People at Gorton Brook received a letter, informing them that the Local Education Authority are in the process of reviewing special-needs provision across the whole of Manchester. Gorton Brook specialises in teaching pupils with moderate learning difficulties.

The letter invited parents to a meeting to discuss with Local Education Officers the planned proposals. The grapevine being particularly healthy at Gorton Brook ensured that parents soon realised their children’s school was threatened with closure.

Parents attending the meeting were told this was a “consultation meeting” to inform them of a proposal of closure. Parents were loud and clear in their objections to the closure. They spoke forcefully, candidly and passionately about the needs of their children.

They were in agreement that their children had improved ten-fold since attending Gorton Brook, not one parent would want to send their child back to a mainstream school and all the associated problems both they and the children had encountered in the past.

They all feel their children are in the best possible place and hold the teaching staff at Gorton Brook in high regard. They also voiced the opinion that their children were now happy to go to school. The Local Education Officers tried their best to convince parents that their children would be better off within the mainstream system, but parents know their own children’s needs best, they are the ones who have lived through the heartache, suffering and endless battles to get their childs education right for them.

They don’t want to take a backwards step with their childrens education, to try to include their children in a mainstream school when they know they’re not ready for it, would not only be a backwards step, it would be distressing and even damaging to the child.

The campaign to save Gorton Brook has begun, the parents group at the school are meeting with Education Authority representatives, writing letters to Members of Parliament, European Members and the Education Minister.

Some of the parents spoke to me of their concerns:
“The plan to close this school, I understand is to take place within eighteen months, teachers need specialised training to enable them to deal with children with learning difficulties, they will not have reached a high enough standard by the time this inclusion-in-mainstream is through, mistakes will be made, but parent will not tolerate mistakes.”
Judith.

“My son has been at Gorton Brook since September but I can already see a marked improvement in him, the staff at this school are dedicated and it is obvious they are good at their job, in my opinion this is the best school in Manchester and it would be a dreadful loss not only for the children but also for the parents if it closed.”
James.

“My child had one-to-one teaching in his previous mainstream school, you would think that method of teaching would produce good results wouldn’t you? The school still couldn’t cope with him! Since he’s been here, he has improved a great deal. I asked his previous headteacher, if this school closes, what will happen to my son? The reply was ‘He won’t come back to this school-we couldn’t cope with him!’ “
Paul.

“My twin boys, Daniel and Andrew are 8yrs old, last September they changed class, a normal event in schools, but that was such a big upheaval for them to deal with, it took quite a few weeks for them to settle again. By the time this closure comes along they will be in their final year of primary school, so they will have to go to another primary school for just one year, where there will be no familiar faces at all, then one year later they will have to be uprooted again as they go on to secondary school! I can’t imagine how they will cope with what for them will be two massive changes in their life.”
Julie.

Editiorial.
Isn’t it about time the people supposed to be representing people in the communities they are serving, not only listened to their opinions and wishes but occasionally took their advive and acted on it, surely by the law of averages the people could be right sometimes!