A TEACHER has completed a 150 mile walk around Essex to raise money for and awareness of children with special educational needs.

Kierran Pearce, a teacher at Market Field School in Elmstead Market, trekked to all 18 special educational needs schools in the county – the equivalent of a marathon a day for five days.

It comes after Mr Pearce helped to set up the multi schools council, which invites people to share ideas about how all schools can improve education for young people.

Mr Pearce said: “Too many children leave education without having an understanding about our differences and it is the aim of council to change all that. We have worked with over 100 schools in Essex and the children generate all our ideas on how to break down perceptions – and this is just another example. We wish for our work in Essex to be replicated in other counties and eventually ensure SEND awareness forms part of our national curriculum. This walk will generate funds that will give more children the platform to be heard and if we shout loud enough someone will hear us in the end”

Kierran himself was excluded from school aged 15 with no prospect of passing any exams. But he says that experience spurred him on to change the futures of others.

The walk started at Harlow Fields then covered Loughton, Chigwell, Brentwood, Basildon, Benfleet, Wickford, Billericay, Chelmsford, Witham, Braintree, Colchester, Langham and Clacton before finishing at Elmstead Market.