An autistic four-year-old has been excluded from his school, leading campaigners to hit out at a system which is "creating a tragic waste".

Elias Mason, of Carrick Road, Tooting, was first excluded from the nursery at Tooting's Fircroft Primary School six weeks ago for fighting.

Then last week he was excluded for 15 days for throwing a metal pole at a teacher, breaking her toe.

The four-year-old boy has been recognised by the school since September as possibly having special needs and one month ago was diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder.

He is awaiting a statement which will legally set out what care the school must provide.

His mother, 29-year-old Amalia Mason, said: "I think it's immoral. In 15 days he's going to be the same child.

"He's so vulnerable. If you asked him to jump out of a window he'd merrily jump.

"He told me he fought the boy because another boy told him to.

"If he does have an interest in a child then it's an obsessive interest and he will do anything they tell him to.

"He then picked up a metal pole and walked off with it, clearly not supervised.

"A teacher he didn't know then shouted at him. He turned around and threw it at her."

A Wandsworth Council spokesman said: "The school has a duty of care to ensure pupils and staff are completely safe and free from harm while at school.

"Obviously the school has little choice other than to take firm action when a pupil behaves in an inappropriate or aggressive manner.

"During this period of exclusion, the school will be looking at what level of support needs to be put in place to ensure that Elias's schooling and education is happy and successful."

But Kevin O'Byrne, of special needs support group Kids First, believes this is a growing problem and blames education authorities for squeezing school funding.

He said: "It's a scandal. It's not about what's best for the kids. Children with autism need a gentle, calm environment to cope with changes.

"If you shout at a child with autism, that child will be very stressed. You can't condemn these children.

"A broken toe is awful but we're not talking about a calm, mature mind.

"The teacher is going to heal but what's important in the long term is that the child isn't written off. Wandsworth is known to be a very aggressive borough.

"They don't care about individuals and do it on the cheap.

"It's creating a tragic waste and a huge cost to society.

"It has got a very bad reputation for closing special schools and sending children to mainstream schools."

Councillor Stuart King, Wandsworth Labour group leader, agreed.

He said: "The council is closing two special schools and forcing special needs children into mainstream schools.

"However, in doing so the council is failing to provide the necessary level of support to help those schools accommodate the specific needs of statemented children.

"Parents of children with special needs in Wandsworth are being let down by the council."

awestbrook@london.newsquest.co.uk