Tom's story

I became separated by other classmates in year 1 (5-6). In this school year, I was pushed into a large steel fence that cut through my eyebrow, almost severing my eye. Later that year, an older boy threw a plank with a nail in it at me. This also cut through my eyebrow almost hitting my eye.

In year 2, I was on a light supply of friends (2 including myself).

By year 3, I was a total outcast. Staying on my own. The teachers, instead of trying to find what was wrong, let me stay in through morning and lunchtime breaks. This carried on until the end of year 6.

In year 6, I was finally diagnosed with AS, despite my mum's repeated trips to the doctors telling them I have AS, but which they stated that I was different because she was a poor mother.

I'm at the end of year 8 (13-14) now. I'm in my school's Social Skills club. I'm also in the "15 hour carer" list, in which 15 hours of the school week I have a helper in class.

Still at break time I am bullied. And so at lunch I hang around with my cousin (who's also in my year but younger) because they don't attack groups.