This Is Staffordshire
09:20 - 24-July-2009
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.