The scene outside City Hall in Victoria Street this week, with shoes and heartfelt notes

ROWS of shoes were left outside the city council’s offices this week as furious parents demanded urgent action for children “forgotten by a broken system”.

The protest warned that pupils with special educational needs and disability, SEND, are routinely left without adequate support, school placements, and assessments.

The empty school shoes contained handwritten notes and symbolising children who feel missed out on education.

One note said: “No one wanted to hear my cry for help… I was told I was fine.”

Parent Tracey Norton, one of the organisers of the protest who has lived in Pimlico all her life, said: “My whole life I’ve had to fight Westminster Council for my son’s basic needs.

“I’ve had to fight for his special educational needs provision, I’ve had to fight for his wheelchairs, even when he can’t walk, everything is a fight.”

The demonstration targeted City Hall in Victoria on Monday as part of a nationwide campaign Every Pair Tells a Story, organised by The Send Sanctuary UK.

Protests were held at 96 locations across the country in a bid to highlight the concern.

Ms Norton said: “It makes me cry, it brings me to tears to know that you have tried your absolute best as a mother and to come up against systems where you can’t win.”

One pair of shoes placed at the protest was a brand new pair. The child never got to wear them because they haven’t been to school.

“Councils are failing to provide the provisions that they need,” she said.

Because councils are cash-strapped they often resist providing support outlined in children’s education, health and careplans, EHCPs, forcing parents to challenge them in the courts, she added.

While the numbers of children in Westminster schools is decreasing, leading to the closure of schools, the numbers of children requiring high levels of extra support in the education system is increasing.

During the protest city council leader Adam Hug came down to speak to the group. He has agreed to sit down with them and talk it through before Christmas.

Lisa Lynch, co-organiser of the protest, said: “Each pair of shoes represents a child failed by the systems that are supposed to support children with special needs and disabilities, and shouldn’t have to fight for a basic right like education. Westminster City Council have made some progress recognising the importance of creating additional special educational needs provisions but for some of these children it is too late and not fast enough.”

Deputy council leader and cabinet member for children and public protection, Cllr Aicha Less said: “We understand why families in Westminster joined those from 90 other areas across England to highlight their concerns by protesting. We know how important it is for children to feel supported and understood and we are committed to making sure every child thrives in Westminster.

“We recently invested £1million into new specialist speech and language provision at Pimlico Primary Academy, showing our commitment to inclusive education and specialist support for children. We have also expanded our short breaks support in Pimlico and increased places in our autism special school in response to the needs of families in the city.”

The government said it would publish reforms to the SEND system and other policy proposals for schools in England next year. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said there would be a “further period of co-creation, testing proposals with the people who matter most in this reform”.