A PROUD mum has taken to the internet to remind people how important it is to recognise the achievements of children with learning disabilities who won't be collecting their GCSE results today.

Joanne Morris, 33, from Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, is a student learning difficulties nurse at the University of South Wales, and her 16-year-old son, Joshua, has a learning disability.

Joshua’s condition means his road through the education system has been dramatically different to most teenagers.

As Ms Morris’s blog post on the learning disability nurse website explains, Joshua’s school life so far has seen him through five different schools where his education focussed on his learning needs.

But despite excelling, and getting ready to take up a place at Coleg Gwent next month with hopes of becoming a mechanic, Joshua’s achievement's won’t be met with the same fanfare enjoyed by thousands of other children around the country today.

(Joshua with his mum Joanne)

“Basically I’m talking about the idea that there are some children in education that do not follow the traditional path of the GCSE curriculum, based on their learning disabilities and needs,” explained Ms Morris.

“There are some children that will not be formally recognised or rewarded in the traditional manner of going to get their GCSE results or certificates because they don’t follow that path.

“My son has a learning disability which is widely recognised but perhaps not widely acknowledged is the fact that people with learning disabilities also have strengths and abilities.

“He has been educated in a special needs resource base attached to a mainstream school, and will be starting at Coleg Gwent in two weeks’ time, and at the moment he wants to become a car mechanic. His pathway was through developmental schools and was entirely based on his level of learning needs.

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“I think that there should still be rewards and recognition for his achievements, and those of other children with learning disabilities. It's important they get recognition of their strengths and abilities.

“He has spent two years working hard towards something just like the other children, but now he has such low expectations of himself and the educational system doesn’t help sometimes.

“But this isn’t about ‘poor Joshua’. He’s an incredible, hardworking young man with such a positive heart. He wants to be a car mechanic and he will get there because that’s what he wants out of life."

(Joshua hopes to become a car mechanic once he leaves education)

Joshua will now enter Coleg Gwent to take part in independent learning and living classes with the hope to go on to do a class in car mechanics or car maintenance.

He’ll also be able to do days of work experience and take taster sessions to find out if there’s something else he wants to do.

You can read Ms Morris’ full blog post here.