PARENTS say they are devastated by the announcement that St Nicholas School in Chippenham will close.

Wiltshire Council has announced that after three years of consultation with families, schools and communities, it will build two schools for children and young people with special educational needs and disability in Wiltshire – at Rowdeford near Devizes and Exeter House, Salisbury.

St Nicholas School, for children aged four to 19, with a range of complex needs including profound and multiple learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders, as well as Larkrise in Trowbridge, will close when the new school opens - which is expected to be in September 2023.

Already parents are planning their campaign, arguing the move is not in the best interests of children.

Melissa Loveday, whose four-year old son Noah started at the school this year, said: “It’s devastating. We just don’t feel this proposal is the best solution.”

She added: “I think it’s dreadful. It’s dreadful for students. They are building this mega school, and taking kids away from their communities. St Nicholas is very good at taking them out into the community.

“Rowdeford is in the sticks - it doesn’t have good transport links.”

She predicted her son was more likely to have seizures on the longer journey it would take to drive him from the family home in Calne to the proposed new school.

“The mega school will shut them away - it’s like step back and moving into an institution.”

Parent Duncan Carter said families were feeling shock, anger and upset at the announcement.

“How is it good to be putting the school in a place away from everywhere? Hiding them away, not part of the community?” he said.

He was also concerned about the distance from the proposed new school to hospitals.

“Our daughter is epileptic, and has had to go to hospital from school in her time there. How is this going to be good for her when it’s 20 minutes further from A&E at RUH and the Great Western Hospital?”

The close links between parents and the school would also be damaged, he said.

The proposals will be taken to cabinet on November 27 before further consultation. Parents say they will be protesting before the meeting, and will make their views known.

“We are starting a petition, and want to make the community aware,” Melissa said.

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