PM calls for school trust to ‘reconsider’ providing ramp for young girl

Sir Keir Starmer has called for a school trust to provide a ramp for a young girl who cannot access her school’s playing field after having her leg amputated.

Millie Blair was diagnosed with osteosarcoma on her 11th birthday last year, with her left leg having to be amputated above the knee.

Since her treatment, she has been unable to access her school’s lower playing field due to the steep slope.

Lee Barron, Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, raised Millie’s case during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, hitting out at East Midlands Academy Trust –  which runs her school – for refusing to install a ramp to the field.

He said: “On Millie’s 11th birthday, she was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer, which led to her leg being amputated.

“Millie attends Prince William School, but cannot access the lower playing field because the slope is too steep.

“Her parents, the school and I have asked East Midlands Academy Trust to put in a ramp.

“They have refused, claiming they are not subject to certain parts of the Equality Act.”

He asked the Prime Minister if he agreed that the school has a “moral obligation” to make adjustments for Millie, so she can “play and thrive with all of her friends”.

Sir Keir called on the trust to “reconsider the decision” as he welcomed Millie, who was watching PMQs from the public gallery with her family, to the Commons.

He said: “She’s smiling down with the courage and positivity that I know is everything to her, and we absolutely salute that, and we’re humbled by it.

“I really do find it hard to understand how a school trust could make a decision like that in relation to the ramp.

“And rather than berate them from here, I would just implore them, on behalf of everybody here, and Millie in particular, to just look again.

“And please, I hope, with the endorsement of the whole house, to reconsider that decision.

“Put that ramp in and match the positivity and the courage that Millie has shown all of us.”

A spokesman for East Midlands Academy Trust said: “We are extremely proud of our pupil Millie for raising this important issue.

“We have already made a wide range of reasonable adjustments to support Millie’s learning and we continue to work closely with her and her family.

“This issue rightly shines a light on the stark choices schools across the country are having to make and we look forward to the upcoming Send white paper and its implications for Send funding.”