Parents bid to save education centre

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save a centre for children with special educational needs and disabilities that is set to close.

The unit at Chipping Sodbury School serves families from areas including Frampton Cotterell, Westerleigh and Yate whose children have autism.

A 10-year contract with South Gloucestershire Council expires next year and the Athelstan Trust, which runs the school, says it cannot renew it because its funding has been slashed.

In a letter to parents, head teacher Katherine Turner said the £40,000 the school used to receive per pupil had not increased over the last decade and that it now faced being left with a base of just £15,000 per pupil, which is not enough to meet the children’s needs.

The council is blaming the academy trust for the closure, but opposition groups say the fault lies with the council's administration.

Parents campaigning to save the unit appealed directly to political leaders at a council meeting on February 15, speaking passionately about how vital it was for their youngsters.

They were joined by local child psychologist Sean Rhodes, who works with children with autism and communication difficulties, and said: "Where will these children go for their education? We already know that there is no space at other bases and centres, or in our special schools."

A petition aimed at keeping the centre open has received