PARENTS of children at Dean Hall school for pupils with special needs are appealing to parents of other schools to help their fight to keep it open.
Two Dean Hall parents, Gill Dovey and Wendy Wilding, who are leading the fight to save the school, say it is in the interests of all parents to keep it going.
"We are very worried that they will close the school down even after protests, petitions and a brilliant Ofsted report," said Mrs Dovey.
"We would like to get the support of parents of children in mainstream schools who, if Dean Hall closes, will never have a choice if they have children with learning difficulties.
"Too many children are having to struggle because of the new policy of trying to integrate them all into mainstream schools when in fact, as has been our experience, they would probably thrive in a special school.
"No-one would rather their child be in a special school, we know, but when it turns out to be so beneficial for them it is so much better to do what is best for the child.
"The local education authority has made it extremely difficult for children to be statemented and this means they are not getting the help they require.
"We think all parents should be made aware they have rights and should make sure they make their feelings known to the authorities.
"Any teacher in their mainstream school would be able to point them in the right direction."