'I'm proud I went to a SEND school – it's my strength'

When Toby Hayward tells people he attended a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school from the age of 11 they seem shocked, he says.

But Toby, 27, now works in IT, has a child and a partner and is proud of his education – so much so that he has completed a tough charity challenge to raise funds for his former school.

Toby, from Stagsden, Bedfordshire, attended Grange Academy in Kempston, after his mother "fought" to get him a place.

Now he wants others to know that having dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD, is his "strength", and says the school gave him the "foundation to where I am now".

Toby, who now lives in Toddington, says before he started at Grange Academy in Year 7, he felt like he was "falling behind".

"Then I was going to school to survive, so moving to the Grange meant I was finally able to learn."

Although he is now proud and happy to talk about his education, he says at the time "we never advertised we went to a special needs school".

"It's not something that we ever shouted about, but as I've got older, I've realised that it's a strength," he says.

"It's shocking to some people. I've realised it's not a negative, it's definitely a positive, but that's not something that, myself or my classmates felt at the time."

He says he wants pupils at any SEND school to know that "no matter what setbacks you've got in life or where you're coming from, you can still make it".

"You should always be proud of who you are," he says.

"I think the most important thing is your attitude to life, not your conditions; not your setbacks.

"Don't try and limit yourself because of what you think you're limited to."

At the end of August, he took part in his own ultra-endurance event, Summit for Grange, through parts of the Lake District to raise funds for the school's farm, which was created to help pupils emotionally and educationally.

After training for a year, he covered 51 miles (83km) in 16 hours.

The school is part of the Bedford Inclusive Learning and Training Trust (BILTT), a local SEND-specialist multi-academy trust dedicated to supporting children and young people with a wide range of abilities and SEND needs.

The trust said the farm was expensive to run and Toby's donation had paid for a new pygmy goat and covered other essential expenses.

Rachel Timms, its headteacher, said: "The farm is such an important part of our school community; it supports pupils' wellbeing, helps them grow in confidence and gives them practical experiences that prepare them for life beyond school.

"This funding ensures we can continue running the farm and offering these invaluable opportunities."

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