03-10-2006, 08:07 PM
Heartache for parents of special needs pupils at Rainbow School, Bromham
A special school which fought back from a bruising report to be praised by inspectors is to close at its home in Bromham.
Rainbow School, which caters for pupils with severe learning difficulties, was singled out for much-improved teaching and the good progress of children last year.
The turnaround brought it off 'special measures', which had been imposed in early 2004 when the school was slated for failing to provide an acceptable standard of education.
But at a meeting on Wednesday, shocked parents were told the school's premises in Chestnut Avenue will close.
The pupils, most of whom also have autistic spectrum disorders, will transfer to St John's Foundation Special School in Kempston.
Their teachers will also move across, the meeting heard, when the schools join together in a 'federation' under one set of governors.
St John's headteacher Ron Babbage is set to lead the new set-up, which is officially still only under consideration.
But parents reacted to the news as if it were a done deal, with one visibly upset after the meeting.
She said: "Autistic children don't cope with lots of noise and crowds, which is what my son will get with 180 kids. Here he is in a class of just four, and even that is sometimes three too many."
Rainbow School now has around 20 children with severe learning difficulties at the Bromham site, and around 25 with more moderate problems in 'inclusion' classes at three mainstream schools.
It did have a larger roll, but after it was severely criticised by inspectors, 25 children with the most complex needs were transferred to other schools.
Despite the good work since then, lack of numbers seems to have counted against it continuing as a school in its own right.
Parents heard on Wednesday there is not the budget to pay for a new headteacher.
The inclusion classes also face a shake-up, and may have to move from mainstream schools to the Grange school for children with moderate learning difficulties, also in Kempston.
Mr Babbage said: "The governing bodies of both schools are considering federation, which would mean both schools continuing to work closely together under one governing body and headteacher.
"We think that combining the resources of both schools will help to make sure of high standards for pupils and parents.
"We need to make the best possible use of our teaching talent and financial resources to create an organisation which helps our pupils thrive.
"Parents attending the meeting made some valuable contributions and their views will be considered by the governing bodies as part of their consultation on the possibility of moving to a federation."
From bedfordtoday.co.uk
A special school which fought back from a bruising report to be praised by inspectors is to close at its home in Bromham.
Rainbow School, which caters for pupils with severe learning difficulties, was singled out for much-improved teaching and the good progress of children last year.
The turnaround brought it off 'special measures', which had been imposed in early 2004 when the school was slated for failing to provide an acceptable standard of education.
But at a meeting on Wednesday, shocked parents were told the school's premises in Chestnut Avenue will close.
The pupils, most of whom also have autistic spectrum disorders, will transfer to St John's Foundation Special School in Kempston.
Their teachers will also move across, the meeting heard, when the schools join together in a 'federation' under one set of governors.
St John's headteacher Ron Babbage is set to lead the new set-up, which is officially still only under consideration.
But parents reacted to the news as if it were a done deal, with one visibly upset after the meeting.
She said: "Autistic children don't cope with lots of noise and crowds, which is what my son will get with 180 kids. Here he is in a class of just four, and even that is sometimes three too many."
Rainbow School now has around 20 children with severe learning difficulties at the Bromham site, and around 25 with more moderate problems in 'inclusion' classes at three mainstream schools.
It did have a larger roll, but after it was severely criticised by inspectors, 25 children with the most complex needs were transferred to other schools.
Despite the good work since then, lack of numbers seems to have counted against it continuing as a school in its own right.
Parents heard on Wednesday there is not the budget to pay for a new headteacher.
The inclusion classes also face a shake-up, and may have to move from mainstream schools to the Grange school for children with moderate learning difficulties, also in Kempston.
Mr Babbage said: "The governing bodies of both schools are considering federation, which would mean both schools continuing to work closely together under one governing body and headteacher.
"We think that combining the resources of both schools will help to make sure of high standards for pupils and parents.
"We need to make the best possible use of our teaching talent and financial resources to create an organisation which helps our pupils thrive.
"Parents attending the meeting made some valuable contributions and their views will be considered by the governing bodies as part of their consultation on the possibility of moving to a federation."
From bedfordtoday.co.uk