1919 by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner and they are also known as Steiner Waldorf Schools.

The aim of the schools are to provide an "unhurried and creative learning environment" and currently there are 35 such schools in the UK.

They do so by putting a greater emphasis on activities such as drawing, painting, music, drama and poetry.

The Norwich Steiner School is an all-through school based in Hospital Lane in Lakenham.

It was founded in 1998 by a group of parents and was initially a toddler group in the front room of one of its founders.

In January 2003 it became a kindergarten based in St Augustine Church before expanded to cater for children aged seven and up.

It moved into its current premises in September 2008.