THE mother of a boy with learning disabilities is thanking the "wonderful" staff and pupils at a mainstream Gwent school for aiding his progress.

Eight-year-old Callum Lewis, who has complex needs including communication and interaction disorders, only joined St Mary's Junior School in Caldicot seven months ago.

But in that short time the teachers' understanding approach to providing for his special needs have helped transform his life, according to his mother, Cindy Mace.

Mrs Mace, of Taff Road, Caldicot, wished to thank everyone at the school, from the dinner staff to the pupils, for making Callum feel welcome.

"I've now got a confident little boy who's doing very well in his subjects, and Iím so proud of him," she said.

"Whereas before he would be very shy but now he's very talkative and his sense of humourís coming on.

"I"m so happy heís being treated as a normal pupil."

Callum was registered as a special needs pupil last year, and now has four hours of one-to-one tuition every day.

However, Mrs Mace, 42, said his learning difficulties may have been caused by health problems he suffered as a baby.

"He was born two months premature and spent the first four weeks of his life in intensive care due to breathing difficulties," she said.

"His reaction time is three times slower than other children.

"Staff at St Mary's have taught him to come out of himself, and now he's accepted as one of the boys.

Head teacher Rob Wilsher said it was "wonderful" to her Mrs Mace's compliments.

"Our philosophy is enjoyment through learning if a child is happy at school, everything else follows."