School staff accidentally recorded themselves making jokes about six-year-old ...

School staff accidentally recorded themselves making jokes about six-year-old ...
School staff accidentally recorded themselves making jokes about six-year-old ...

A furious mother has criticised a school after staff were overheard making jokes about her disabled six-year-old daughter in a video they live streamed on Facebook. 

The three female members of staff from St Andrew’s CofE Primary School, in Kettering, Northamptonshire, were talking about Willow Musgrave and the life-saving tracheostomy she has in her throat to help her breathe, which one said made her feel 'queasy'.

Unknown to the staff - a teaching assistant and two teachers - a video was being broadcast live to Facebook at the time and was watched by more than 12,000 people.

The school has since apologised but Willow's outraged mother Becky Wardiell, 34, said the video left her feeling 'shocked and angry'.

Becky Wardiell, 34, the mother of six-year-old Willow Musgrave (pictured) is taking legal action against St Andrew’s CofE Primary School, in Kettering, after three staff members were overheard making jokes about her life-saving tracheostomy

Becky Wardiell, 34, the mother of six-year-old Willow Musgrave (pictured) is taking legal action against St Andrew’s CofE Primary School, in Kettering, after three staff members were overheard making jokes about her life-saving tracheostomy

The staff were using Facebook Live on Saturday as they prepared for a school trip when the conversation was accidentally picked up on the recording.

In the clip they discussed how teachers are asked to provide medical support for children with one heard to say: 'The mask change for Willow. The mask fitting, it’s awful.'

Talking about helping with her tracheostomy, another said: 'It makes me feel queasy. I couldn’t do it.'

Another said: 'I don’t like even looking at it', before one replied: 'No I don’t. I know that’s really horrible.'

Towards the end of the conversation, laughter could be heard when one said: 'You didn’t come into this to be changing tracheostomies.'

Willow had a tracheostomy fitted when she was four months old after she was born 16 weeks premature and still has complex health needs which require 24-hour care.

Ms Wardiell, who has four children, said: 'Willow can’t defend herself. It’s not her fault she has a tracheostomy. It’s a life or death situation for her.

'The school drums different values of the week into our children.

'But then they have teaching staff who speak like that about a child with a disability, what values does that show?

'My friend saw it on Facebook and was so outraged she sent me the link. I was so shocked and angry. I think I had every emotion going.'

The school is operated by the Peterborough Diocese Academy Trust.

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