Family set to fight closure
A FAMILY fighting the closure of their daughter's special school are expected to launch legal proceedings against Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
Marie Hennessy and Kevin Allman fear 10-year-old Kelly, who has severe autism, won't be able to cope if she is forced to transfer from Heathfield School, in Chell Heath, to another school.
But on Wednesday, the council approved the closure of Heathfield as part of its £250 million Building Schools for the Future programme. Seven high schools will also shut to make way for five new academies.
Mrs Hennessy, aged 37, from Bentilee, said: "I'm disgusted at the council. They have just pushed this through. Our solicitor will now be issuing legal proceedings and it's going to go to court."
As reported in The Sentinel yesterday, Heathfield is due to close in August 2010, when pupils will transfer to the roll of Middlehurst School, in Chell.
But they will remain at the Heathfield site until 2013, when work on either extending or rebuilding Middlehurst will have been completed.
Comments
by Laura, stoke
Friday, July 24 2009, 2:47PM
“I cannot believe the council. all they think about is the money. i have seen heathfield school and itspupils during my work experience of a few weeks and day trips out and the pupils love that school. they wouldnt be able to cope if that school closed and everything changed. its not fair on the pupils who need that stability in life of things being constant. many of those pupils rely on certain staff members as they trust them. i am very disgusted at the council for closing this school. the school is brilliant and has everything the children need. Becky loves that schhol. why is it no one from the council think of the pupils.... they only think of themselves and the money,”