Joshua's Story
Joshua simply took a member of staff's hand and didn't look back...
(Narrated by Joshua's mum.)
When I first viewed Park Lane, I was very apprehensive. I had already had two children go through mainstream schools, and this felt very different. I worried about friendship groups and whether he would fit in — and if I’m honest, I was still very much in denial about my son’s needs.
But on Joshua’s second day, he dragged me into school. 🏫 From that moment, my concerns began to disappear.
In the three and a half years Joshua has been at Park Lane, I have had many things to worry about — but school has never been one of them. 💛
In May 2025, the unthinkable happened for our family — Joshua was diagnosed with a serious illness and had to undergo major surgery. It was something no child, let alone an seven-year-old, should have to endure. He wasn’t able to attend school for nearly nine months. It was an incredibly difficult time for us all.
Throughout that period, the Headteacher and the staff did everything possible to support Joshua. They provided sensory equipment so he could continue his development at home and still have ways to regulate and express himself. 🧸✨ I will always be grateful — not only for the support they gave Joshua, but for the kindness and reassurance they showed me as well. 🤍
The true testament to Park Lane came when Joshua returned.
We were all worried that the transition back would be difficult, that he might feel anxious or unsettled after so long away. Instead, he walked back in as if he had never left.
I had a cry.
Joshua simply took a member of staff’s hand and didn’t look back. 🤝
That, for me, says everything about what Park Lane means to him — and to us. 💙
Sensory equipment is not an extra. For children like Joshua, it is a vital part of how they regulate, communicate and continue to grow — especially during the hardest seasons of their lives. 🌈 The #Shadows2Giants campaign will help provide more of this essential provision, so children can feel safe, supported and ready to learn, whatever challenges they may be facing.