WEST Somerset parents are being urged to flex their muscles in a demonstration of people power as the fight to save the district's school-based special needs units is officially launched. As reported in the Free Press a fortnight ago, Somerset County Council is currently carrying out a review of funding to three Minehead schools with resource bases catering for vulnerable learners from across the area. The headteachers of Minehead First, Minehead Middle and the West Somerset Community College have already fired a warning shot across the bow of the Local Education Authority's proposals, which could lead to the closure of all three units, claiming they could have "serious implications". But this week the chairman of governors at Minehead First, Toby Harrison, pulled no punches in a direct appeal to parents. Mr Harrison said the implications of the closure of his school's resource base would result in: l Bigger classes. l Reduced parental choice. l Significant cuts in the school's budget. l Threaten standards across the school. l Reduced support for the most vulnerable members of the school community. l Reduced flexibility in nurturing and educating the most needy. l The loss of specialist staff and expertise. l Instability and uncertainty. l A change in the atmosphere of the school. l Increased risk of exclusions. l Children with severe needs having to travel to Taunton or Bridgwater. And as Mr Harrison urged parents, their relatives and friends to register their objections to the threatened closures at a special drop-in clinic being staged by county education chiefs later this month, parents unveiled their own protest plans. They are launching a petition, a poster and letter campaign to raise awareness and intend to lobby the district's MPs. One of the youngsters currently being taught in Minehead's First's resource base is terminally ill Sophie Clarke, from Watchet, who was the focus of a Free Press-led appeal that raised thousands of pounds to help provide purpose-built accommodation at her home. In a letter to parents, Mr Harrison said on behalf of the board of governors: "We know you care about children with difficulties because you raised a sizeable amount of cash for Sophie Clarke, to give just one example. "We need as many of you as possible to object to this closure." Mr Harrison said that the LEA's view was that children at the resource base were "double funded". But he said twice as much per child was being spent at small rural schools, compared with large town schools like Minehead First, and there were hundreds of children at these small schools. He also pointed out that children in other parts of Somerset had access to special schools and specialist units catering for youngsters with speech and language problems, hearing impairment, autism and those needing pupil referrals. "We have none of these in West Somerset but at least the resource bases provide some specialist support. "The LEA's plan to withdraw funding for them is unfair on West Somerset." Mr Harrison claimed that the current round of consultation - meetings are being held at all three schools, in addition to the drop-in clinic at Minehead's Methodist Church on May 16 - was only taking place because of the pressure put on the LEA by Mr Riley and other local headteachers. "They have been fighting behind the scenes for some time, but now is the time for everyone to get involved." Mr Riley told the Free Press that the view of his school and its board of governors was that the changes proposed by the LEA were "very unwise and not well grounded". He said the unit at Minehead First was in existence when he first came to the school 25 years ago. It currently caters for a maximum of 12 children and is led by teacher Janet Daley - who has been widely praised by parents for her efforts and success with the vulnerable learners - and a dedicated and effective team of teaching assistants. Mr Riley said that the unit had had to be "defended" many times over the years but always on the basis that West Somerset is geographically isolated and has no other special needs provision. "The LEA is suggesting that special educational needs funding should be brought in line with other parts of the county. "But the fact is that in other parts of the county the funding is not that simple." Mr Riley said the impression given was that in future all areas would be supported only through 'School Active Plus', a system focusing on funding individual needs. But in fact the funding situation would remain complex. The LEA would continue to fund resource bases to support speech and language, hearing difficulties and autism, along with pupil referrals and special schools. "West Somerset will be the only area without any of these additional support mechanisms. "There are not enough pupils in this area to justify having our own special school but we must retain these additional resources for special needs. "We are not saying that the funding or the way our resources bases operate cannot change or be modernised. "But West Somerset is already under resourced when it comes to special needs. "All the headteachers in the area are very concerned and determined that these units should not be lost - once they close they will never re-open again." Under an agreement drawn up by the county council in the 1970s, the three Minehead schools each receive a specialist funding school-based package for pupils with special educational needs and those with moderate learning difficulties. The money ensures the children receive the same specialist services close to their homes as those studying in the Taunton or Bridgwater areas and also means they do not face lengthy daily journeys to lessons. But under the new proposals, rather than each school receiving one pot of cash to provide special education facilities, the LEA wants to introduce funding based on identified and evidenced needs of individual pupils. County education officer Jon Rose told the Free Press previously: "This change is designed to bring about a greater fairness to special educational needs funding across all schools in Somerset." Feedback from the current round of consultation will be drafted into a report, which is expected to go before councillors for a final decision in July.
Fighting for the future . . . Janet Daley, leader of the special needs unit at Minehead First School (centre) and parents Anne Osterlind and Lisa Clarke with children and staff from the unit Photo: Steve Guscott
More About: