Page last updated at 14:58 GMT, Monday, 15 June 2009 15:58 UK

Petition over school closure plan

Support Ewing School poster
Thousands have signed a petition to stop the closure of the school

Parents fighting the closure of a south Manchester school for children with speech and language disorders have taken their protest to Downing Street.

Ewing School in West Didsbury could close in 2012 as part of Manchester City Council's inclusion strategy.

Manchester City Council said the plans would improve education for youngsters with special needs across the city.

But many parents are opposed to the scheme and have collected more than 10,000 signatures on a petition.

A delegation travelled to London on Monday to give the petition to local Liberal Democrat MP John Leech, who was handing it on to Downing Street.

Consultation ongoing

Dianne Bennett, of Parents Against Closure of Ewing (Pace), told BBC Radio Manchester: "Ours is a very special school - it's the only speech and language school in Manchester.

"The children of the mainstream will suffer if our children go in, as our children do have very complex needs and demand an awful lot of time.

"Many of our children have already been to mainstream schools. Their education wasn't delivered satisfactorily and the children actually suffered."

The council said the pupils remaining at Ewing School by 2012 would be transferred to one of six primary schools or three secondary school which have specialist resources.

As part of the strategy, Grange School in Rusholme will be relocated to a purpose built building on Matthews Lane, Gorton.

The 150-pupil school will have a support unit for children with autism or speech disorders.

A public consultation is continuing on the proposals, which will be discussed by Manchester City Council in July.



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SEE ALSO
Protest to stop closure of school
23 Apr 09 |  Manchester
Autism and mainstream schools
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