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Special school could close by August
Angry school governors of a special school have hit out at education chiefs after they made a formal proposal to close Hitchmead School.
A consultation into the merger of Hitchmead and Sunnyside Schools in Biggleswade has been criticised after governors at Hitchmead say the council has now changed its initial proposal of an equal merger using both sites, to closing the Hitchmead site altogether.
But a spokesman for Central Beds has said there was never a proposal to keep both schools open if a merger went ahead, and that 73 per cent of the public have in fact expressed support for the merger.
A statement released by school governors at Hitchmead said: "Based upon advice and assurances given by the council about the future of the school and equal, joint governance arrangements, the Hitchmead governing body were originally content to support a merger of the two schools.
"However, the proposals now before the council fall short of what was originally discussed and agreed."
In a statutory notice posted on its website, the council is proposing that Hitchmead School officially close by August 31 this year and
Sunnyside expands to create a single area special school by September.
Councillor Anita Lewis, portfolio holder for children's services said: "The council's position has not changed.
"We have made it very clear from the outset in documents, public meetings, statements and meetings with school governors that a merger would involve the closure of one school and the extension of another."
The closure is only a proposal and a final decision will be taken on April 6.
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Monday 13 February 2012
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