A schoolboy burst into tears and said he was the happiest he had ever been after education chiefs said he could stay at the school he loves, ending months of trauma and anguish.

Adam Davison's parents Anne and Rob Davison have been fighting since March to block a proposed move from St Andrew's in Aylmerton near Cromer to a new special school The Wherry in Norwich.

The couple of Horsely Drive, Gorleston, were preparing to contest the decision at tribunal but after employing their own educational psychologist to assess the 12-year-old Norfolk County Council said it would honour his parents' preference.

In an email Mrs Davison was told the climbdown was due to 'additional demand for places at the Wherry within Adam's year group' and because of 'additional representation from the family and from professionals involved regarding the suitability of a move for Adam.'

She said the uncertainty had affected her son who has Aspergers, ADHD and OCD, but that finding out he could rejoin his class mates had been a real boost.

However, their celebrations were muted by a growing awareness that theirs was not an isolated case.

Mrs Davison said that since going public with her battle, many other parents had been in contact saying they were in a similar position.

For her the problem revolved around the changeover from a statement of educational needs to an education, health and care plan which named The Wherry as his school from September.

According to the email it was a decision 'taken on the grounds of efficient use of resources.'

A Norfolk County Council spokesman said: 'We wish Adam every success for the future and are pleased that his family and school agree that our final decision is the right one for Adam.

'We work with more than 4,500 families each year whose children have special educational needs and will always strive to work together, taking into account the views of the family as we consider how best their child can be supported – whether that is in a local, mainstream school or a specialist school.

'We support families to access mediation, so that they have the help they need during the process and we know families value this independent support.'