PARENTS campaigning to save Larkrise School from closure are to mount a protest outside County Hall in Trowbridge on Tuesday morning (Nov 27).

They are hoping to persuade Wiltshire Council members to rethink plans to close the school, along with special needs schools at Rowdeford near Devizes and St Nicholas in Chippenham.

The county’s Cabinet meets on Tuesday to decide whether to build a new £20 million super-school for up to 350 special needs children at Rowde.

The Friends of Larkrise School have urged supporters to write to their local MP to oppose the closure.

Mrs Linda Bell, whose 13-year-old son Arnie went to the school before he died earlier this year, is hoping to submit a joint petition with 20,000 signatures to force the Cabinet to hold a debate on the issue.

Already, her Arnie’s Army online petition has been signed by more than 7,800 people, and a paper petition is also being circulated.

Mrs Bell is hoping to attract 10,000 signatures in support of Larkrise, and she hopes that St Nicholas supporters can obtain a similar number opposing the closures.

Emily Wadds, of the Friends of Larkrise, said: “We’re hoping for a big turnout on Tuesday. We think about 100 people will be there from Larkrise and some from St Nicholas.

“We want them to build new schools in Trowbridge and Chippenham, not a bigger school at Rowde.

“We don’t want our children to go to one school; we want them to be educated in their local community. Fifty per cent of Larkrise children live in Trowbridge, the rest are from other West Wiltshire towns.

“No child should have to spend hours on a bus each day to go to school, and no child with special needs or disabilities should have to cope with a huge site, big busy buildings and hundreds of unfamiliar faces every day.

“The answer is not to put our most vulnerable children in a school miles from home. How is this inclusion? No child should be denied the opportunity to be part of their local community.”

The Friends of Larkrise have already gained the backing of Trowbridge’s MP Dr Andrew Murrison, and St Nicholas parents have written to Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan asking for her support.

They are also urging people to lobby their local councillors, sign the Arnie’s Army petition, and join their campaign.

A meeting was held at Larkrise School on Wednesday (Nov 21) to update parents on the campaign. It was attended by Larkrise headteacher Phil Cook and school governors.

Mrs Wadds also plans to meet some of the 10 Trowbridge councillors before Tuesday’s Wiltshire Council Cabinet meeting.

A Winter Fair is being held at Westwood Social Club on Saturday (Nov 24) from 11.30am to 3.30pm to raise funds which will be used for the Save Larkrise campaign and Marg’s Moggies cat rescue in Bradford on Avon.

To sign the Arnie’s Army online petition, go to https://www.change.org/p/help-larkrise-special-needs-school-trowbridge