A MUM says her 14-year-old son with special needs was missing for three hours after being turned away from his school for not wearing uniform.

Jessica Jarrett says that her son, Musa Hafejee, a pupil at Blackburn Central High School, was not wearing uniform because he believed, wrongly, he was due to go on a school trip.

She says he had to go home to retrieve his uniform.

Ms Jarrett was shocked to receive a call nearly three hours later saying that Musa, who usually messages her as soon as he arrives in school, was unaccounted for.

She said: “The school didn’t even inform me he was leaving the premises and phoned me at dinner time to say my son hadn’t returned to school.

“Now as far as I was aware, he was in school and on their premises, but they told me to ring him and find out where he was.”

The family live ten minutes’ walk from school.

His mother said: “My son has ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), is on two lots of medication for this and as a result has no sense of danger and is impulsive.”

Musa’s phone was turned off and Ms Jarrett and her partner went to look for him.

Ms Jarrett says she was told by school staff that they would not be able to help with the search either inside or outside school. Musa returned to school after about three hours and contacted his mother to assure her that he was safe.

Ms Jarrett says that she is extremely disappointed in the school, that she will complain to the local education board and is exploring legal action. She said: “They have neglected my son by not informing me about him, not making sure of his safety and whereabouts and neglected to even inform the police or me sooner.

“They have a duty of care towards my son while he’s on their premises and sending him out of school without informing me is out of order.”

“I am putting a complaint in to the education board and I have spoken to a solicitor about suing them for neglect. Instead of supporting my son with special needs they seem to just not care.”

The school said it is aware of the case and hope to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion. Headteacher Mrs Shanaz Hussain said: “The well-being and safeguarding of pupils is of paramount importance. We take this very seriously. Please rest assured that we are working with all parties involved to look into the matter.”