Ewan Dagnall has been attending Langside School since he was five years old. His parents, Laura and Paul, say it has been fantastic for Ewan and that they would be lost without it.

'We knew from birth that Ewan had a disability,' said Laura. 'There isn’t an exact term for what he has but he has severe learning disabilities and he is unable to walk and talk. He can smile when he’s happy though and pull a grumpy face when he’s not.'

“We looked at three schools and had pretty well decided on one but then we saw Langside and knew that it was the best place for Ewan. There was something about the atmosphere that we loved, there’s something very special about it. We know at Langside that Ewan is not just safe, but that his needs are really taken care of and he is extremely well looked after.”

Paul continues: 'The school follows the national curriculum but also organises other fun activities for the children. They give out home school books which tell parents what their child has been doing each day. At the end of each term Ewan’s teacher also gives parents a book which is full of photos of their child doing lots of various activities – Ewan’s favourites are the relaxation and massage sessions and anything that involves getting dirty! The books enable his brother and sisters to see what he does and they’re also good to show to friends so they can understand what the children get up to, as people who don’t have a child like Ewan, often see the school as a babysitting service.'

'We are also told the next steps and how we can help with Ewan’s development; everything is broken down into tiny parts and we are advised how we can help at home. The staff are absolutely brilliant, we really can’t praise them highly enough.'

Laura concludes: 'Once your child has been at Langside School, nothing else will do. If, for some reason, Ewan ever has to leave before he was 19, I would fight to keep him there; in our eyes, nowhere else would be as good. There is no doubt whatsoever that the school has made an incredible difference to Ewan’s, and our, lives.'

'When Ewan does turn 19 and leaves Langside, we would like him to go into Supported Living with Diverse Abilities Plus. I’m sure it will be a very difficult time but we know we have nothing to worry about if Diverse Abilities Plus is involved.'