School's campaigner is still not convinced (From Tewkesbury Admag)

School's campaigner is still not convinced

PARENTS and teachers are being urged to have their say on the future of Alderman Knight special school.

Questionnaires are being sent out to establish views on Gloucestershire County Council's new proposals for special education needs.

The council's new Conservative administration has already made a commitment to fight for the survival of the Tewkesbury school, which was to have been closed under the previous county council before the election in May. The school takes pupils from a wide area, including the Cotswolds.

The questionnaires, which set out the authority's new proposals, have now been sent out with the hope of finding out the public's views.

However, campaigner Val Keyte, of Fosse Lane, Stow, whose grandson Christopher Bonner attends the school, is sceptical at the plans.

She said: "I still don't trust it all. What worries me is if the decision is put before the Schools Organisation Committee again it will be turned down. I don't doubt the Conservatives are fully committed to their pledge but it feels we're going down the same road. It only takes two to abstain before we're back in the same position again. We need this school and must not let it go."

Cllr Joan Nash, responsible for schools, said: "I do understand that given the past history of the special needs education in Gloucestershire there could be some suspicion of the political process but I will assure everyone that we are totally committed to keeping special such education available for those children who need it and whose parents wish them to have it."

She added the meeting regarding the school had been a great success on Monday evening.

"It was encouraging to see the head teacher from the adjacent Tewkesbury School attend the meeting. He was supportive of an integrated system where the children study partly in a mainstream school while at the same time receiving support from the special school."

Cllr Jackie Hall, responsible for children's services, added: "We're looking to make big changes to the way special education works in Gloucestershire. Our idea is to give more parents the option of choosing a special school if that is what is in their child's best interests. At the same time we will continue funding high-quality support for children with special needs in mainstream schools."